Yamantaka（3）

Yamantaka(3)

Yamantaka has 16 vajra legs, symbolizing the 16 voids, subduing the Yama king’s 16 faced iron city. The 8 legs on the right are bent, pressing down on the 8 great heaven kings, also symbolizing the 8 great achievements. Their images are man, water buffalo, cow, deer, snake, dog, sheep and fox respectively. The 8 legs on the left are outstretched, stepping down on the eight bright empresses, their images are vulture, owl, crow, parrot, eagle, duck, rooster and wild goose. They symbolize the 8 free purities: can show one body into many bodies; can show a dust body to fill 3000 big worlds; can use big body to lift easily and reach far; can show numerous kinds living in one place eternally; can exchange the different functions of the senses; receiving all dharma but as if having no dharma to think on; can speak the meaning of a Buddhist poem, and the meaning lasts even after numerous kalpa; body is everywhere, like emptiness.

There are many kinds of images of Yamantaka, the so-called numerous manifestations, but the general characteristics are a powerful and fearsome stature, unkempt hair like blazing fire, revealed fangs as large as snow mountains and as hard as vajra. The eyes show piercing light, thousands of times brighter than the sun. The huge mouth without boundary can swallow the three kingdoms. The toes can crush Brahma, the heel can move the universe. He can command at will the 8 great kings of heaven: the great freedom heaven of the east, Sakra-devanam indra of the south, the great Brahma of the west, the entering-everywhere heaven of the north, Paranirmita-vaśavartin of the southeast, the elephant-nose heaven of the southwest, the Zhengedi heaven of the northwest and the six-faced child heaven of the northeast. He can also command the Yama kings as easily as ordering a child. He can eliminate all obstructions in and beyond the world, granting the highest achievement to meditators.

Briefly, the characteristics of Yamantaka are: can adjust and control all places; can command all gods in and beyond the world; his great mercy and equality are like the mountains, unmoving and unwavering; he can turn into the Buddha of past, present and future, and so forth.