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)
45 (of 101)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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. spear-like object in one of his right hands. The other right hand probably exhibits the abhaya mudra. A full blown lotus and a receptacle are held by his left hands. The seed-syllable of the deity is 'Bra'. A painted image (scroll painting) of the deity is preserved in the Komyo-in temple at Koyasan. The figure of the deity is used during the performance of the Zuz艒 Hokkeky艒-bu rites (Saddharmapundrika rites) 1. a Brahmi It would be relevant to discuss here about Brahm膿峁嚹� or Br膩hmi who is obviously the female counterpart of Brahm膩 since the Brhatsa峁僪it膩 a sixth century iconographic text by Varahamihira says "Mothers are to be made with cognisances of the gods corresponding to their names" 2 This repre-
In India Brahma峁噄 is represented as four-faced and
four-armed (the fourth face is howev at the back and,
therefore, it is not visible from U / front).
sentation is found at a premises on the bank of a large pond
known as Markandeya Sarobara at Puri in Orissa. One of the
right hands of Brahmani, who is seated in a posture called
ardhaparya艅ka, exhibits Vyakhy膩na-mudr膩. With one of her
left hands she holds a child who is seated on her lap. The
See Bakshi's article in the Bulletin of the Centre of
Japanese Studies, Calcutta-19, Vol.II. June 1985.
2. Brhatsa峁僪it脿: Chapter 57, verse 56.
