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)
13 (of 101)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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in many cases the prescribed forms of mudr膩s have not been
strictly followed. Therefore, many hand symbols or gestures
are found to be common to all Buddhas.
Amitabha Amida
The Amida Figures can be seen principally with nine
mudr膩s. According to the mudr膩s, Amit膩bha images are classi-
fied into three groups.
The figures in meditation are known as J玫-in-s艒. The
three kinds of meditation symbols are formed by placing the
two palms on the lap of the figure, while the fingers form
a circle in three different ways, such as (a) by touching the
index fingers with the thumbs, (b) by touching the middle
fingers with the thumbs and (c) by touching the ring fingers
with the thumbs.
The
Preaching figures are known as Seppo-in-s艒 .
Seppo-in mudra is formed (a) by touching the index fingers
with the thumbs, (b) by touching the middle fingers with the
thumbs and (c) by touching the ring fingers with the thumbs.
*Coming to welcome' figures are known as Raigo-in-so.
In this Raig艒-in attitude the hand gestures are formed :
1 (a) by touching the index fingerswith the thumbs
(b) by touching the middle fingers with the thumbs and
(c) by touching the ring fingers with the thumbs.
It is said that the souls are of nine-grades, The above
