What is Amitayus?
Amitayus
or Aparmita is the name given to Amitabha in his character as bestower
of longevity. He is richly clad and wears the 13 ornaments. His hair is
painted blue and may either be coiled or fall to his elbows. He is
seated in full-lotus posture and his hands lie on his lap in the Dhyani
Mudra, holding the ambrosia vase, his special emblem.
What is Avalokiteswara? (Tib. Chenrezig, Jap. Kannon, Ch. Kuanyin)
The
Bodhisattva of compassion, protector from danger. His invocation is ‘om
mani padme hum (hail the jewel in the lotus)’. He is usually depicted
with many (supposedly 1000) arms and several (supposedly 11) heads. One
right hand is usually in the Abhaya (protection) Mudra. The Dalai Lama
is said to be an embodiment of Avalokiteswara.
What is Green Tara?
Green
Tara is regarded as spiritual consort of Amoghshiddhi. Similar in
appearance to White Tara, her left hand holds a half-closed lotus
flower and her right leg is extended. She is reincarnated in all good
women.
What is 4-armed Chenrezig?
4-armed
Chenrezig is a form of Avalokiteswara. He wears all sorts of ornaments,
his colour is white, he has four arms, carrying a rosary in one right
hand and an open lotus flower in one left. The other two hands are
raised to the chest with the palms joined in Namaskar Mudra, holding a
round ‘jewel’ (a symbol of knowledge).
What is Manjushri?
Manjushri
is the bodhisattva of divine wisdom. In Nepal he is regarded as the
founder of Nepalese civilisation and the creator of Kathmandu Valley.
He carries the sword of wisdom and light in his right hand and the
Prajnaparmita manuscript (the book of divine wisdom) in his left on a
lotus blossom. His left hand is in teaching (Jnana) Mudra.
What is Vajradhara?
Adi
Buddha is regarded as the highest deity of the Buddhist pantheon. When
represented, he is given the name of Vajradhara. He wears jewels and
ornaments and sits in the meditation posture. He carries the vajra
(thunderbolt) in his right hand and the ghanta (bell) in his left, the
two hands crossed against the chest in in the Vajrahunkara Mudra.
What is Vajrasattva Buddha?
Vajrasattva,
the sixth Dhyani Buddha, is regarded by the Nepalese Buddhists as the
priest of the 5 Dhyani Buddhas. He wears all ornaments, rich dress and
a crown. He is white and sits cross-legged in the meditative pose. He
carries the vajra (thunderbolt) in his right hand with palm upwards
against the chest, and ghanta (bell) in the left hand resting on the
left thigh.
What is White Tara?
Tara
is the female deity of the Buddhist Pantheon. White Tara was born from
a tear of the Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteswara. Tara is
believed to protect human beings while they are crossing the ocean of
existence. White Tara is regarded as the consort of Avalokiteswara,
sometimes of Vairochana. She is portrayed usually seated, dressed and
crowned like a Bodhisattva. Sometimes she is regarded as Satalochana or
7-eyes Tara, and has extra eyes on her forehead, palm and feet, and a
lotus flower on one or both of her shoulders. She is seated in full
Vajra posture. Her right hand will be in boon-conferring posture, her
left in the teaching Mudra, holding the stem of a Lotus. She is wearing
all sorts of precious ornaments and looks beautiful. The practice of
White Tara is performed to prolong life and for healing purposes.
Kuanyin, the Chinese female form of the Bodhisattva of Compassion,
Avalokiteswara, referred to as ‘The Goddess of Mercy’, called Kannon
(or Kanzeon Bosatsu) in Japan. She usually carries a vase containing
the nectar of compassion, and perhaps a fly whisk which represents
obedience to the Buddhist Law and symbolises compassion. Sometimes she
is represented holding her palms together in Anjali Mudra.
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