Essay name: Buddhist iconography in and outside India (Study)
Author:
Purabi Gangopadhyay
Affiliation: University of Calcutta / Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture
This work aims to systematically present the development and expansion of Mahayana-Vajrayana Buddhist iconography from India to other countries, such as China, Korea, and Japan. This study includes a historical account of Indian Buddhist iconography and the integration of Brahmanical gods into the Mahayana-Vajrayana phase.
Chapter 4: Japanese Buddhist Iconography (a Comparative Study)
12 (of 101)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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- 96.
The appearance of Gautama Buddha after his attaining
of Bodhi became the model for giving shape and form of the
image of the Buddha. In addition to this priestly robes, the
Buddha figures should bear "thirty-two" physical marks. The
Kong艒-Ky么 or the Daimond S奴tra (Vairacchedika Praj帽膩p膩r蓹mita
S奴tra in Sanskrit) which was translated into Chinese by
Kumarjiva between 402 and 312 A.D. mentions about "thirty-two"
special marks or superior signs of the Tathagata. The Chinese
translations of Abbiniskramana Sutra done in 69 or 70 A.D. for
the first time, also mentions about these signs and also about
eighty personal signs on the body of prince Siddhartha.
Accordingly, we find that Buddha images in Japan too
contain a number of distinctive marks, some of which are as
follows:
Snail-shell pattern of the curl of hair known as
Rahotsu in Japanese, small tuft of white hair on the forehead
thatsymbolises emission of ray of light (Byokug艒 in Japanese),
golden coloured body, hands should reach below the knees, a
halo behind the head, webbed fingers and toes, thousand-spoked
wheel marks underneath the feet, mudra or hand gesture, hang-
ing of thin priestly robe across the chest, partly covered or
fully exposed shoulder & etc.
Each idealised Buddha - should have his own mudra, but
Some of the idealised Buddhas in Japanese Buddhism are :
Dainichi Nyorai (Mah膩vairocana Buddha), Amida Nyorai (Amitabha
Buddha) Yakushi Nyorai (Bhai峁jyaguru), Ashuku Nyorai (Aksobhya),
H艒sh艒 Nyoral (Batnasambhava), F眉k奴-J艒-J奴-Nyorai (Amoghasiddhi),
Shaka Nyorai (Sakyamuni), J艒ko Butsu (Dipankara).
