of the Vajradhatu mandala, 19th century ,
Koyasan,
Wakayama,
Japan In the tantric Buddhist literature, each of the five Buddhas have extensive qualities and features, including different directions, colors,
mudrā, symbol, aspects,
klesha, element; consort and spiritual son, as well as different animal vehicles (elephant, lion, peacock, harpies or
garuda, or dragon). The cardinal positions of Akshobhya and Vairocana can alter depending on specific teachings. In a classic schema, Vairocana may be seen as embodying sovereignty as the lord of the mandala and thus is at the central place of the mandala. Amitābha embodies measureless
light and faces west. A statue of Amitābha, when seated, has a
samadhi mudrā with both palms face up, on top of each other, in his lap. When these Five Buddhas are represented in mandalas of distinct Buddhist traditions, they may not always have the same colour or be related to the same direction. As mentioned, Akshobhya and Vairocana may be switched, as in the Guhyasamaja system which has Aksobhya in the center, and as in the Longchen Nyingtig tradition where Akshobhya is also in the center. In other cases, different Buddhas may take the center place as well depending on the teaching cycle or tantra which is being depicted. When represented in a Vairocana mandala of the Vajradhatu, the Buddhas are arranged as follows:
Main aspects of the Five Families There is an expansive number of associations with each element of the Five Buddhas mandala, so that the mandala becomes a
cipher and
mnemonic visual thinking instrument and
concept map; a vehicle for understanding and decoding the whole of the
Dharma. In numerous
Vajrayana sources, each Buddha Family or Division has numerous symbols, secondary figures including bodhisattvas, protectors, etc., abilities, and aspects. Some of the main esoteric associations of each family include: Each male Buddha is paired with a female Buddha, often called mothers, prajña, vidya, or consort. Together, each family also presides over their own
pure land or buddhafield. Although all five families abide in pure lands, it appears that only
Sukhavati of
Amitābha, and to a much lesser extent
Abhirati of
Akshobhya, where great masters like
Vimalakirti and
Milarepa are said to dwell, were popularly venerated. Some temples include all five Buddhas in their mandalas and statuary. The Five Tathāgathas are protected by five
Wisdom Kings called
Vidyārājas, and in China and Japan they are frequently depicted together in the
Mandala of the Two Realms. In the
Shurangama Mantra revealed in the
Śūraṅgama Sūtra, an especially influential
dharani in the
Chinese Chan tradition, the Five Tathāgathas are mentioned as the hosts of the five divisions which control the vast armies of the five directions. In one common Five Families schema of Indian Yoga Tantra, the five prajña consorts or five mothers (Tib. ཡུམ་ལྔ་, Wyl.
yum lnga), the associated bodhisattvas and their pure lands that correspond to the Five Tathagatas are: Other tantras and commentaries provide alternative families and listings of the male and female Buddha pairings. In some systems, like the
Guhyasamāja Tantra, Akṣobhya appears at the center of the mandala, with Sparśavajrī as consort. Sometimes Tara may appear as associated with the Lotus family, since one tradition states that she was born of Avalokitesvara. Each female Buddha also has their own mantra, for example Pāṇḍaravāsinī's mantra in the
Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa (ch 37) is: Oṁ kaṭe vikaṭe nikaṭe kaṭaṅkaṭe kaṭavikaṭakaṭaṅkaṭe svāhā Buddhalocanā's mantra in the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa (found in chapter 37) is: ==Gallery==