An Investigation On Diversified Images Of Samantabhadra

Different Samantabhadra images have been mentioned in Buddhism scriptures. And also the statues of Samantabhadra , as the testimony of Buddhist ideas, have been chiseled in the grottos and temples all over the country. The statures comprising diversified looks, poses, gestures and so on, were created in accordance with rich ideas of Buddhism, and led us to essence of Buddhism.Although Buddhism states that everything is sunya, but in order to release people in real life from attaching to appearance, images were used to deliver the messages of doctrines. And diversified images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, basic ideas of Buddhism and the contents in scriptures are conveyed to common people. Different images of Samantabhadra , no matter in exotoric Buddhism or esoteric Buddhism, serve to better understand the ideas of Samantabhadra in sacred writings, which, in the process of transmission and reinterpretation, lead us to either study Samantabhadra figures or dredge up the Buddhist ideas.In Buddhism, Samantabhadra figures were created by associating the elements we can perceive directly in our real life with Buddhist doctrines in a hope to make doctrines easier understood and accepted. By this way, the images realize the connection between the Sabha world and paradise of the West. According to Buddhism, the religious images save people from...