Five Wisdom Buddhas
From Buddhist Encyclopedia
| About Buddha Five Wisdom Buddhas |
In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Five Dhyani Buddhas (Dhyani ध्यानि Skt. for "concentration"), also known as the Five Wisdom Buddhas (Jp. 五智如来 gochinyōrai), the Five Great Buddhas and the Five Jinas (Skt. for "conqueror" or "victor"), are representations of the five qualities of the Buddha. These five Buddhas are a common subject of Vajrayana mandalas.
The Five Wisdom Buddhas are a later development, based on the Yogacara elaboration of concepts concerning the jñāna of Buddhas, of the Trikaya (Skt. Tri is "three", kaya is "body") theory, which posits three "bodies" of the Buddha. The Wisdom Buddhas are all aspects of the dharmakaya or "reality-body", which embodies the principle of enlightenment. Initially two Buddhas appeared which represented wisdom and compassion - they were, respectively, Akobhya and Amitābha. A further distinction embodied the aspects of power, or activity, and the aspect of beauty, or spiritual riches. In the Sutra of Golden Light (an early Mahayana Sutra) the figures are named Dundubishvara, and Ratnaketu, but over time their names changed to become Amoghasiddhi, and Ratnasabhava. The central figure came to be called Vairocana.
It should be noted that when these Buddhas are represented in mandalas, they may not always have the same color or be related to the same directions. In particular, Akshobya and Vairocana may be switched. When represented in a Vairocana mandala, the Buddhas are arranged like this:
| Akobhya
(east) | ||
| Amoghasiddhi
(north) | Vairocana
(principal deity/ meditator) | Ratnasabhava
(south) |
| Amitābha
(west) |
Names in other languages:
| Buddha | Sanskrit | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Vairocana | वैरोचन | 大日如來 Dainichi Nyorai |
| Akobhya | अक्षोभ्य | 阿閃如来 Ashuku Nyorai |
| Amitābha | अमिताभ | 阿弥陀如来 Amida Nyorai |
| Ratnasabhava | रत्नसंभव | 宝生如来 Hōshō Nyorai |
| Amoghasiddhi | अमोघसिद्धि | 不空成就如来 Fukūjyōju Nyorai |
There is a large number of associations with each figure, so that the mandala becomes a cipher for remembering, and understanding the whole of the Dharma. Some of the associations include:
| Buddha | Akobhya | Amoghasiddhi | Amitābha | Ratnasabhava | Vairocana |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direction | east | north | west | south | center |
| Colour | blue | green | red | yellow | white |
| Neurosis | Hate | Jealousy | Craving | Pride | Ignorance |
| Wisdom | mirror-like | accomplishing | discriminating | equality | space-like |
| Mudra | earth-touching | fearlessness | meditation | giving | teaching the Dharma |
The Five Wisdom Buddhas are protected by the Five Wisdom Kings, and in Japan are frequently depicted together in the Mandala of the Two Realms.
Each of the five Buddhas first identifies a specific human failing and then helps us in transforming it into a positive attribute, bringing about the spiritual evolution required for enlightenment.
See also
