China: The bodhisattva Vajrapani in Khotanese style. Hanging scroll painting, Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, c. 801-850 CE. Vajrapāṇi (from Sanskrit vajra, "thunderbolt" or "diamond" and pāṇi, lit. "in the hand") is one of the earliest bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of the Buddha, and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power. Vajrapani was used extensively in Buddhist iconography as one of the three protective deities surrounding the Buddha.
Vajrapāṇi (from Sanskrit vajra, "thunderbolt" or "diamond" and pāṇi, lit. "in the hand") is one of the earliest bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of the Buddha, and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power. Vajrapani was used extensively in Buddhist iconography as one of the three protective deities surrounding the Buddha. Each of them symbolizes one of the Buddha's virtues: Manjusri (the manifestation of all the Buddhas' wisdom), Avalokitesvara (the manifestation of all the Buddhas' compassion) and Vajrapani (the manifestation of all the Buddhas' power). This painting in the Khotanese or West Tibetan style represents Vajrapani in mixed Central asian and Indian style.
Size: 2200px × 8533px
Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 801-850, 9th, ad, art, arts, asia, asian, bodhisattva, buddhism, buddhist, caves, ce, central, century, china, chinese, commerce, dunhuang, east, gansu, hanging, historical, history, image, images, jewel, jiao, khotan, khotanese, lotus, mahayana, mogao, painting, paintings, pictures, religion, road, san, scroll, silk, trade, turkestan, turkistan, vajrapani, xinjiang
