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    Iconography Celestial Buddhas

    Uploaded by

    Nabin Bajracharya

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Religion, History, and Culture Readings from The Encyclopedia of Religion Mircea Eliade EDITOR IN CHIE EDrToas, Charles J. Adams Joseph M, Kitagawa Martin E. Marty Richard P. McBrien Jacob Needleman Annemarie Schimmel Robert M, Seltzer wor Turner ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lawrence E, Sullivan ASSISTANT EDITOR William K. Mahony Buddhism and Asian History EDITED BY Joseph M. Kitagawa and Mark D. Cummings Religion, History, and Culture Readings trom The Encyclopedia of Religion Mircea Eliade EDITOR IN CHIEF MACMILLAN PUBLISHING COMPANY New York ‘COLLIER MACMILLAN PUBLISHERS London N98F epi © 987,969 by Malin blag Company {Deion of Mami, ne ‘tigers No pat fh bck may be eproaced ‘¢ tanned any fem oy 26 meas econ oF ‘chara inci precept o Y af {seman organ rerio joe, ‘eto pension wrt om he uber, MAcaMLAN PEEING COMET | Td ee, Hew Yor, BY. 1022 ole Macndan Crads bray of Congres Cag Card Number #8128 ‘ree i the Ud Ses rei ot suber 12345678910 ary of Congres Catgingin Pubcon Dass ‘ads stn ‘ekg, sry a cure) Ince dogs am he Ep feign 1 padthin—Hisory. 1 Kagan, jxep Mi, 1915— h Cumeing Mak DI Sees, 1. Baqeeped of rego, BRS 1999 KS CONTENTS PUBLISHER'S NOTE. INTRODUCTION PART 1: L PART 3: uu 2 B. 4 15. FOUNDATIONS OF THE TRADITION Buddhist Religion, Culture, and Civilization Trank E, Reynolds and Charles Hallisey ‘the Buddha Frank E. Reynolds and Charles Hallisey Buddbism in india luis 0. Gomez ‘THE PAN-ASIAN BUDDHIST WORLD Buddhism in Southeast Asia ‘Donald K. Swearer Buddhism in Central Asia Ronald Eric Emmerick ‘Buddhism in China Erik Zurcher Buddhism in Korea Robert Evans Buswell, J. ‘Buddhism in Japan “Tamaru Noriyoshi ‘Buddhism in Tibet Herbert Guenther Buddhism in Mongolia ‘Walther Heissig. BUDDHIST SCHOOLS AND SECTS Hinayana Buddhism ‘André Bareau ‘Mahayana Buddhism ‘Nakamura Hajime Esoteric Buddhism “Alex Wayman. ‘the Schools of Chinese Buddhism ‘Stanley Weinstein ‘The Schools of Japanese Buddhism ‘Araki Michio st 107 BI 39 151 159 175 189 195, ais 241 257 267 vi Content 16. PART 4: 17, 18, 19, 20. a 2. ‘The Schools of Tibetan Buddhist David L. Sneligrove DIMENSIONS OF RELIGIOUS PRACTICE ‘The Buddhist Samgha Heinz Bechert ‘Samgha and Society FLL Seneviratne Buddhist Cultic Life in Southeast Asia Richard F. Gombrich Buddhist Cultic Life in Bast Asia ‘Taitetsu Unno Buddhist Cultic Life in Tibet Robert AF, Thurman Buddhist Meditation Winston L. King 27 299 297 309 3i7 325 331 Buddhist eonograp5y simone Gaulier and Robert Jeta-Bezard 34 wh PART 5: 25. 26. Folk Buddhisen Donald K Swearer ‘THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT ‘The Arhat Donald K. Swearer ‘The Career of the Bodhisanva 351 361 365. T. Nakamura Hajime Celestial Baden and BOOSTS ‘David 1, Snellgr 373 2B 29. “The Mahasiddha LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS FINDING LIST OF ARTICLE TITLES SYNOPTIC OUTLINE Buddhism in India ‘The Spread of Buddhism: 389 395, 410 412 BUDDHIST ICONOGRAPHY ‘Soon Gaui and Rosser Jw BEzaK ‘Tmt om Pech by na aes In the couse of ts development and difision, Buddhism fas expressed iself theovgh an abundance of visa forms, but a der to understand them. ne his 0 take ino account the profound evelusoa of Buddhist date owe tie and Space, foubly the changes rough ino the fundamensal doctrines of caly Hiayana (Cleser vile") Bodhi by the Mea (great vehicle) ‘Skeramunt suoDN ‘The fundamental image around which the cl as developed is tht of found, the Bada, represemed in the essen moments of his religious career, These momen are often evoked soll trough the language af gestures (mut) sd ostires (sas) devoid ofl conten [Seo Mud once his age dot figure at alin the eatieg, anecdotal presenations preserved on behets Dect ‘he Baha personaly as deemed have passed outside of ior aogier his pormindna or death, his presence was stead mbolied By such mots 2s os marked with the Whee of the Law (Se Figure 1), the beng bowl (a) OF the Bodhi Tree (the Enighenmead). Similarly, the Fst Seria snong the monks in Banaras is ewoked by the mama ("ive Jewels" 2 thee pointed motif representing the Buda, his Law, and his Communty) surmounted by the Whee! (Gymbolizing by 2s movenent the tansmision ofthe dogma) and sutured Dy deer Most imporsnt of al dhe parorana of the daha is recalled by the sp, the domical shrine belied to hive contained the precious relies of the Maser. “Together withthe image of the Buddha, the stupa, ss an awl monument orn ‘conic represeriaon (and dough such tanormations asthe gaa ¢ ep god, and the Tibean cborchen sce Fire 2) reais athe ener of He ce tds ual agery [Ser Scape Worship} "rom the oust of Indian Buddhist at (ihind-tocond centres mc), he legend ary accounts ofthe Buda’ previous incmatons and earthly fe (ito and ea dina) are reteced in sanctuary painting and bas rele representing the palace le of the young prince Siddhartha. These dope scenes tn the moment of his ‘miraculous conception a a white elephant vsti Queen May (his mote) dhe 3a ene 1: The Whee fhe Lam lime of his “Great Departure from the Mf of a owetoier mourve on bis horse, ana, As the Budsha came 10 asuime 2 supernatural aspect he ure of the Great Deparuce sometimes appeared a6 3m ara figure (ce sla. see on {he central medion of the acensancuary cupolas Bedcked with pieely ments, jewels, and an elaborate headres, the itute Buda ls often GSC to stings from other Bada, sch as Mave, The represention ofthe Buddha ta eapily ocime uniersal probably org: ated in Gandhira or Mathuedberween the fit ceuty sc andthe ise coy shows the monk wearing the robe and mani of the Abdu (mend), with is heat encircled by animus, probably the eevee of Hellenic influences Among the tio auspicious marks (latsonas) that designate a asia, the moat coe aceite ones ae the ru the circular tf a hair on hs forehead de ug, the ‘bumpin his il that ook ike abun of hat; the dtd earlobes the weihles ‘on his neck: his webbed Angers and hs gold skin coloring His pene, te seer iy of is femurs, and his alfelosed eyes augue the pth of is maton sex! decachent from the exterior worl. This boy language exp became con wentionlzed (se figure 3), although, as seen especialy the merle te Esoteric (Vaayana) tation in Tibet and Eat Ava, hrc femaed ee ok complex eae aps an Pago, Buddhise Ieoncgraphy 345 Ferme 5: Seats dt, Teo ofthe major ewes lowing the Gee Departure are the Busha’ Enlgh {ment under the Bodh Tree and his Fit Serna song the mens he Se Parkin Banaras. Bu the ulumate evortion of heal le le symbology of he ‘rinse, whece the Maser is shun Woy hs ight see upon cahion a the presence of dhe Mla princes, dhe bcs Vaan, and hs om dcileg al oF whom are 18 mourning, By the ith century ct, represents of the Blessed One, salina, seated, oF sectning 2 described above, stad eos dimensions ia ates a mag hice in lis or modeled inca, ct iva sone or cat Drone. Fen then on ‘ie & portaye as monarch ofthe wold (eaten withthe “seven elem ‘ns abuts (he atendant, the general the beaut woman the hone de ele ‘Phan. the whee, andthe peal or gon). This concep had been expe eater uth Snags of ce Buddha seated mses on a on throne, sommes the European fashion or wearing his royal atts (cron, jewels, cloak wh thee Plats) over his monastic dress. Bost an, however he is shown sated In 344 muddhlem and Asian History Indian manne, is kgs coed more oe les hy, eer on & “grass thane (Gucing the ark of Mars, the Ei On, imenedeney preceding ts Enlightenme) ‘or on a stepped thane posibly symbole Mount Mer, aus ofthe world. Aad ing othe Grex Miracle of Siva, when the Bada rallied his peesence tthe {orm of lise Buses sexed on lases, he also appar, ested or standing, Teas ave. “THE TRANSCENDENT BUDDIA With the jana, the superar vison heralded in the Great Mince of Seva culminates in the tyiad Buddhas of Ue universe, which Began 1 appeze inthe thir an our eens cx and were subsequcnl aloed ofr and over on sane tuary walls und seulpted or modeled on emples and sopas. This concept ofthe Buda’s omnipresence f offen combined wth tha of the lus as cost age ‘ac lonis petal conse: «word and each toes is oocpied by One othe myriad Budahas, evoking the universe past, reset, and ire, ‘The eimphasison ths superruteal power manifested fff concretely in both Paloting and sculprre wit images of te Buda Vatroana, moa ofthe ie Nerse. These transeendemt Bodshas, thle Bodies covered with iosges of Mou Meru, the supa tbe sun and oe, quate subjects ae the lots, he na (hu erbok), wheel, arama, and ther signs tnd symbols are encounters ery ety long the path of penecain ofthe Great Vehicle soo China. The donne, once ‘ruled, expresies icin even more elaborate foes in Soe n= moun temples (Bocobudut, na) and in the temples of faces (Bayon of Angkor Thor, Cambodia). The human character ofthe Buda, so evident in dhe older Works, 6 ‘oally overshadowed inte concept of isthe bie oa) te formless Doo ofthe Lae (domabaya, wich i sally wtaneitabe) the please Body an ‘agape oF boxy of glory (supeaworly) the wanstoematon, oe human, body (urmanabeya, Le, the hserteal Buddha) From this point on. his retina (bar dra) is enciched witha whole Buddhist pantheon. The eminent lpi Rigutes a {his new religion oF sabato, the Great Vehicle, ae added tothe ns, the holy srarchs, the anonymous followers, and dhe pinely donors ist the Poa, [etsorallzed asthe Buidhas ofthe fare, ten the Bre Jnas (sion) ad thee Sescendans, each one evoking an aude of Sayan Buddha ‘MONKS AND PATRIARCHS The monks are often dressed inthe tered monastic robes preserbed bythe Bu du himsel The robe is aurbuted to cera of the ten disciples of Sakyamuni, ‘among whom the younges, Aran, and dhe oldest, Kisyapa, ten appear a8 aoltet tn represenasions of de hstorel! Bock. The aba (Cun, oan) are ase. ho have stained the highest degree of sncication posse io Hinayanasxerol. ‘fy an are he designe protectors othe Laws; they are porrayed a eld men with pronounce eaures. Among the “eminent monks” and paar, 0 geoups are dinguised by thet wid appearance, very closet Ba of the sorcerer the five Masters of the Law 2 wel asthe males ("perf ones), ght f0ur ‘of whom, scoring Tibetan ition, haoe dhe cemeteries where the adepes of “Tansee complacent thee. The Alta {la teachers te Tbe wadeion) by conn, is depicted serenely Buddhist tomography 345 BODHISKITVAS AND MINOR DEITIES ‘The bodbiamna Maley fas played a very significant role since the beginning of the Chistian era, and for thas reson he was rapidly desigated in sclpure Dy specif atribates and ofen by hs poste as wel Like the other bodbatnas he ‘wears he lvsh garb ofthe Indian princes but requently cates the water vase Of the beams kamera) in hel Dad, wile his ight hand be exer hod the longstemmed blue fous o¢ makes the gesture of lnsiracton (tart some ‘ies be eles a minute spa in is ara and cn be seed in Eugopean fahin, ‘th his ep vad in fon is chain pated sanctuary decoration he is fen epic emrone ithe Tyra Hest, fom which he must descend it order tO felacite himself as Syamunts seceso. ‘The image of Aniokuresvars(Kuanyin ia Chita, Kangoo i Japan) abo emerges ‘rly om, athough his powers and therefore his konographi grin more precision ‘pth the ess of the Mayan At Bat he canbe conured with Mace sac they both ary Mask conning the els of We (amaakalta) and a as (Soe igre ‘3 His etaionsip th Amisha Buddha is ict by the presence of le rediaing Budcha in his ara 38 an assisant w Anabha, he appears in the wad ‘wth the bodiicars Masshapeapa and s inches i the great pained sees of he parade of Amtaibha,Avsloktetrars show wi ale Budkas of anon Iman ta his aeol. Accoring 10 the Saddbarmapurdartiea Stra is the pro tector one invokes agains the tn pri (sakes, ferocious beat, cabbers, poisons, Sms and 3 oth) hese ae often depicted with hm on basceles ad puting. ‘Of the may forms he can tke in both painting and Sculpture, some enced by the indian panicon, are very parila: thy of Atalitesara “who faces al svt his eleven heads aranged ia pyramid above hs hours in order to extend Is protest wo all dzecons (the tomes of faces in Bayona Alor Thom conte te same concep) electing another aspect of his muliple powers 25 Lad of be orld (kerr, hes poreaved wih four, i, o eg ars rican a mada ‘The sume aspect summoned by Kuanyin “ofa thousand ads and a thousand ‘ers hat ence hie in an aucole; each band, with an eye uke on the pala, holds a sigtcae ates the pa, cosy, jewel As, tous anc 6 Fh I Fat Ente at, Kua comes assue fae ors With the dfinon ofthe Mahan tes other personalities ofthe Bada of salvaion ako appene stu, oh basse, o¢ ln paletngs decorating consruced Sint rocker sanctuaries, ae well 9 the dugrauons of wove bles and man “erigts att and Smantabhads can ote be tented bythe ails they ie, ‘ener the golden lon and the wate elephant especie To the ouhiul Mas Jost one can atribte the hook, ast the maser ofthe word, withthe gesture of Instron Devalon wo the Bde Ktgara has widely ifsed his image in an x # monk sanding or seated with hut, ging sick (abbhara), and pile ‘game bow, het entvoned, uly nthe mi of he Kings the els as master ‘of de ix paths of eit (OTRER CELESTIAL ATTENDANTS ‘Vaal the fbf companion of he Blesed One, was presen nal the somes ‘ofthe fads legends ofthe LeserVeice Ica the very beginnings ofthe rls ‘lon He raphy abandoned the pect ofthe Herculean athe (he Gandhara fe 346 Baddhisn and Aslan History tet), however, forthe costume and armor of 4 knight cari the thunderbolt {aj soe figure 5), the symbol of his peotetive power, reetved from Indra. The ‘crereric forms of Taare Baddhise Weee to ge Vajapnt a ering aspect that Tnulipied let nto many ferocious rwmudsdras. Angside he Blessed One and presiding more or les vy verbs dosti are te tla denies of Hinduism, Indra an Bram, one wearing is characte dade the ther wth hs bun fo Aira Later, withthe evoluton ofthe Saya, Sea was ola her ahs eile ‘spect 8 Mabediara "The poarin kings of the four directions (okypalas) appear quite early a the cnioucage of te Master, io the epi of the offering ofthe fou bowls afer the ‘awakening, In te older pings and reliefs toy are olen present op to We par hrs, shown ina princely pec, wih areas Uke the other gues of the odahis Iconogeaphy 347 ‘Buddhist pantcoo 000, however, hey appeat 8 warcors wearing armor. The best own among them & Vaseavina,gunclan of the Noth apd maser of has of shinal ended yalaas. Diarra, guardian ofthe Eat, leas the ganar, ce lesa musicians like the innaras,haifhuman, alfa Ip he same fasion r= pts (West) and Vira (South) reign over the graceful hing apo ae over (he dat gas, alo hem ceesal beings fromm Hindus. They are often depiced 35 nous pedestals under the feet of the guaran kings. The eacians o he ‘ors (apts) were to rein their lei physiques but pay took an ehe tecning pect coowponly adoprd by protecve insis 1a vanish and co ‘ice, hich es Furr acentate by Tanrsm. Allo fing among the super Futur spi and guardians are the ten devardjas,o celestial Mins, an the gud Lins ofthe Lathe most Famous of whi probably Misia, the "bia Black, ‘wn show I his roontous Tibetan Nepalese form thls ips curled ack ‘hon is menacing tet, Pra and Ta, male counterpars of use vines, soon made tele appear. ance andthe powers were rpily defined. Their complementary energies fen be seen inthe representation of dine coupes embracing on pangs td bsrellets especialy a Nepal and Tibet Among the proce dees, DIL ad tater naviay gkleses mth fierce aspecs can be found on porabie panings (unde) te ering Leama appear on Then Drones, where she wears 2 eclace of sul and rides on 2 Hoody ban corpse ‘The ancient Hing mith ofthe hid Garuds fghng the serpents to seal dhe soma, te elie of ie has been adeped along nh ther Buca ms about Inbrid beings a theme of rb: Garogs canbe an eae a facon, 2 bird with 3 human head, or man wth a lcon's beak The hans (oid goose Oc duck) ca ‘evoke fr the adept an iterodiay se ofthe tansmigrtng soul The Nara (ing ofthe rigs, oe water serpenss) hs peice aspen, his head capped or fenced by 2 Bond of spent, found inal ofthe eopeesetaons and legends ‘dealing with ibe demaia ofthe watery nthe Fae a, the serpents Become apn 348 Baddism and Asan History VOCATIONS OF THE SUPERNATURAL {In the ancient regions che representation of water, symbol of ely, cccupies fan importa place in sonograpy. Water bears the mos expres ine ua ‘erly, the loss, which spears everywhere, painted and sculpted on domes, wal, cupolas, ad clings, co the pour at exprestes te innumerable wor f the seas, The fous, also symbol of puny, becomes the beater ofthe most eminent Fgures of Bubs as well 2 of he ite reborn souls (pit ofthe bodhtos ofthe Pure Land [See Los) 14s through the theme ofthe waters peopled wih aquatic fires and through ‘hose ofthe yng muscan spi thar de ars have aempled to Suet super ‘atta visions and cerain connie cncepts le giving earth and elaborne hens, hich ae, elowing sophisicaed mena constrains, ranged in supermpess) worlds. Mount Ment depicted 362 conical pili, ta sepped pyran, ot ao hours te athe cence with nas, consis the expres symbol ofthe as (ofthe word pluing ino the primordial ocean. ren de plan ofthe stop bared tn the squie earth) an the cece (hesven), with ts screaming the cade and the dome, develops ino more and more elaborate bulls. Nonetheless, hey iva follow the roles inspired by the symbol of fons aed subj a an Driciple the cosmic axis. Ths prscple commands the elevation of ulster pa sods and is even found Inthe rocect sanuares where the cu lige of fe BBusiha spaced agsnst the pita ofthe encircling hl Inthe decoration, te yng, Figures ofthe apsaras and the celesial musicians (gandharcy, kenar, oe nar) transpose these tenes 1 4 sypeateresral ran, ‘The ewhtion of the historia Hada towaed tanscendence,aleady isualaed in the mukplcason ofthe Buide images, was subsequent ganized ant sae imatzed in the representiion ofthe Ive tansenden Bath, te Tathgase JHoas Vairocana, the supreme Buddha, appears a the center, uted by te our ‘inal pois (his concept found! Inthe plan of cern stncwaries Orin man sdaas), ans, the euler of the Wes, wast achieve prt succes te Fae Ens His cult has produced numerous images, expecaly panied ones whee he enthroned in the center of 2 mubeude of bodheanas in his “Pure Land of the ‘Wiest repeeeried as a Chirese glace with traces an a pond covered with ‘uses, where the adepts Hope ogo through rebith a pre souls. Ts paradise as ‘counterpart in the "Pure Ld of the East” ofthe Bud Aksbhya. The wanscen ‘evel evorstions are completed systray wth the represents of he Pe lad of Malreya and tha of Satyam peacing on the Vebure’s Peak ‘he five Jas appear together or separately on pated oeclped mages or on bras oramens (ihe fvepoed tara). Generally surrounded by aera they ean be disnguished frm ane anor by thei specie Hus! gestres, somes of which are nected fom the mudd Wed wo te princi events of the hora lie ofthe Buda Sakamuri and by the specie colors atibuted ts each of em, and to thei respective lineages. 4 Esoterie Budshism, the ins and dhe dines canbe represented by conven. ‘sonal symbols, soc as the vga la ts diverse for, by 2 Sah fon oe eh by 2 "seal" (mua) The five Jin each ave ferocious aspect 4s Counterpart, the "ngs of slenes of great vinae” (mmg-asang in Chinese, myo in jpatese) te rounded by fines, they asume erating postures, on havea number of aces ‘Budanist eonography 349 swith grimacing fees, and brandish weapons and ether symbolic seibtes in thet mulple hand, ‘Wik the widespread difuson of thee Esoteric forms, the moe or fess fnaste repeesentaions ofthe evohed Budchis pantieon multiplied ongsde te images (F the serene Buddha These finasicfoans spear not only 38 grew a imager punted of sculpted a sanctuaries, on banners of sk or hemp i the Far ss and ‘on Tibetan sad, but ako 3 smal sates of pasted wood, broeze caved sone, ‘or semiprecious materials (je, ames, caleedon, quar) desined for oferings dnd domestic lars. Before he end of the fre milleanm ce, boc ents coer ted tothe difsion of the fnages ofthe most venerated figures to adion tO Imanuscip Mlumirations. Even on the humble of maerils soch as the rough (wood or modeled clay af afghanistan oe Cerra Atty god la is generally oe long wth pine especlyt cover the visible lsh of the Blessed One ‘Artis degree of eomplesy i tie representations of Esoteric Bude, ony the soitated could decipher te iterpetton, Por the major of depts howere, so docxial problems didnot pay @ moe cle. The Chinese pigri Tehing cepts hatin rca ura ehe seventy cetuy the iestasonaldiincion between the adept ‘ofthe Hinayaa and the Mahyana was ot previ, he former rece the sare of the Lesser Vehicle, de later, those a the Ges ehile, all in the sae Santry 's however, thvough the concrecexpressions of eonography as wel a though the tests that we are able to trace the ascendancy and elution of bel, belies tha have been profoundly pened by the magic power of pte 0 sept images, for ceourescbjeas of veneration fe the fat. [see abo Temple, arcle om Bucks Temple Compounds} ruiocRarey Ales Foucher’ i grecoboukdie de Genin 8 vole (re, 1905-1928, ere ne ofthe ba sures rhe org of Bass orgy Foss Te Boing of ‘tnt an tr Ey an aed Cra Andrey, > fas be conse. date and copier pie of views expres i Anand Coonan omens O ude omer (Cade. Mis 1985) The mage fh iu, eed by Dai Seiove (Pars, 1979), 2 cocive work with Bron overage sd bint lass enn ames Haire Boulton adios: De righ Fv ab (Ln, 1958) roves «Roel cnet fi hereon On he caso fhe sg Fam 8 {2 mat compl fens Se Pa Mats Hart (1939) se by Ken Wale (ew “er, 1978, Ago nelaion in te Tre panes kad ace Teese Naina Induction 8 Pecnogrphe da tone Bnd (as, 3979) For ep sence Buda param and Cal ds, by Sone Gather, ‘ober fe Bz and Sona Mala 2s (ede, 1979), wfc amas the evouon ‘ol tage ang te Sk Roe, Ble Stunden’ Ma A Soy of Soc Gees ‘pons but Saupe (New Yr, 1%), wich tre the sic lgange et ‘ed onan: nd eo museum cea arse per Tou Cre ‘an Bhat Gut 2 vas, compe by Nol ane Nae 3 Py 197-1970, Roderick Wael The et of oral aT ao Colon ora Muu ‘ol 1, Pats from Durban. 2 vols (Tokyo, 192-1383). ‘The texm badhisaena oceurs frequently in early dhe esate, wal electing ‘o SSkyamani Bada prior the te O his enliguenment, which he achive the st under the fimous Bod Tree (Sk badrlgs, “ree of eaighenen”) 3 {fw milessowh of Gaya In modern Bae choma mean neal "enlightenment being” or, accord 10 4 cory the Bodum sy mistaken Sans spelling ofthe ealy inetel form besa (as preserve! in Pal could hae ‘rigially mean “tent upon eaighenment” Whatever the literal ening (and ‘most scholars would for the fist one). a boda sling being usally human bat noc neces so, who has se ton the lng path toward Bahhood, which in accordance with the general Bh acegpance ofthe Indian theores ‘oncecnng continual rebinh (o ransmigraion) was called to lend the pra ‘hough 2 tery long seis of eiffel Tange collecions of such legendary Iie stores (tka) ete ede inthe eat ‘Bodahist perio, stating the hero secre ofthe fore Buha Ska in his progress foward his lst he (also wold legendary sy), when hi purpose a lly evealed wo the wodl. as Saar wae nee ear the ore and ‘only Buda, buc rather as one Ina whole series (even are med in eal texts, bu the number is gradually much extend), each of whom apps in a parte world age, was Weve dex hi followers should cone to expect Rate Bad ha for the nee weld age. Ths, «new bodbat, Maitreya loving Benes), apex asthe hist ofthe many other ret beings” who later extend te Bush pantheon to infty. The cult of Mitreya Is cena anested among the fllowes ofthe easly Baki sects, ner refered to dspaagingly a6 Hays, 20d his appeacance seems 0 ark the baganing of te concider denon tha came 12 be directed toward these cok beings "should be bore in min that che dstinions berween the s0-alled Mahdyais and Hirani were not so clear-cut in the early centuries ce a ey appa © BE lates, The same mhologeal cones concerning the nature of 3 Bua and 8 ‘oda (ure Buda) remain Randal to Bashi in ls forms. and ican ex be shown tat all the later exrragaen developments ofthe Shing ace taeable to tendencies inherent in the ate known foros of Baise, The 373 376 Maddie and Auta Hisory 1s, bodinas, while de impure feks contain beings of all kinds 2 all stages of spinal advance and deca. The manner i which bodes may tel mise: ‘lous from ane Buda Feld 0 another swelled inthe Imporae Mahi Sina sa, he Vimar The Teaching of Vaal) where the qoestion Is understandably vase 2s 0 wy Saiyan should have elected to be bom ins “Enpure Reld rather than 2 pure one. Hie superior acknowledged by ising bocsaanes for 8 pce Hele who exc "he greatness of Sakyaman et Tisheds iS wonderful how he eaves the lowly the wzetched and the onray Moreover, te Bodhisatnae who are exilihed in this mesn Bachasphere (te. ‘er world) mus have inconceable compassion” (Lama, 1975, pp 204-218) [Se ‘as Pure and Impure Lands} ‘Sukjamuais een ety with all ther Buddhas i often assed sometimes subs, sometines qui explesly, as chapter 15 of the Saddherapnariba Sia (Lous ofthe Teue aw Sexpaze), In anoher slr the (Gamote, 1965, pp. 267-270), the bods Dea ask Sayan how log life will ls SBlyamur els han to go and ask ander Buch eared Varocana (Ceesplenden on") who presides orera world stem named Well Adorned which ‘sto be reached inthe exer decuon By erosing ovr thio Nowa Bad sa feds. Having uaieled tae be i wold by that Buddha: "MY lenis of Wife ‘exaaly the same asda of the Bia Sayan, and f you reall wa know, the length oF my fe wll be seven hundred inaculble word ages.” Rewesing 1 ‘Siyamnk the Inquitng Zone san 59 fr as Funders the words of the Lord, | would Sy thar 15 you, O Lar, who are io the woeld.em named ‘Well Adorned, whece with another name you wor forthe happiness of ll ng beings” ‘So many diferent kinds of Buddha manfeetions ace hen for granted in the ‘ahiyaea sues thar scolaly efforts five Been mae to redice ther £0 Some fonder. The best account of sch anemps oil be found Ia Louis de Valse Pou Sins teanslation of the ing wets un, Hating’ compan often majo commenares to Vasa’ Tr (a Vale Pousn, 1929, vl 2 762) “The simplest scheme, which gradually gained genetal acceptance, envsges an “Ahsolute Buss Body” (dhe dharmakina of ely Bukit don) maniesting self as various “slocious bodes" Gmdbtogatesa, “body of enjymens”) 0 hig ankieg boda In cesta spheres, at a various “hua bodes” Gurmare ‘aya " anes bod), which seed aoe necessary be human but aze wally ‘conceived as suc, tn impure Buda fields Uke oor om Work Later Tanta on suggests the exstence ofa four, supreme body, known as seabhdbalya (settexiven), but erie hiss used as an aera ae Forte Absolute Body (abrarmakiya) We shall ese las the tendency to active at evermoreceanscendent sates of Buddah, when a sth, supreme Buddha i plased above te eto fie fnsmie Buddhas. To these we mus now give aenton as the production of later [ahayana speculation ad 25 de foundation of de whole clas of vars Owe as Yow Tan. "hist as Buddha manesatons, canceled in 2 dacheonke ne sequence In accoe cance wih the eaier conceptions of Bedhatood, came toe represented by = {ead of Bodhas refered to a the Buds of the Three Ties, amely ipa, Saiyan and Saszeya (in dus late content he & eect 9 as Buddha and 80 logger as bana) so those oer Baha raneatios, conceived Syl. Celeiat Rode and Boahistvas 377 cay ean simul alos hong pace a acorns with {ie Sanayi conepons othe tauren, cane be symboice by the Fe fc ote coe eprint ees ef wal pos These hove been pupa ete 0 a8 pbs Cretan oc) & Tm a nn (180-108) ee ae hear ed cal Nea Sorat apes to hove vo italy sabe jancton In he seas seth sey tres and tc commences nc hey ae ors they Xenon snpy oe Five Mahar oa orth Fe Taig (ooh Sn nat no eer meron uch segue, Bente te Came ‘mtb sccs mopar pany fan is repre os ‘odin om dmeson 28 bolas in he fret mle "omy be enpeoud thst of fe Bs obey awe Bind at fel a ce man, sae of wh bese ay sbi, Two ‘Sao fom the a ne ou gh) Arias hen iStve) a te buddn ofthe we an Aha Cte Inpro) ae ‘oun ore Ea ithas bon ones wah res pant ase Ba of thee a fit ape a a bjt ders bye Buh ofthe Far ‘ame he ina sone see Pn cbr nd egos IRfucce sce ight and I we cool caresses the cet Zon Sit, ura MTs ype Dene oo by he very spe ven Stow to ths pala Bohan Cras expe hia a aan Shur a patoicontelaon sce now genes as urea) deed {Dh cue ere om inion hr yt spc ct deloped eben ‘tas whee Arkin teat sg one of the He asa gag ty he ey tge er of age ot te nox pple Ba, eal Mtathcatey wre Bulan sured ot ay cet ery ‘si he Bal fhe Ena heete! wth Opamn ata no wa canged ten tho enlghcrment ty Nr the Ev One {Oe Suan of Bodhi to iy nein w Basson. yam elle he ‘at po toes by pple, he ond wi the ges fs To fun and ly pee ee tenn he tal some of Nf ub ge fem hole Bam te pal age oF Bah {Gu ef cay) tn ever where Sagan homes him geese ‘Ghote dee he st of te vl One “he rer dn ok pres (bt) 2 the Bods of the Hat ae oman of mt of reno ic ders belo the obs ne Decne of is opty ease repo. The err Botha ‘ne tobe emt sah he Ba mage, ast are ben ape of ‘Sotnr fanauy place of gesagt Bee rk (town 5 Seay 2 oe inc rm wie St wi wed ohne pea Ns is Ios Ieee of preaching bsboloed ty fe two rans ied a fo of fhe chow tr dr tomes trig wee te wel he esi” wich ‘Samu od hve tre porte care whel oes onc {Gauri wheel re) en trom the worl ‘uss super e eliosqce ea een very ah Sait setenv te suenay ofthe osname cnet TPa"teicnd mone wih he ea hs fx ener steed iat owe poe hs ti pone armen he gery oye 378 udahises and Asan History 2 i enna Saenger Stags iy seee rasta omens erence Sea Satta cece ee ge vitae eee met See 2 ‘Srtncenttniay Serer eal eae! a he Stic ane ea See ie ees a tins Sat amet sap encarta aes es ei Smarty dn is Lin obs mans ey make he following observations: Men vmice 2. The sue of Budthabood & eel one a! ont 10 we se ter, ‘alan aonmarfst In ay way whasoerc sah the Aste Bu send ‘oy nasocne anh te Asie Bot of 2 The varios sogesat which this Absolute Bay may sume aparently mane fom hve been exe von nes of Mula tas he

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