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)
58 (of 101)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Bishomon-ten holds a jewelled pagoda and sometimes he has
ten hands. It is also another peculiar characteristic of
Japanese Kubera. The other feature of Japanese Kubera is
that he stands upon three Yak峁s. But there is no corres-
ponding form of the god in Japan where the god has three legs
and eight feet. Then, again, the Japanese Bishamon-ten
sometimes holds like the Indian Kubera-Vai艣rava峁嘺 a bag or
sack. The conception of Kubera squeezing the neck of jewel-
vomitting mongoose, as it appears, has no parallel in Japan.
The pagoda in one hand is an essential attribute in the hand
of Japanese Biohamon-ten (Pl.xx[Fig.1, ).
鈥�
In one representation of the Kyo-脫 Gokoku-ji temple
(T艒-ji temple) in Kyoto, a figure of Tobatsu Bishamon-ten
stands on the hands of earth-goddess Prthivi, who is accom
panied by two gobblins. The figure of the deity is fierce-
looking. His right hand is bare and the left hand holds a
miniature pagoda. The elongated four-sided crown of the
head bears the effigy of a bird which is the image of bird-
king Garuda. The ornaments and decoration of his dresses
are very beautiful. The image is made of wood, the designs
xxx oh the image is done with cut-gold leaf. The image
measures 189.4 cm in height. It is a unique piece of
sculpture of Chinese T'ang dynasty. Now it is owned by the
Kyo-艒-Gokoku-ji temple in Kyoto. (Pl. XXII, Fig. 1.)
Bishamon-ten is also regarded as one of the seven
gods of luck. In this aspect he is always shown dressed in
