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Again and again well-educated Buddhists state that the images are only thought to be a help for beginners in religion; for the advanced worshipper no image, yea, no temple, is needed, because he has the sanctury in his own heart. After these introductory remarks, let us turn to the treatment of the various divisions into which the Buddhist pantheon falls. Chinese Buddhists have a perfectly definite classifica- tion according to rank and kind. The highest class consists of the heavenly Buddhas. Here the historical Gotama Buddha naturally comes first. He is most frequently called by his family name (the wise one of the Sakya family), Shih-chia-mou-ni (## i 2B Je). Only occasionally his given name, Siddat- tha, appears (Chinese: Hsi-ta, 2 3). Sometimes the Tathagata title (Ju-lai, gn 2) is used especially of him, but this name may also be used in the trinity group, [174] THE BUDDHIST PANTHEON IN CHINA which the “ Pure Land” School especially emphasizes. Therefore persons who are not specialists on the subject ought to ask expressly whether or not it is Sakyamuni Buddha who is meant by this title. He is portrayed, as a rule, sitting in meditation. With half-closed eyes, and with legs crossed under him in such a way that his hands can rest on the upturned soles of the feet, he sits on a lotus-blossom. A characteristic feature is the large ears with their long lobes. Frequently, a jewel gleams in the forehead. Often the ancient religious symbol of the “‘Swastika”’ (Chinese “‘sin-in,”’ “the heart’s signet,” or ‘‘ wan-tzu,” rH =, “‘the hook’’) is engraved on the breast. It looks, as is well known, like this: ~. Many Buddhists explain it as the sign of “a heart come to rest.” As an old common religious symbol it typifies cosmic union. Behind the Buddha’s head a nimbus (Chinese yiian-kuang, [HJ 36), fashioned of carved and gilded wood, is usually placed. Standing figures of Buddha occur less frequently. In a few places, however, in northern and western China, Sakyamuni appears in an upright position, as the ascetic, with long unkempt hair and beard, and clothing in rags. Sometimes one sees Buddha’s en- trance into Nirvana portrayed. He lies on a big Chinese bed, with a deeply peaceful expression (wo-fu, EA ). Sometimes it happens, too, that one meets Buddha in the form of a little child. This is an allusion to the legendary saying from the life of Buddha: “I am now born for the last time.” [175] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM We shall return later to the trinity group in which Sakyamuni Buddha also figures. As number two among the heavenly Buddhas, comes Amitabha (O-mi-t‘o Fu, fJ 9% PE #), of whom we have already spoken so much. He is often placed in the trinity group. 3 In the “ Pure Land”’ School one also frequently sees him portrayed alone, in quite a strange fashion: the large head, with noble features, rests on a com- paratively slender body. The position is upright. In one hand he bears a lotus-blosseom. The other arm, which is extraordinarily long, hangs free at his side, but the hand is open as if he were about to grasp something. In this position Amitabha has the special name of “Chieh-yin Fu” (# 4] #5), i. e., “the Buddha who receives and leads” into the Western Paradise. In other words, it is the figure of the great compassionate All-Father, who is here portrayed. This explains, too, why this figure is loved and worshipped as no other is. In the Buddhist circles it corresponds to the crucifix, since people often set up such a small statue in their rooms, hang a picture of this figure over their beds, or carry it with them on a cord, or in their pockets. The third heavenly Buddha is called in Chinese Yao- shih Fu (4 fii fh) and is connected, as the name implies, especially with the idea of medicine. It has been thought that he corresponds to Bhaisa Jyaguru Vaidurya in Sanskrit, abbreviated to Bhaisajyaguru. He is a very interesting but very mysterious figure. In the special book which is dedicated to him, the ““Yao-shih Ching” (34 fii #£), he is portrayed as the [176] THE BUDDHIST PANTHEON IN CHINA great source of light. He lives in endless light, and will draw all creation out of illusion and the darkness of despair into light and peace. In rendering this service he has made twelve promises, of which we give a summary: “‘T come in order that all creatures who are cripples, ugly, stupid, blind, deaf and dumb, hunch-backed, leprous, insane from all kinds of suffering, may, by hearing my name, be healed from all their diseases.” “T come in order that the incurables, the homeless, those who have neither doctor nor medicine, the friendless and kin-less, the poor and sorrowing, may, by hearing my name, be freed from all their sorrows and live in peace of soul and body, so that they and their homes may thrive and attain to the highest wisdom.” ‘‘T come in order that women, who on account of all kinds of miseries are driven even to hating their own lives and wishing no longer to be women, may, by hearing my name, be transformed into men and attain the highest wisdom.” ; <I come in order that those who are in the clutches of the law, bound, beaten, and imprisoned, or who have come to the place of execution, or who suffer under endless misfortunes and bitter insults, so that gorrow sears both body and soul, may, by hearing my name, desire my grace and find redemption from all their sorrows.” It will be seen that there is a good deal of over- lapping in the spheres of activity of (Yao-shih Fu and Amitabha). There is also much that reminds one of the [177] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM ancient figure of Vairocana, as he was described in the ‘Great Sun”? School of religion. The fact is, that these all are really one, merely giving expression to different ideas and shades of meaning in the great harmonious whole. We shall later see that Yao-shih Fu has a special réle to fill in the trinity concept. As might be expected, he, together with the two great Buddhas above- mentioned, is the recipient of much supplication and praise, and is much invoked in sickness and need. The two other heavenly Buddhas, Vairocana and Loshana (Chinese: P‘i-lu-ché-na, #2 J ¥& #$, and Lu- shé-na, If ¢ #$), may be distinguished from each other by the following marks: The former has hands folded over the breast with the forefinger pointing up. The latter lets the right hand rest in his lap while the left is held up to the breast, with the tip of the thumb and middle finger touching each other. These five heavenly Buddhas are the most common. One hears less frequently of a sixth, called Jan-téng Fu (X& 3 ti) (Buddha Dipankara), whose whole body is covered with lamps which burn constantly (one hundred and eight in number). It reminds one a little of the “lighted Christmas tree” with forty-nine lamps, which is sometimes lighted in honour of Yao-shih Fu (Yao-shih Téng, 3 fii J). One must not think, however, that one has reached the end of the list of Buddhas with these six. Indeed, there are countless hosts of them. We mention here only those which are represented in sculpture and which have special significance for worship. [178] THE BUDDHIST PANTHEON IN CHINA In the ritual, after the group of well-known Buddhas and bodhisattvas has been enumerated, such ex- pressions as the following often occur: *‘ And to you, ye other great Buddhas and bodhisattvas from all parts of heaven, to you are prayer and praise addressed.” The same idea appears at times in the arrangement of the temples. One often sees the entire main hall filled with small gilded heads of Buddhas. Sometimes there is a special hall to represent this ‘ Wan-fu Tang” (#5 (8 2), the hall of ten thousand Buddhas. In brief, the Buddhas are the “perfected spirits” who fill the whole universe. The Second Class : The second great group is formed by the bodhisatt- vas (Chinese: p‘u-ti-sa-to, # #2 BH &, or p‘u-sa, 7% fz). As already mentioned, these, also, are perfected spirits. That is to say, they could, if they so desired, enter into the full dignity of Buddhahood in everlasting peace and blessedness, but they do not do so, for the time being, because as bodhisattvas they can more easily reach that part of creation still under the uncertain and painful conditions peculiar to wandering souls. The five best-known bodhisattvas, corresponding to the five heavenly Buddhas, are as follows: Kuan-yin (#1 #%) is the Indo-Tibetan Avalokitesvara, the deity who heeds the cry of misery, and bends down to the suffering. This figure, little by little, came more than the other bodhisattvas to signify the spirit, the merciful and good spirit who kindles the desire for [179] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM a renewal of heart among all creatures, and who protects them against all pain and sorrow. In early times, Kuan-yin was generally considered as masculine, and one still sees in certain monasteries in China the enormous figure with beard and virile expression, which shows Kuan-yin as a man. In this form, Kuan- yin is plainly called Amitabha’s son. Little by little, feminine characteristics became more prominent. This took place as the conception of the spirit became dominant, and all that the Chinese can conceive of in the way of motherly tenderness and womanly grace was attributed to her. She became the compassionate Madonna of the East. Kuan-yin, like the other bodhisattvas, has taken great vows. She will incarnate herself in the most varied forms, in order to save mankind. Therefore she lets herself be born now into this group, now into that,— among robbers, among criminals in prison, among distressed seamen and travellers. We know about thirty-two different forms, “ying” (@).