The Indian Buddhist Iconography
by Benoytosh Bhattachacharyya | 1958 | 51,392 words | ISBN-10: 8173053138 | ISBN-13: 9788173053139
This page contains an iconography image of Bodhisattva Akashagarbha and represents figure 52 of the book Indian Buddhist Iconography, based on extracts of the Sadhanamala English translation. These plates and illustrations represent either photographs of sculptures or line-drawing reproductions of paintings or other representations of Buddhist artwork.
Figure 52 - Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha
Figure 52: Ākāśagarbha
The Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha (essence of ether) is also known by the name of Khagarbha, the words “Kha” and “Ākāśa” signify the same thing “Sky”. Ākāśagarbha is the Bodhisattva who lives in the womb of the sky. Ākāśagarbha is described in the Dharmadhātuvāgīśvara Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī.
Altogether four illustrations of Ākāśagarbha appear in the two Lamaistic Pantheons. In China, he is represented in three distinct forms. Two statuettes show the lotus in the right hand and the Varada mudrā in the left. The third is three-faced and six-armed while the fourth shows the jewel in the right hand and the Varada mudrā with the jewel in the left. Fig. 52 is a Nepalese drawing of the deity.
Colour: green;
Symbol: jewel;