Iconography Of Amoghapāśa: The Bodhisatta Of Compassion
- Date of Press : August 2009
- Author : Ankur Barua, M.A. Basilio
- Number of Page : 27
- File Type : pdf
Description
Introduction
Amoghapāśa (Avalokiteśvara Bodhisatta with the Unfailing Rope) is one of the popular esoteric forms of Avalokiteśvara, who protects all sentient, living beings by means of his rope of compassion and has their wishes fulfilled. This is why he is known as “the Bodhisatta with the Unfailing Rope (Amoghapāśa)”. This lasso of compassion is used to rope in all wayward sentient beings to the Dhamma, so that they do not fall into the three evil realms, and always guiding them on the Correct Path.
The widespread worship of this deity first started in India, and then spread to the Himalayas, East Asia during the later part of the eighth century. Though the initiation of this Bodhisatta in East Asia remains unclear, but the examination of Amoghapāśa images suggests that the cult of Amoghapāśa in East Asia arose in the late seventh to eighth centuries. It was initiated by imperial patronage due to their devotion to the esoteric Avalokiteśvara with the concept of royalty and efficacy in protecting the state. Confounded by the lack of early Indian examples, the scholars of Indian art still believe that there must have been Indian precedents prior to the East Asian images.
