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)
24 (of 101)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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- 108 -
Kannon (Ek膩da艣amukha-Sahasrabhuja Avalokitesvara). The
figures stand on the pedestal and placed on the rows of
gallery-like steps. The central figure of this group is of
Avalokitesvara who is seated in dhyanamudra. Each of the other
1000 Avalokitesvara has small heads over the central head and
a miniature figure of Amitabha is placed above all the hoads.
- Bosatsu-bu
The third category of the iconographic classification
is called Bosatsu-bu. The figure in this group are of B盲dhi-
sattva. In this group Maitreya, Ma帽ju艣r墨, Samantabhadra,
膧k膩艣agarbha, K峁tigarbha, S眉ryaprabha, Candraprabha Vai峁jya-
r膩ja and others are included. They are called Miroku Basateu
(Maitreya), Manju Basatsu (Manju艣r墨), Kokuz艒-Bosatsu (膧k膩艣a-
garbha), Jiz艒 Bosatsu (Ksitiqarbha). Nikko Bosatsu (S奴rya-
prabha), Gakko Bosatsu (Candraprabha), Yakujo-Bosatsu
(Bai峁jyar膩ja), Fugen Bosatsu (Samantabhadra) respectively
in Japanese.
Bodhisattva is considered to be the Enlightened Being,
who has reached almost the state of perfection, but yet to
attain complete perfection. The forms of the Bodhisattva
images are given according to the features of prince Siddhartha
prior to his attainment of Buddhahood. That is why the images
of Bodhisattvas are decorated with princely garments, crowns,
various ornaments, such as, neckleces, bracelets, ear-rings,
etc. and other jewellery. Bodhisattva images can be seen
either as a individual deity or as the attendants of the Buddha.
