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Manusi Buddhas

From Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia
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Mānuṣī (मानुषी) refers to the “Seven Mortal Buddhas” whose names appear last in the list of thirty-two Buddhas in Mahāyāna Buddhism.


The last seven Tathāgatas are well-known, and are designated by the Mahāyānist as Mānuṣī or “Mortal Buddhas”. When represented, the last seven Mortal Buddhas appear all alike; they are of one color and one form, usually sitting cross-legged, with the right hand disposed in the Bhūmisparśa-mudrā (earth-touching attitude), which is the mudrā peculiar to Akṣobhya. [...] In paintings, the Mortal Buddhas they have usually a yellow or golden complexion. [...] Sometimes they are represented as standing, in which case they appear under a distinguishing Bodhi Tree and with a distinguishing mudrā.


Like the Dhyāni Buddhas, the Mortal Buddhas (mānuṣī) have also their respective Buddhaśaktis through whom they obtained the seven Mortal Bodhisattvas.


The seven mortal Buddhas (mānuṣī) together with their Buddhaśakti and Bodhisattva are named as follows:


Vipaśyī (Vipasyantī—Mahāmati),

Śikhī (Śikhimālinī—Ratnadhara),

Viśvabhū (Viśvadharā—Ākāśagañja),

Krakucchanda (Kakudvatī—Śakamaṅgala),

Kanakamuni (Kaṇṭhamālinī—Kanakarāja),

Kaśyapa (Mahīdharā—Dharmadhara),

Śākyasiṃha (Yaśodharā—Ānanda).


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