Page 22 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols

kasyapa and Ananda, or other Buddhas of the past eras. e

arrangement and choice of personages in this altar varies from

temple to temple. Most of the time Sakyamuni Buddha is de-

picted in the attitude of contemplation with his disciples flank-

ing him. Temples dedicated to Amitabha Buddha have his image

at the centre, Sakyamuni Buddha and Bahaisajyaguru, better

known to the Chinese as ‘Yao-Shih-Fwo’, each accompanied by

two disciples. To the right and left of the main altar one usually

finds the two Great Bodhisattvas, Manjusri (Wen-Shu-Shih-

Li) and Samantabhadra (Pu-Hsien). e placements of person-

ages are not really fixed so that one may often find Sakyamuni

Buddha being flanked by Amitabha (O-Mi Two-Fwo) and Yao-

Shin-Fwo (Medicine Buddha), the two great Buddhas of past

eras. At other times a single Buddha is seen seated between his

two Bodhisattvas, Sakyamuni (Shih Jia-Mo-Ni-Fwo) between

Manjusri and Samantabhadra or Amitabha Buddha with Avalo-

kitesvara (Kuan Yin) and Mahasthamaprata (Ta-Shih-Chih).

Temples dedicated to Kuan Shih Yin P’usa will have her flanked

by Wen-shu-Shih-Li and P’u-Hsien.

On the east and west sides of the walls of this Great Hall are

often arranged the figures of the Eighteen Arhats (Lohans)

who are represented as possessing various kinds of supernatural

power. Along the north wall are often found the images of Jan-

teng Fwo or Dipankara, the ancient Buddha who predicted

Sakyamuni’s Buddhahood, and the popular Bodhisattvas such

as Kuan Yin, Wen-shu, Pu-Hsien and Ti-tsang (Ksi-tigarbha),

or other Bodhisattvas. Very often, images of Kuan Ti, the Pro-

tector of Buddhism, can also be found in this hall. It is here at

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