Level 1: Buddhas (Nyorai-bu)
editA Buddha is one who has attained enlightenment and reached the state of nirvana. Buddhas are distinct from Bodhisattvas because they have chosen to leave earth and experience Buddhahood in parinirvana, or the cosmic, unearthly realm of nirvana.
An enlightened being is one who embodies the qualities of the five Buddha Families, or the five Wisdom Buddhas, and in doing so has shed the negative emotions which cause pain and suffering throughout life.[1] These five key emotions are known as “disturbing” emotions and they include: attachment, anger, ignorance, pride, and envy.[1] When these emotions are exercised they cause ourselves and others around us harm and suffering and can potentially cause a lower level reincarnation in the next life.[1] Therefore, by eliminating these emotions allow one to attain enlightenment by recognizing and becoming one with the five Wisdom Buddha.
The five Wisdom Buddhas are known as, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, Amogasiddha, and Vairocana.[1] They each have varying characteristics and attributes specific to their purpose.
The first Buddha, Akshobhya, is colored blue and sits in a vajra posture with his hand touching the ground.[1] The color blue and the vajra posture symbolize changelessness and permanance which is particular to him because he focuses on easing emotions that spur from anger.[1] His wisdom is known as the “mirror-like” wisdom because when one is freed from anger and feelings accompanied with anger, one is able to have an unbiased awareness of our daily experiences.[1] "Mirror-like" wisdom is the idea that one can see things for how they really are instead of having a blurred perspective that is caused from one's anger getting in the way of seeing the truth.[1]
The second Buddha, Ratnasambhava, is concerned with the enrichment of oneself. When one has been cleansed of the disturbing emotion of pride, one's ego becomes objective and this enables fairness and equality in regards to all aspects of one's life.[1] This Buddha is a yellowish, gold color and he holds a wish-fulfilling jewel in his hand.[1] The golden color is meant to symbolize wealth in a fulfilled sense and the wish-fulfilling jewel symbolizes his activity of enrichment because it is able to grant any desirable wish.[1] This Buddha sits in vajra posture which represents fulfillment and suggests supreme generosity by giving the mudra hand gesture.[1]
The third Buddha, Amitabha, is focused on the elimination of the strong feeling of desire. Desire is one of the five disturbing emotions that causes one to have neverending wants and ultimately cultivates suffering.[1] If one cannot attain his desires then he will feel unfulfilled and empty.[1] The loss of great desire allows one to rise above to a more simplistic way of life with overwhelming gratitude. With recognition of this Buddha one will be able to find appreciation in the small things and see things for their true worth with an unbiased perspective. Buddha Amitabha is from the lotus family and is seated in vajra posture with his hands placed in the meditative posture for mental clarity.[1]
The fourth Buddha, Amogasiddha, is focused on the strength of wisdom and the elimination of jealousy.[1] Jealousy is a hindrance in which infringes on and distracts from ones wisdomly abilities. Buddha Amogasiddha’s activity is “meaningful accomplishment” which spurs from undistracted and engaged wisdom.[1] With great wisdom, one is able to observe and overcome trivial uprisings in an intelligent and calm manner. His right hand is gesturing "fearless protection" from things that may hinder one's wisdom.[1]
The fifth Buddha, Vairocana, is focused on the elimination of ignorance from one's mental state.[1] Ignorance makes one’s perspective unclear and causes one to make judgements from a subjective view. Buddha Vairocana holds the wheel of dharma, the symbol of buddhist law, in his hands.[1] The gesture of the wheel of dharma serves the purpose of symbolizing uninterrupted knowledge of how the world works.[1] The wheel represents knowledge of the Buddhas teachings which lead one to enlightenment.[1]
Buddha Yakushi was widely worshipped during the Heian Period in Japan. Yakushi was known as the Medicine Buddha and people would pray to him for protection against vengeful spirits and natural disaster.[2] Yakushi is recognized by the iconography of the medicine jar which he holds in his hand.[2]
Level 2: Bodhisattvas (Bosatsu-bu)
editA bodhisattva is one who has attained enlightenment and has chosen to stay on earth and spread his knowledge of enlightenment to others so that they too can gain enlightenment.[3]
Level 5: Circumstantial appearances (Suijakushin)
editThe Six Kannon are a group of deity sculptures that were originally placed together in the temple at Daihoonji.[4] The sculptures were made by the sculptor Jōkei in 1224.[4] The idea of grouping statues together is popular in Buddhism because it is said that it increases the power of the deities when they are shown as a group.[4] However, it is popular for the Six Kannon to be enshrined at temples throughout Japan individually as well.[4] The group of six consists of Shō Kannon, Thousand-armed Kannon, Horse-headed Kannon, Eleven-headed Kannon, Juntei Kannon, and Nyoirin Kannon.[4] These Six Kannon although alike, have distinct attributes which set them apart from one another.
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Thrangu, Rinpoche, 1933- (2001). The five Buddha families & the eight consciousnesses. Zhyisil Chokyi GhatsalPublications. ISBN 1877294144. OCLC 155719092.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Suzuki, Yui, "2: The Magical Yakushi: Spirit Pacifier and Healer-God", Medicine Master Buddha: The Iconic Worship of Yakushi in Heian Japan, Brill, pp. 29–44, ISBN 9789004229174, retrieved 2019-04-07
- ^ Morse, Anne Nishimura; Morse, Samuel Crowell (1995). "Object as Insight: Japanese Buddhist Art and Ritual". Katonah Museum of Art.
- ^ a b c d e Fowler, Sherry D. (2016-11-30), "Painting the Six Kannon", Accounts and Images of Six Kannon in Japan, University of Hawai'i Press, ISBN 9780824856229, retrieved 2019-04-08