The Gods of Northern Buddhism

of Buddhist iconography, as it will undoubtedly clarify many of the problems we face when identifying various gods in the Buddhist collection original: Pantheon.

I place this second edition under the protection of the Noble Manjushri original: Ārya Mañjuśrī himself, for I have not lost faith in the power of his sword of Wisdom to scatter the clouds of Ignorance that still linger on the horizon of perfect understanding between the West and the East.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

It is difficult for those who are unfamiliar with the visual symbols and imagery iconography of the gods in the "Great Vehicle" original: Mahāyāna collection of deities pantheon to understand the deep interest that can be found in even a simple original: crude representation of a Northern Buddhist divinity.

To the uninitiated, the images of these deities are only valuable as works of art or as strange original: grotesque curiosities with their multiple heads and many arms. But to those with knowledge of the tradition, these figures—beyond their artistic merit—provide an almost endless source for study and research.

The most accurate source of information regarding Northern Buddhist deities has been found in the sādhana, or ritual texts of invocation, in which the gods are described in great detail. Unfortunately, the ritual texts for all the gods in the Great Vehicle collection have not yet been discovered, and there remain many deities about whom very little is known. At any moment, however, a flood of light may be shed on these obscure divinities. For instance, Mr. Ekai Kawaguchi (a Japanese Buddhist priest who spent three years in Tibet disguised as a Chinese monk) is currently translating some valuable manuscripts which he successfully carried out of Tibet.

The study of the iconography of Northern Buddhist deities is therefore still in its early stages. With the exception of a few scholarly books, little has been written on the subject. It is only through persistent research and a comparative study of examples in the museums of Europe, India, and Japan—as well as in the temples of Northern Buddhist countries—that one can arrive at a complete knowledge of these gods. This includes understanding their evolution as they were transmitted from India through Chinese Turkestan and later through Tibet to China, Mongolia, and Japan.

One would expect to get much valuable information from Tibetan and Mongolian spiritual teachers lamas. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, they are more knowledgeable about the doctrines original: tenets of their religion than the visual symbols iconography of their gods. Furthermore, because Tibet is still "a for- The text likely continues as "a forbidden land."