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)
86 (of 101)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Sonsh艒 Bucch艒-shu-Yugo-H艒-Giki translated from
Sanskrit into Chinese by Zen-Mui and Shosets奴-Fud艒-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
S眉rya is not always attended by his wives. Apart from the se
dissimilarities the main features are highly common in Indian
and Japanese S奴rya.
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 Icono-
graphy.
In India the sculptural representation of the sun-god
was a later development as compared today when he was represented
