Mahamayuri
Kongque Mingwang | |||||||
![]() Mahamayuri | |||||||
Chinese name | |||||||
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Traditional Chinese | 孔雀明王 | ||||||
Simplified Chinese | 孔雀明王 | ||||||
Literal meaning | Great Peacock Wisdom Queen | ||||||
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Vietnamese name | |||||||
Vietnamese | Khổng Tước Minh Vương | ||||||
Korean name | |||||||
Hangul | 공작명왕 | ||||||
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Japanese name | |||||||
Kanji | 孔雀明王 | ||||||
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Sanskrit name | |||||||
Sanskrit | Mahāmāyūrī Vidyārājñī |
Mahamayuri (Sanskrit: महामायूरी Mahāmāyūrī ("great peacock"), Chinese: 孔雀明王 Kǒngquè Míngwáng, Vietnamese: Khổng Tước Minh Vương, Japanese: 孔雀明王, translit. Kujaku Myōō, Korean: 공작명왕 GongJakMyeongWang) is a Buddhist tantric text dedicated to a goddess, and also the name of one of the five protective goddesses in the Buddhist Pantheon.[1][2][3] Mahamayuri, also called Mahamayuir Vidya-rajni, is a peaceful goddess of wisdom (similar to Saraswati in Hinduism). In Buddhism, her demeanor is in contrast to the wrathful attitudes of male personifications of the Wisdom Kings.[4][5]

Known as the 'Queen of the secret sciences' and Mahamayuri-vidyarajni, the Mother of Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism,[6][7] Mahamayuri had the power to protect devotees from poisoning, either physical or spiritual.[8][9][10] The Mahamayuri text is a Buddhist dharani-genre text, containing magical incantations to treat snake bites, poisons and other maladies.[11]
Mahamayuri's dharani was translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva between 402 and 412 CE.[1] It contains the only mention of the Rig Veda in the entire Chinese Buddhist canon.[citation needed]
Iconography[edit]
Mahamayuri is portrayed mostly with three heads white in colour and her two faces are green and blue in colour, often seated on a lotus throne on the peacock. She typically shown with eight armed, one of her four right hands displays varadamudra while the other three hands hold a great sword, vajra and jewel. In her four left hands she holds pindapatra, a jar showering jewels, a bell and a flower.[12]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b John C. Huntington; Dina Bangdel (2003). The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art. Serindia Publications. pp. 24–25. ISBN 978-1-932476-01-9.
- ^ Roshen Dalal (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. Penguin. p. 218. ISBN 978-0-14-341517-6.
- ^ Miranda Eberle Shaw (2006). Buddhist Goddesses of India. Princeton University Press. pp. 233, 339–341, 465 note 77. ISBN 0-691-12758-1.
- ^ Musée Guimet exhibit
- ^ "About the Buddhist Painting, Peacock Myoo (Mahamayuri)". Kyoto National Museum. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Kamei Peacock Tail - Kamei Glass Co., Osaka". Carnival Glass Worldwide. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "(孔雀明王咒) 的經典". paper.udn.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ Art Institute of Chicago (2004). Notable Acquisitions at the Art Institute of Chicago. University of Illinois Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-86559-209-4.
- ^ Musée Guimet exhibit
- ^ "True Buddha Dharma-character Treasury - Mahamayuri". tbsn.org. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ SKR Rao (1985). Encyclopaedia of Indian Medicine. Popular Prakashan. p. 73. ISBN 978-81-7154-255-0.
- ^ Peacock King