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Sun (surya), the visible clestial luminary was also established as a great and important god in the Buddhist pantheon. Different names are attributed to the god in the vedic times, e.g. Savitri, Pugana, Bhaga, Vivasvat, Mitra, Anjaman, Visnu¹. In the ancient times the god was being represented symbolically. The Brhatsamhita, Visnudharmottara variously describe the god². This god also found a prominent position in Japanese Buddhism. The god is called Nit-ten in Japan. The Japanese variety of Surya is mentioned in the Kongo-Kai Mandara or Vajradhatu Mandala. He is represented neither on a horse nor en a chariot drawn by horses. In the Taizo-kai-Mandara Nit-ten is placed in the Genkongobu-in in the eastern direction. There Nit-ten is seen riding an chariot drawn by five horses. Dainichi-kyo-so complied by Ichigyo depicts the group of Nit-ten comprising of his consorts Seiya (Chhaya) and Biseiya. This group is depicted in the south of the group of attendant of Shaka. Nit-ten is there seen "as riding on eight horses with a wife on either side.' 3 1. Development of Hindu Iconography, p. 428. 2. See page 40 of the present work. 3. DHIJBP, p. 85.

- 170 Sonsho Buccho-shu-Yugo-Ho-Giki translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Zen-Mui and Shosetsu-Fudo-ki, by Shinjaku describe the god in two different way in regard to the dresses and ornaments. But in both the works, the god is described as riding on a chariot drawn by five red-horses. In both the texts god and his consorts are depicted as holding the lotus, Dissimilarities as to be noted between Indian and Japanese form of Surya are as follows : The Japanese god Nitten generally rides on a chariot drawn by five or eight horses as mentioned in the texts. But in the Indian representations the god sun is always represented as riding on a chariot drawn by seven horses. Moreover, in Japan Nit-ten's consorts Seiya and Biseiya are always represented with the deity. But in India Surya is not always attended by his wives. Apart from the se dissimilarities the main features are highly common in Indian and Japanese Surya. Thus we can find that there are many common features of the god in Hinduism as well as in Buddhism. The lotus, the horse, the consort Chhaya are all the common features both in Brahmanical and the Japanese Buddhist Iconography. In India the sculptural representation of the sun-god was a later development as compared today when he was represented

171 through symbols. In ancient times the deity was represented by symbols. A wheel, a round golden plate, a lotus flower etc. were the common used symbols. 1 In Japan Nit-ten is generally represented in the group of Juni-ten or twelve guardian gods. The Juni-ten figures in paintings are preserved in many temple in Japan, In the Jingo-ji temple, Kyoto, a painted figure of the god as one of the twelve gods of the Juni-ten group is seen as on a round pedestal. In his right hand he holds a spherical object which is represented as the celestial planet, the sun. This spherical object is regarded as his symbol sun. His left hand is perhaps holding the corner of his clothes. The deity is clad in beautiful garments and decorated with ornaments. This kind of symbol in the hand of the deity is highly interesting. In Indian representation, however, the deity is identified from the different kinds of symbols, such as lotus flower (in the hands).