Hiraõyavarõa MahàvihàraA Unique Newar Buddhist Monastery

By:

Min Bahadur Shakya

Published by:

Nagarjuna Publication Pvt. Ltd.2004

Patan, Nepal

Published by:Nagarjuna Publications Pvt. LtdFriends’ colony, BakhundoleLalitpur, NepalTel:5552118

First Edition 2000 copies

Buddha Era: 2548English Era: 2004Nepal Era: 1124

Cover Photo: Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära

Frontispiece: Kväbaùäju (Çäkyamuni Buddha)

Typesetti ng & Layout Design by: Milan Shakya

Cover Design: Miroj Shakya

ISBN :

Price:

© All rights reserved by the author

Printed at:Shakya Printing PressOm bahalKathmandu/Nepal

A Note from the Publisher

There are innumerable cultural and religious sites in Nepal, but authenticbooks providing systematic and detailed information of them are very few.It is our great pleasure to publish this book on Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihäraof Patan written by the well-known Buddhist scholar Mr. Min BahadurShakya. This is the first book in English to provide authentic detailed infor-mation about the famous Newar Buddhist shrine.

Nagarjuna Publication is a newly established publishing house, whichis dedicated to serve the society through publication of reference books,academic, research and popular books, anthologies etc., without restrictionof language and field of subject. We are also interested to publish a series ofbooks on other famous cultural and religious sites of Nepal.

We thank all the friends in the country and abroad, including Hwa yueFoundation of Taiwan, for their love and moral support, which NagarjunaPublication has been receiving since its establishment.

We’d like to offer a special thank to Hong Kong Avalokiteçvara Gar-den Ltd. for sponsoring the printing cost of this book.

Dr. Sarbottam ShresthaNagarjuna Publications Pvt. LtdFriend’s colony, Bakhundole,Lalitpur, Nepal

July 1st, 2004

To Whom it may concern

It is a matter of great pleasure that a book entitled “HiraëyavarëaMahävihära: A unique Newar Buddhist monastery” written by Mr. MinBahadur Shakya is being published by Nagarjuna Publications Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. Shakya is a well known Buddhist scholar who is the member of thismonastery itself. This monograph was prepared by him couple of years agowhen he was himself the god guardian of the monastery. His writings arewell documented and deserves appreciation.

I hope this publication will be very useful for all scholars as well asgeneral readers alike.

Yours sincerely

Dharma Ratna ShakyaPresident

Hiraëyavarëa MahävihäraVihar Sudhar Committee

Contents

i. A Note From the Publisher

ii. Preface

1. CHAPTER I - Introduction: Buddhism in Nepal...................................1-8• Buddhism during the Life time of the Buddha.................................. 1• Buddhism in the time of Açoka............................................................. 2• Buddhism in the Licchavé period......................................................... 3• Transitional period.................................................................................. 3• The Malla period...................................................................................... 4• Decline of Celibate Buddhist monastic community in Nepal....... 5• Buddhism in the Shah Period................................................................ 7

2. CHAPTER II - Location and Layout of the Newar Monastery........9-11

3. CHAPTER III - The Chronicle of Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära.......12-14

CHAPTER V - Historical Documents..................................................... 15-17

4. CHAPTER V - Description of the monastery.....................................18-29• Entrance setting......................................................................................18• The Main shrine..................................................................................... 19• Svayambhü caitya.................................................................................. 20• Vajrasattva shrine...................................................................................21• Tärä shrine.............................................................................................. 22• Maïjuçré Nämasaìgéti shrine..............................................................23• Amitäbha shrine..................................................................................... 23• Amoghpäça Lokeçvara shrine............................................................. 24• Mahäkäla shrine..................................................................................... 25• Kalaça/ Guhyeçvaré............................................................................... 26• Prajïäpäramitä Scripture..................................................................... 26• Four Metal statues..................................................................................26• Dharmadhätu maëòala......................................................................... 27• Four Monkeys in the courtyard.......................................................... 27• Yogämvara shrine.................................................................................. 28• Cakrasamvara shrine.............................................................................28

CHAPTER VI - Rituals at the main shrine.............................................. 30-35

CHAPTER VII - Festival at Golden temple............................................36-39• Dépaìkara/Samyak Festival................................................................ 36• Païcadäna Festival................................................................................ 36• Saìgha feast festival...............................................................................37• Dépaèkhä Festival................................................................................ 37• Exhibition of the Gods (Bahédyo Boyegu)...................................... 38• Gunlä Dharma ceremony.................................................................... 38

BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................................................................40-42

APPENDIX: SAMYAK FESTIVAL OF PATAN...............................43-54

Hiraõyavarõa MahàvihàraA Unique Newar Buddhist Monastery

CHAPTER ICHAPTER ICHAPTER ICHAPTER ICHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION: BUDDHISM IN NEPAL

RELIGION in the Kathmandu Valley has historically comprised five maintraditions. The first is animism, worship of the spirits. The second, mostwidespread element is worship of the Mother Goddesses and other forms ofDevé. The third is worship of the god Çiva. The fourth is worship of Viñëu.The fifth tradition is Vajrayäna Buddhism — the form of Buddhism that hasbeen practiced at Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära since its inception.

Buddhism during the lifetime of the Buddha

Lord Buddha is believed to have taught the dharma in his home city ofKapilavastu, Nepal. Both the Svayambhü Puräëa and various chronicles(vaèçävalés) claim that the Buddha’s teachings reached the KathmanduValley in his own lifetime, and even that the Buddha himself came here.Even though we have no clear evidence for this, the Buddha’s legacy isevident everywhere in the Valley.

One early source that refers to Buddhism in Nepal is the Mülasarvästi-väda-vinayavastu, a Sanskrit work on monastic discipline translated intoChinese by Yixing in 700 CE. It mentions an episode relating to the trans-port of wool by a group of bhikñus who set off for Nepal when the Buddhawas residing in Çrävasté. The same text relates that Änanda, the Buddha’scousin, also went to the Kathmandu valley.

Concerning the introduction of Buddhism to Nepal, John Locke writes:

“Given the proximity of the valley of Nepal to Lumbini, Kapilavastu

and areas of North Bihär, where Buddhism spread rapidly even

during the time of the Buddha, it is quite possible that the dharma

found its way to the Valley during the lifetime of the Buddha him-

self. “1

1See John K. Locke, ‘The unique features of Newar Buddhism’, 1989, p. 97.

1

Buddhism in the Açokan Period

Emperor Açoka is believed to have visited Lumbini and Kapilavastu, wherehe erected a pillar stating that Buddha was born there. He also visited allthe other places believed to have been associated with the principal eventsin the Buddha’s life. According to Nepalese chronicles, Emperor Açokavisited Kathmandu with his royal preceptor Upagupta. He erected manychaityas here and offered his daughter, Cärumaté, to a local prince calledDevapäla. Later, Cärumaté erected a monastery in her own name and spentmost of her life as a nun (bhikñuëé). The monastery erected by princessCärumaté still exists today, and is now called Cäbahél Vihara. However, itis difficult to confirm that Cärumaté ever visited Kathmandu, because noneof the Açokan inscriptions mention that he had a daughter by that name.

In Patan, there are four great stüpas in the four cardinal directions.Nepalese tradition asserts that they were erected by the Emperor Açokahimself, and their structure resembles ancient stüpas known to have beenerected by Açoka. Prof. David Snellgrove writes:

Such was Açoka’s fame as the greatest of all benefactors of Bud-

dhism that his name was readily associated with missionary activities

that far exceeded their considerable historical range. If Khotan in the

remotest part of Central Asia can preserve traditions concerning its

founding as a city state by an imaginary son of Açoka, named Kustana,

it is by no means surprising to learn that Açoka personally visited

the Nepal Valley, where he founded the royal city of Patan together

with its great stüpas, each at one of the four cardinal points.2

…This city is certainly the early Buddhist city of Nepal, but there is

nothing surviving above ground to suggest a date earlier than the

fourth century CE.

John Locke adds:

It is not impossible that the emperor Açoka visited the Valley, but

there is no contemporary evidence of such a visit, either from Nepal

or from Buddhist sources in India. Unlike India, where the ancient

2See D. L. Snellgrove, Indo-Tibetan Buddhism part II, 1987, p. 365

Buddhist sites are abandoned ruins, the ancient sites in Nepal are

still active shrines.3

So although it remains a possibility that Açoka personally came to theValley, as tradition affirms, we lack the evidence to be certain.

Buddhism in the Licchavé period (400-800 CE)

The first documentary evidence of the presence of Buddhism in the valleycomes from the inscription of Cäìgunäräyaëa and Jayadeva II, dating be-tween 464 and the 9th century CE. King Våñadeva (387–42) was a Buddhistmonarch who renovated the caitya of Dharmadatta, and also renovatedseveral vihäras so that they could provide lodgings for monks. He is alsosaid to have founded a vihära in the vicinity of Çré Svayambhü Mahäcaitya.

The Tyägal inscription of King Aèçuvarmä (605–621) mentions deitiessuch as Amitäbha, Akñobhya, Çäkyamuni, Samantakuçuma and Maïjuçré,indicating that Mahäyäna in its developed form was already present at thatdate. Other inscriptions also testify to the growth of Mahäyäna Buddhism.

In that same century, King Srong btsan Gampo of Tibet married theNepalese Princess Bhåkuöé Devé. Indeed, she is the one who is creditedwith having played a major role in the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet.Even though her marriage was not recorded outside Tibet, it is clear thatBhåkuöé Devé not only propagated the Buddha dharma in her adopted home,but also instigated the construction of temples in both Tibet and Bhutan,including the great Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.

The Transitional period: 880-1200 CE

Buddhism appears to have reached its zenith during the transitional period.Patan essentially became a center of Buddhist learning, not unlike the cel-ebrated universities of Bihär and Bengäl such as Odantapuré, Nälandä, andVikramaçéla. Nepalese Buddhists went to these Indian centers to study, andIndians journeyed north to sojourn in Nepal. On Patan, Snellgrove wrote,

“Patan must have been a kind of vast university-city, differing little

in its way of life from similar towns in medieval Europe. In fact its

3J. Locke, ‘Unique features’, p. 87..

2 3

Chapter i Introduction: Buddhism in Nepal Chapter i Introduction: Buddhism in Nepal

buildings, its traditions and its way of life must have been modeled

on the great monastic universities of Central India.

Again he writes,

This city was once a place of sanctity and learning, which monks and

paëòitas were glad to come and visit. Some came from India to teach,

others from Tibet to learn.

This depiction is borne out by an inscription of 1230 CE which is in-scribed upon a statue of Dipaìkara Buddha belonging to Guita Vihära. Itstates: vikhyäta lalitapuriti nagaridikñu sarvasvapi vidyäbhyäm – ‘Patanis famous in all directions for its practice of academic life’.

Näropä (1016–1100?), the renowned yogin, had seven chief discipleswho, like him, taught the Mahäyäna sütras and Vajrayäna tantras. Two ofhis disciples were Lord Maitripä, of Kapilavastu, and sPhyi-ther-pa, whowas also from Nepal.

The great translator Märpä also stayed in Patan and Kathmandu forthree years to study the highest yoga tantras under famous Nepalese gurussuch as Paindapä and sPhyi-ther-pä. Furthermore, the great translator RwäLotsävä studied the Vajrabhairava system under the Vajräcärya ‘MaimedHand’ Bhäro in the eleventh century. To quote Mary Slusser:

From the hands of Nepalese monks, there was a vast outpouring of

manuscripts. Most of the extant works of the transitional period,

dating from the eleventh century on, are written in Sanskrit, employ

diverse scripts, and are sometimes illuminated.4

The Malla Period: 1200–1768

By the end of the twelfth century, a profound change had been broughtabout in Nepalese Buddhist practice. Celibate monasticism diminishedfollowing the introduction of tantric ritual practice, in which the femaleprinciple, prajïä, was of prime importance. The upholding of celibacy wassuperseded by rituals associated with the invocation of prajïä. With the

4Slusser, Nepal Mandala, p. 281.

rise of Vajrayäna practice, especially the highest yoga tantra, a karmamudräwas considered essential for speedy enlightenment.

The formerly celibate monks married and eventually took their place atthe head of Nepal’s caste hierarchy — being classified as monks (‘Çäkya’)and tantric priests (‘Vajräcärya’) — which over the centuries was imposedupon the Buddhist community by a Çaivite monarchy. Hundreds of mon-astery complexes containing living spaces for these now-married monksand their shrines, libraries and educational facilities were built during thisperiod. It was in this period that Newar Buddhism was in full flower. Thosecomplexes dating from the Malla period survive today as residential quar-ters; not for celibate monks, but for married householder monks. Amongthem, the Çäkyas are temple priests, while the Vajräcäryas are family priests.

The decline of celibate monasticism: Newar Buddhism as the practiceof a lay Bodhisattva

Now, the question must be asked: why did Newar Buddhists opt to becomehouseholder monks (gåhastha bhikñu) rather than celibate monks? Bothhistorians and local Buddhists maintain that celibate monasticism failed tosurvive the reign of King Jayasthitimalla in the fifteenth century. I am notconvinced, however, that it was solely Jayasthitimalla — an aggressivelyorthodox Hindu, said to have imposed a caste system upon the Buddhistcommunity — who singlehandedly removed celibate monasticism. Rather,the decline of celibate monkhood started long before he ascended the throneof Nepal. Although Jayasthitimalla may have sounded its death knell, theinstitution of celibate monasticism seems to have already been weak at thetime of Atiçä’s arrival in Kathmandu in 1041 CE.

Indeed, there had long been provision for ‘lay monkhood’ in IndianBuddhism, and by the time of Jayasthitimalla’s coronation, it was alreadyvery popular in the Kathmandu Valley. The antiquity and strength of thistradition is evidenced by the eighth-century Indian work Sikñä Samuccaya,compiled by Äcärya Çäntideva. It contains the following verse:

Punaraparaè kulaputra bhaviñyanti anägata adhväni gåhasthapravajita ädikärmika bodhisattva |

Again, O sons of a good family! In the future there will be a house-

holder monk, a ‘beginner-practitioner’ bodhisattva.

4 5

Chapter i Introduction: Buddhism in Nepal Chapter i Introduction: Buddhism in Nepal

With regard to the ‘beginner-practitioner’ (ädikärmika) Bodhisattvamentioned here, Äcärya Anupamavajra was a prominent advocate of‘beginner’s practice’. His works had a great impact on the Newar Buddhisttradition. Indeed, his Ädikarma Pradépa, which Anupamavajra composedin 1098 CE, partly describes the traditional daily practice of many NewarBuddhists.5

According to the Newar Buddhist tradition, when one disrobes aftertaking tonsure (cüòäkarma), the Çäkyas and Vajräcäryas do not cease to beBuddhist monks, but pass from the state of celibate bhikñu to the state ofhouseholder bodhisattva bhikñu. In the disrobing ceremony, the followinglines describe the new status of the bhikñu:

You have gone through the Çrävakayäna and now come to Mahäyäna,

the greatest of the Buddhist yänas. You have participated in some

Vajrayäna rituals, and after going through some higher ordinations

you will know what Cakrasamvara is.6

That Buddhism survived in the Kathmandu Valley right up to the end ofthe Malla period is largely due to the benign influence of Tibetan Bud-dhism. When King Pratäpa Malla (1664–1674) opened up trade relationsbetween the two countries, Newar traders began to regularly travel to andfrom Lhasa. They not only amassed wealth in Tibet but also brought backrenewed Buddhist values to Nepal, along with the paraphernalia of theirfaith such as statues and paintings (paubhä), thereby revitalizing the Bud-dhist tradition of Kathmandu.

5In brief, the work deals with the following common practices of Newar Buddhists:1. To takie refuge in the Triple Gem;2. To recite the Nämasaìgéti;3. To recite the Bhadracaryä Praëidhäna;4. To make offerings to departed spirits (Preta bali);5. To circumambulate caityas, Buddha statues, etc;6. To perform the Gurumaëòala rite;7. To meditate on one’s tutelary deity;8. To recite the Prajïäpäramitä and other Mahäyäna sütras;9. To recite the Verse on Generosity (Dänagäthä);10.To perform Bodhisattva practices with joy;11.To study the Buddhist scriptures;12.To offer food to the triple Gem and one’s tutelary deity before eating;13.To offer fivefold prostration to the Buddhas of the ten directions;14.To sleep in lion’s posture after performing Deity yoga.

6David Gellner, Monk, Householder and Tantric Priest, 1992.

There are many accounts of Nepalese sojourning in Tibetan monaster-ies, especially at Tashi Lhunpo in Shigatse. In 1667 CE, a certain monk,Padmadhvaja by name, returned from Tashi Lhunpo and established amonastery in Bhaktapur. He donated an image of Dépaìkara Buddha andan endowed the monastery with lands held in a trust, “with the approval ofhis wife, daughter, and son”. Tibetan Buddhism gradually came to be fa-vored by those Nepalese merchants and artisans who resided in Tibet. Fur-thermore, these people could be freely and permanently ordained as monksin Tibet, which was no longer possible in Nepal. In the meantime, with thedisappearance of Buddhism in India, Nepal had become a holy land forTibetans, and in certain seasons of the year Tibetan pilgrims would maketheir way to the great shrines of Baudhanäth, Svayambhü and Namobuddha.

Buddhism in the Shah Period (1768–present)

The stature and financial health of Buddhist monasteries greatly declinedafter the invasion of the Hindu Gorkhälés in 1768 CE. Most of the propertyheld by guöhés, the trust organizations that supported the monasteries, wasusurped by the new government. Since then, the Newars have been underthe political control of the Gorkhäs, and between 1846 and 1950 they weresubjected to the autocratic rule of the Räëä family.

It is now fashionable — especially among Theraväda Buddhists, whosince the end of Räëä rule have established a vibrant presence in the Valley— to say that Newar Buddhism is a ‘corrupt’ form of Buddhism. Thischarge echoes an important reality, namely, that Vajrayäna Buddhism hasassimilated elements of the Hindu pantheon, as well as a limited number ofHindu practices, such as fire sacrifices and so forth. Indeed, after JayasthitiMalla forced the Vajräcärya priests and Çäkya monks into the straitjacket ofa caste system, it is true that Buddhism in Nepal became a closed, exclusivecommunity. Membership was transmitted through patrilineal descent.Monasteries became the homes of married monks, and their practice be-came oriented towards the mechanical performance of ritual; the path ofmental purification through meditation diminished, and Buddhas andBodhisattvas tended to be worshipped as gods.

Nevertheless, the medieval Indian basis of Newar Buddhism remainedlargely unchanged, and it continued to provide an effective source of spiri-tual development and comfort for the populace.

6 7

Chapter i Introduction: Buddhism in Nepal Chapter i Introduction: Buddhism in Nepal

Although there is little to distinguish Buddhism from Hinduism in theminds of most Newars today, if we take the viewpoint of Brahmanicalorthodoxy, all Buddhists are heretics. However, in reality, there is im-mense tolerance for diversity in Nepal. Within a single Newar family,members may worship both Buddhist and Hindu gods. During festivals,the religious communities of each city are united in their worship of majordeities, who may have developed dual Buddhist and Hindu identities.

Throughout this period, Tibetans maintained their patronage and wor-ship of the Valley’s main Buddhist monuments. Tibetan pilgrims contin-ued to frequent the Kathmandu Valley from the early Malla period down tothis day. In the Tibetan diaspora of the late twentieth century, Nepal be-came a haven for many Tibetan refugees, and assumed renewed importanceas a sacred Buddhist land.

AAAAA

7According to Hemraj Shakya, there are thirty-two bahäs in total.

THE LAYOUT OF THE NEWAR MONASTERY

TODAY, the city of Patan alone contains more than one hundred and sixtymonasteries, and Kathmandu more than one hundred. Monasteries beganas living quarters for celibate monks, but with the advent of tantric Bud-dhism, they evolved into communes of married yogés and yoginés.

Almost all of the bahäs and bahés enshrine Çäkyamuni Buddha orAvalokiteçvara as the main deity. They further contain a secret tantric deity(ägam dyaù) — never revealed to non-members or non-initiates — whichis the principal focus of esoteric worship.

In the Kathmandu Valley there are two distinct types of vihära: bahäsand bahés. At present there are eighteen main bahäs in Patan, with numer-ous sub-branches, and twenty bahés.7 Their architectural features includethe following:

1. All bahäs and bahés have square floorplans and square courtyards.2. The ground floor is open to visitors.3. A walkway (phaù) surrounds the courtyard on four sides.4. There is a separate shrine room for the main deity.5. The entrance door faces the main shrine.6. The doorway to the adjoining garden is on the right or left side of

the courtyard.7. Buildings are of only two storeys in height.8. In the bahé, the main shrine can be circumambulated by a passage-

way.9. Generally, in the bahé, a flight of steps leads from street level up to

the main shrine, whereas the entrance to the bahä is usually at streetlevel.

10. The shrine of the tantric deity (ägam) is located directly above themain deity (kväpadyaù).

CHAPTER II

8 9

Chapter i Introduction: Buddhism in Nepal

The basic design of the Newar monastery is undoubtedly ancient. Forexample, the excavated monasteries of Särnäth, Lumbini, and Jetavana atÇrävasté all have square floorplans.

The enclosed quadrangle is paved with brick tiles or stone slabs (Newari:cikan appä). This style of paving keeps the interior courtyard free of mossand lichen. The brick-tiled or stone-paved courtyard is mostly used by themonastery’s members for listening to Buddhist teachings or the recitationof hymns (stotra), dhäraëés, or the Nämasaìgéti.

A Dharmadhätu caitya, miniature votive caitya or a separate shrine inthe middle of the courtyard is common in most bahäs and bahés. Examplesare the Buìgadeva shrine in Tabahä; the Cakvädya shrine in JeñöhavarëaMahävihära; the Svayambhü caitya in Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära; theJanabahä shrine in Kanakacaitya Mahävihära, and so forth.

In most of the bahäs and bahés, there is a separate shrine for the maindeity, or ‘Kväbahäju’. This represents the mülagandhakuöé of the Buddha’stime. One universal feature of the Newar bahä or bahé is that no one isallowed to enter this Gandhakuöé except the god-guardian (dyapälä) orboys who have been ordained during the cüòäkarma ceremony. Some-times, a miniature of Vajradhara is placed in front of the image of BuddhaÇäkyamuni.

Most bahäs and bahés are only two storeys high. The first floor of themain shrine is fronted by a triple window (tikijhyä) which inclines for-ward. This triple window represents the three jewels of Buddhism, whilethe five-framed window symbolizes the five Buddhas.

The walkway surrounding the courtyard is used for caìkramaëa in thecase of bahés. One can circumambulate the main deity of a bahé shrine onthis walkway. In addition to features listed above, the following are nor-mative in bahä or bahé shrines:

1. Two lions of metal or stone flank the main entrance door (as inHiraëyavarëa- and Rudravarëa-Mahävihära);

2. the door of the main shrine bears an archway (toraëa) symbolizingthe three jewels, or the five Buddhas, or the deity inside the shrine;

3. images of protector deities such as Gaëeça and Mahäkäla appear atthe main entrance;

4. beyond the main entrance are two open platforms (phalecä), whichare central to the religious life of the community; here devotees

recite hymns, play religious music and sing Jïänamälä or däphäbhajana songs. During the month of Gunlä, Buddhist deities areexhibited here;

5. at the apex of the main shrine is a caitya;6. to the rear of the main shrine is a garden or courtyard (nani);7. a well is located behind the complex;8. the main deity of the bahä/bahé is either a Buddha or a Bodhisattva.

10 11

Chapter II The Layout of the Newar Monastery Chapter II The Layout of the Newar Monastery

8The following is based on the traditional account in Kvabahäyä Vamçävalé, 1993.9The missing marks were: Lord Buddha used to walk ; he preaches the Dharma ;monks follow him on either side; and he is surrounded by an aura of light (130).

Together they decided to make another statue, but this time they wouldkeep its presence secret. It was made perfectly, as before, with the eightkinds of precious metal. The mother was very happy and satisfied with herson’s superb workmanship. After a time, she passed away and was reborn inthe Sukhävaté heaven. Her son married and begat a son. His descendantswere all devotees of the Buddha, while he himself became renowned as anemanation of the Universal Architect, Great Viçvakarmä.

In the following degenerate age, people developed deep ignorance anddelusion rather than faith. A great earthquake struck, and many peopleperished. The house in which the Buddha statue was kept was turned intorubble. People forgot that any such statue ever existed.

Many years later, when the crops were being harvested, people sud-denly heard a bell ring; but when they went to the place from which thesound seemed to be coming, they found nothing. So they marked the spotand the next day returned to dig there. It was then that they discovered theBuddha statue. They cleared away the earth, cleaned up the statue and manypeople came to pray and worship before it.

At that time, the Öhaküré King Bhäñkara Deva (1045–48 CE) ruled Lalitpurcity. Someone informed him about the discovery of the Buddha statue.That night, the king saw the Buddha statue in a dream. The statue told himto dispatch his royal priest, Vajräcärya Kulapäda, to bring it to the palace.The next day, the king summoned Vajräcärya Kulapäda, who then arrivedat the palace. The king asked the Vajräcärya to determine an auspicioustime to fetch the Buddha statue.

Vajräcärya Kulapäda, along with his disciple Cailaka Bhikñu, set off forthe place where the Buddha statue had been found. When they arrived,Vajräcärya Kulapäda made offerings to it, worshipped the Buddha statuethroughout the night, and consecrated it with Vajrayänic ritual. Using hismantra of ‘drawing down’ (Skt. äkarñaëa), he imbued the Buddha statuewith the consciousness-principle and brought it to Çaìkhamüla, Lalitpur.He then informed the king who, accompanied by many courtiers and mu-sicians, came out to receive the Buddha statue.

After crossing the holy waters of Çaìkhamüla, the procession headedtowards Lalitpur city. Seeing this, the goddess Mahälakñmé of Lagankheltransformed herself into an eagle and snatched away the vajra held byVajräcärya Kulapäda, flying up into the sky. At that point, the Buddhastatue became rooted to the spot, which is known to today as “Svantha.”

THE CHRONICLE OF HIRAðYAVARðA MAHâVIHâRA

ONCE, a married Nepalese lady gave a birth to a baby boy.8 At that time,Lord Buddha had just passed into great Parinirväëa, and as yet no Buddhastatue had been erected anywhere. The lady lost her husband only one yearafter she gave birth to her son, and so it was she who, by and by, taught theboy the sculptor’s craft.

When the boy was ten years old, his mother told him to make a Buddhastatue. The boy asked his mother how it should be made. That night, in adream, the lady saw Lord Buddha’s body endowed with the thirty majorand the eighty minor marks. The next day, she told her son all the detailsshe had seen in her dream, and the boy began to prepare a mold for theBuddha statue. He crafted a mold which was about six feet and nine incheshigh. After his mother had carefully inspected the statue, she pronounced itto be just about perfect. However, it still lacked four qualities.9 His mothernonetheless thanked him for creating a most beautiful Buddha statue.

Meanwhile, Lord Indra, king of the gods, came to know of the statue.Having stolen it, he placed it in his heavenly garden; where, they say, itremains to this day. The unfortunate mother and son could do nothing butgaze at the empty spot where the Buddha statue had once been.

After a while, the lady asked her son to make another statue, and so hedid. She again inspected the new statue and saw that it was as well made asits predecessor. Many people learned of this statue, came to pay homage toit and offered the Buddha statue whatever they had with great devotion.News of it spread like wildfire, reaching as far as Lhasa. Some Tibetansthen came all the way from Lhasa and, smitten by the statue’s uniquenessand beauty, stole it. So again the poor lady and her sculptor son suffered theloss of their cherished statue.

CHAPTER III

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Chapter III The Chronicle of the Hiraõyavarõa Mahàvihàra

However, Guru Kulapäda immediately brought back Mahälakñmé withhis tantric power and threatened to kill her. Mahälakñmé, now appearing inher divine form, told him that she was very impressed with his tantricpower and explained that she had intervened merely to express her displea-sure at his not informing her about such a meritorious occasion. The Bud-dha statue, which could now be moved further, was then taken to the centerof Nyäkhächowk square and installed there.

The next morning, Vajräcärya Kulapäda, having bathed and purifiedhimself, worshipped the Buddha with prostrations, offerings, prayers andwith 108 recitations of the Aparimitä dhäraëé. Henceforth, this became hisdaily routine. Two months later, King Bhäñkara Deva began to build a newvihära to house the Buddha statue, and once it was completed, he sum-moned the Vajräcärya to perform the consecration. Kulapäda told the kingthat it would be difficult for the king to attend to the Buddha statue, as hisduties would involve continuous devotional exercises, purification ritual,and recitations; but the king did not heed the guru’s warning. He had theBuddha statue installed in the new vihära and he himself attended it. Butshortly after the consecration, the Lord Buddha appeared to the king in adream and told him to build another vihära. This vihära should be locatedin a place where there was:

1) a mouse called Hiraìyaka, who bathed daily in nearby Kumbha tértha2) a pond which had not dried up since Maïjuçré cleaved the gorge at

Cobhär, draining the Valley’s primordial lake3) a jewelled caitya in the center of the pond4) two nägas called Varuëa and Varuëävaté, and5) a mouse who chases away a cat

The king consulted many learned Vajräcäryas, who invoked the Nägasand Näginés dwelling in the pond and drained it. A vihära, with a jeweledcaitya in the courtyard, was built on the spot, representing the thirteenBodhisattva levels, which was the traditional style. The vihära was namedHiraëyavarëa Mahävihära after the Hiraëyaka mouse. At its inauguration,the saìgha had six hundred members. To this day, the daily ritual practiceincludes purification by bathing, recitation of the Aparimitä dhärané andstotras, the offering of Arati lamps, striking the wooden gong at specifiedtimes and so forth.

10During Bahäpüjä, when Newar Buddhists visit the eighteen main bahäs of Patan, theworship begins at Kväbahä.11Locke, Buddhist Monasteries of Nepal, p. 31.12Dina Bangdel, drawing on inscriptional evidence, suggests a pre-transitional perioddate as early as the Licchavé period (4th–9th century) for its foundation. She is confidentthat if the Licchavé-period dating given by scholars for the principal caitya is valid, itwould support the traditional history of a Licchavi period consecration of the Bahä. SeeManifesting the Maëòala, p. 220.13ibid.14Locke, Buddhist Monasteries of Nepal, p. 39.

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS

The Buddhist shrine of Kväbahä, popularly known as the Golden Temple,is one of Nepal’s most beautiful monasteries. It is situated north of Patan’sDurbar Square on the road leading to Kumbheçvara. Although it is morecommonly known in Patan as Kväbahä, its Sanskrit name is HiraëyavarëaMahävihära.

Kväbahä is one of the eighteen main bahäs of Patan. It ranks foremost interms of its religious status.10 Kväbahä has a large number of branches,fourteen of which are official, while thirteen are private branches belong-ing to Buddhist castes other than Vajräcäryas and Çäkyas.11 The formal nameof the monastery is ‘Bhäñkaradeva saèskärita Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära’,which suggests that it was founded or reconstructed in the reign ofBhäñkaradeva (1045–48).12 The presence of the four metallic sculptures remi-niscent of those of the Licchavé period confirms the antiquity of the site.13

The earliest firm information we have about Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihäraare two references in manuscript. The first is in the colophon of a palmleafcopy of the Vajrävalé written in NS 202 (=1082 CE) by one Candra of theTuraharëavarëa Mahävihära in Maëigalake.14 The second reference is inthe colophon of a Pratiñöhäloka manuscript written during the reign ofGuëakämadeva. There were two kings by the name of Guëakämadevaduring the Öhaküré period: one ruled from about NS 107 to 110, and theother from about NS 303 to 316. There was only one Bhäñkaradeva in this

CHAPTER IV

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period: he ruled from at least NS 165 to 167. Hence, if he was indeed thefounder of the vihära, the second reference must date from the reign of thesecond Guëakämadeva, circa NS 303–16.15

Today there are thirty-eight copper plate inscriptions and seventeenstone inscriptions located in the bahä:

1. A copper plate inscription dated NS 529 (1409 CE) affixed to a beamat the northern end of the court of the main temple seems to be themost ancient and important inscription inside the bahä premises. 16

2. Two copper plate inscriptions, dated NS 653 and 762, donated byÇré Ujotadeva of Dolakhä.

3. Of the inscriptions on alms bowls (piëòapätra), 102 in number, theoldest is dated 645 NS (1525 CE). 17

4. The large bell in Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära (Kväbahä) has the fol-lowing inscription: çré maëigardhipati çré çré jaya çiva sièhadevaprabhu thakulsa, putra çré çré hariharasièha. The date is the monthof Äçvin in NS 728 (1608 CE). 18

5. A copper plate inscription describes the formation of a large trust ofbahä members to oversee repairs and to donate a new gilt roof to

15Locke, Buddhist Monasteries of Nepal, p. 39.16This inscription reads:

çubha çrayastu saèvat 529 mägha kåñëa navamyämra tithau hasta nakñatra harñanaçukravarasare çré uttara vihäradhipati çré yogambara gesthita çré hiraëyavarëamahävihära gaëa madhyamasthita çré çré caitya bhaööarakasyälaya tatraiva vajrä-cärya çré davyajanaya päsya çré megharäma thavara päsana bhäryä dharmapatnéjayalakñmé bhari sahitana kanalaça dhvaja varohana yangädina juro || çubham ||‘In the year 529, in the dark fortnight of the month of Mägha, Çré DavyajanaVajräcärya, head of the bahä, along with Äju Megharäma and his wife Jayalakñmé,donated a pinnacle for Çré Yogämvara at the north side of the vihära, and a goldenpinnacle surmounted by a vase-banner for the caitya at the center of HiraëyavarëaMahävihära.’

17The inscription reads:çreyo añöu | saèvat 645 çrävaëa çukla añöamyayä tithau/vaiçäkha nakñatre çuklaprabrama yoge jatha karna muhürte båhañpativäsare idamadivase çré nyäkhäcokavihäravasthita çré harñasièhasya bhäryä herasmi putra putré saheta çré mat çré 3dépaìkara tathägatebhya sarva saìgha piëòapätra udghoñita änena dänena sukhasampadam bhavatuù || çubha ||‘In NS 645 (1525CE), on the eight day of the bright fortnight of Çrävaëa, Thursday,Çré Harñasièha’s wife Herasmi, together with her sons and daughter, fromNhyäkhäcok vihära, offered this alms bowl to Dépaìkara Tathägata and the ex-tended Saìgha, wishing for happiness and prosperity from the merits of this gener-osity. ’

18Mentioned in Itihäsa Saèçodana ko, p. 287; Regmi, p. 48.

the central shrine. Siddhinarsièha is reigning at the time – the monthof Mägha, NS 757. A stone inscription of the same date describes alarge trust of Bhawas ( Jyäpus) which was organized to donate newfinials (gajuras) to the vihära. The reigning king is named asNarasièha. A second date is also inscribed: the month of Phälguëa,NS 762.

6. A new archway (toraëa) was donated to Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihärain the month of Jeñöha, NS 800, by a Vajräcärya. Çré Niväça andYoganarendra were joint rulers at that time.19

7. A group of Vajräcäryas donated new windows and an archway toHiraëyavarëa Mahävihära in the month of Märga, NS 822, duringthe reign of Yoganarendra.

8. The wooden frame inside the small central temple in HiraëyavarëaMahävihära was replaced and four Buddha images were donated bya group of bahäl members in Caitra 831 (1711 CE). Véra Mahindraruled at that date. 20 He is also mentioned as being king in a steledated Vaiçäkha, NS 831 (1711 CE).21

9. A bhikñu of Nakabahél sent an invitation to king Mahendrasièha(NS 837-843) to attend the special feast of Samyak at HiraëyavarëaMahävihära in the month of Mägha, NS 839.

19mahäräjädhiräjasya çré 3 jayaniväçamalla prabhu, putra çré 3 joganarendra mallaprabhu öhäkura ubhaya vijaye räjyes | See Regmi, p. 307.20Regmi, vol.IV, pp. 265–266.21ibid., 250-252.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE MONASTERY

HIRAËYAVARËA MAHÄVIHÄRA has a beauty all of its own. It is multi-storeyedand heavily decorated with gilt ornaments. At the center of the inner court-yard, a free-standing shrine is dedicated to Svayambhü caitya. In the pavedcourtyard, numerous bronze sculptures, oil lamps and prayer wheel rail-ings are displayed. A raised circumambulatory walkway gives access to themain shrine and to the connecting buildings, which now house sculptures,whose artistry and profundity are renowned both in Nepal and abroad.

Entrance Setting

Two black stone lions guard the monastery gate known as Bhairava Door,on which Bhairava’s eyes are painted. After entering the gate and walkingalong a short narrow path, we reach a second stone gateway, surmountedby a stone arch that displays tantric forms of the five transcendental Bud-dhas. Images of Näräyaëa and Çiva are installed on both sides of the door asguardians.

On the right side of the narrow path is the platform where a counter wasrecently set up to sell tickets to tourists. The revenue from ticket sales goestowards the performance of daily rituals and the upkeep of the monastery.

Inside the door is the reception office, where a paid staff member takescare of the daily upkeep and deals with the god-guardians’ problems andcomplaints. From here one enters the raised walkway that leads around themain courtyard of the temple. The doorway that opens into the main court-yard from the passageway is mounted by a large bronze toraëa similar tothe one over the main shrine.

From here one may descend into the courtyard and circumambulate thecentral shrine of Swayambhu chaitya. To do so, one must first remove anyleather shoes and don plastic slippers kept at the ticket counter. (See pic-tures 1, 2)

CHAPTER V

The Main shrine: Çäkyamuni Buddha

The main shrine where Lord Buddha Çäkyamuni is venerated is a three-storeyed structure, with all three of its roofs gilded. The pinnacle of themain temple is a row of 13 small stüpas, with three umbrellas topping thethree central stüpas. The first and second roofs are supported by numerousstruts (toëäl). These depict the multi-armed deities of the Dharmadhätumaëòala. Four gilded banners fly down from the roof pinnacle. The smallfaces at the ridges of the roofs are said to be those of the Mahäsiddhas of thiscontinent, Jambudvépa. Just below the ridge is a series of metal bells whichtingle in the breeze. The curved roof corners are mounted by miniaturebirds holding leaves in their beaks. Below are four metal plates embossedwith the four heavenly kings.

As is the case with most Newar monasteries, the main deity is ÇäkyamuniBuddha, located in the shrine opposite the entrance door. He wears a sereneexpression. Unlike Buddha images of the Theraväda tradition, this Buddhais richly adorned in the Mahäyäna style. He wears a diadem, ornaments,and necklaces; his crown is embedded with emeralds and a diamond knownas urëakoça is studded between his eyebrows. Like most Buddha imagesseen in Newar monasteries, he wears a yellow robe and makes the earth-touching gesture (bhümisparça mudrä). He also has an uñëéña on the crownof the head, and long-lobed ears. Golden in color, he bears the thirty-twomajor marks and eighty minor marks of a Sambhogakäya Buddha.22 He isalways seen with an alms bowl (piëòapätra) in his left hand, which rests onhis lap, and he is flanked by his chief disciples Çäriputra and Maudgalyäyana,who wear monastic dress.

In front of the Buddha, two bells used in daily worship are suspendedfrom the ceiling of the shrine. In front of him is an image of BuddhaVajradhara. In the view of some, this is the Hindu god Balabhadra; how-ever, the image is clearly the Buddhist deity Vajradhara, displaying thevajrahuèkära mudrä.

Above the doorway leading to the main deity’s shrine is a solid silvertoraëa (arch or tympanum). The central figure on the toraëa is BuddhaAkñobhya — identified with Buddha Çäkyamuni — displaying the earth-touching gesture. He is flanked by his chief disciples Çäriputra and

22One of the three käyas of the Buddha, the other two are Nirmäna Käya and Dharma-käya

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Maudgalyäyana, and backed by the remaining four of the five Buddhas. Onthe top of the toraëa is a figure of Buddha Vajrasattva. A second identicalsilver toraëa stands above the first.

At the base of the shrine, a platform standing 2 feet above the courtyardis considered to be even more sacred than courtyard itself. No one exceptthe currently officiating god-guardian, and his family and helpers, may setfoot on this platform; however, on certain ceremonial occasions, caretakercommittee members and officiating Vajräcärya priests may also step upon it.

On the shrine wall, a series of repoussé scenes depict the life of the LordBuddha according to Lalitavistara Sütra. The scenes on the left show themajor events, including: the Buddha being miraculously born from hismother’s side; his seeing the three signs — a dead man, a sick man and anold man — which motivate him to renounce his princely life; his shootingan arrow through seven trees; his leaving the palace on horseback; his cut-ting off his own hair; and his final triumph over Mära and attainment ofenlightenment. All these scenes are depicted on the leftmost section. In theright section, he is saluted by all the gods as he proceeds triumphantly on aholy serpent (näga) to Lumbini.23

Four-feet tall Lokeçvara statues, together with images of the Buddha’schief disciples, Çäriputra and Maudgalyäyana, may be seen on either side ofthe main entrance. Above the toraëa of the main shrine are seven seatedimages. These depict Prajïäpäramitä, the five transcendental Buddhas andSix-syllable Avalokiteçvara, which together signify the triple Gem in theMahäyäna Buddhist pantheon. Four large bronze oil lamps are suspendedfrom the roof by chains. On both sides of the entrance to the main shrine arelarge bronze lions of excellent workmanship, on the back of which standtwo Sièhanäda Lokeçvaras in the playful (lalita) posture. In addition, alarge bell dated 1608 CE hangs to the left of the main shrine gate, which isalso dated to the same year. (See pictures 3, 4, 5)

The courtyard shrine: Swayambhü Caitya

Legend suggests that the Swayambhü caitya shrine, standing at the centerof the courtyard, which enshrines the lineage deity of Kväbahä members

(including myself), predates the monastery. It is attended by ten elders(Daçapäramitä Äjus) of the Kväbahä Saìgha, who serve for a period of amonth at a time.

Once each year, in April/May, all members of the Kväbahä Saìghashould come to the shrine to perform lineage worship (digu püjä). Themonastery has the largest initiated membership of any Newar monasteryof the valley. Some of them now live in other parts of Nepal — such asDolakhä or Tänsen, in the west, or Bhojpur or Chainpur, in the east — andthey make a point of returning to Lalitpur for the ceremony.

This shrine, which exhibits some extraordinary metalwork, has a daz-zling appearance. The roof is entirely covered with gold. The pinnacleconsists of four serpent deities (nägas) with their curved tails raised to holda seven-tiered umbrella (chatra) over the bell-shaped dome. Four metalbanners hang down from the pinnacle, one over each side of the shrine. Thepillars of the shrine are decorated with small, fine statues: twelve forms ofAvalokiteçvara,24 as well as the five transcendental Buddhas in the cardinaldirections. There is also a rare image of Maïjudeva with his two consortsVaradä and Mokñadä.

Two donor images sculpted in bronze, which face the main shrine, wereinstalled by Räjendra Sièha and his wife in 1804 CE. The headdress of thedonors is in the Räjput style of the period. By contrast, two donors sculptedin stone on the other side, dated 1608 CE, are depicted in old Newar style.

Of all the bronze images in the courtyard, the largest and fiercest are thefour five-foot-tall celestial beasts (vyala) mounted at the four corners of theshrine. They have long pointed teeth, sharp curled claws, curved snouts andstand on their hind legs. (See pictures 5, 6)

Vajrasattva shrine

In the northwest corner of the courtyard is the shrine of Vajrasattva, who isregarded as the Ädibuddha by Nepalese Buddhists. Vajrasattva also has a‘father-mother’-type form; this form is not publicly exhibited, but may beshown only to those who are initiated into Highest Yoga Tantra.

23The names of the attendant gods, from left to right, are: Varuëa, Yamaräja, Näräyaëa,Brahmä, Maheçvara, and two Devalokas to the Buddha’s left; then the Buddha riding anäga, followed to the right by Indra bearing a parasol and five monastic disciples. SeeGail, Klöster in Nepal, fig.30.

24 The twelve statues of Lokeçvara are (south side): 1. Padmanåteçvara; 2. Hariharihari-vähana Lokeçvara; 3. Trailokyavaçaìkara Lokeçvara; 4. Rakta Lokeçvara; (east side:) 5.Nélakaëöha Lokeçvara; 6. Mäyäjälakrama Lokeçvara; 7. Käraëòavyüha Lokeçvara; 8.Ñaòakñaré Lokeçvara; (north side:) 9: Çrémat Lokeçvara; Halähala Lokeçvara; 11. Khañar-paëa Lokeçvara; 12 Sièhanäda Lokeçvara. For the inscriptions cf. Gail, Klöster, p.40.

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Vajrasattva is a very popular tutelary deity for Nepalese Vajräcäryas.All the Vajräcäryas of Kväbahä (presently numbering approximately 300)are obliged to attend the shrine, each for a period of two weeks. The shrinealso houses other important deities such as the Buddha Vairocana, Vasudharä,Maïjuçré, and Karuëämaya. Some forty years ago this shrine was closed tovisitors.

The principal doorway to the Vajrasattva shrine faces east, and there issecondary access to the shrine in the form of a small window, found on thesouth-facing wall. Visitors use this window for offering worship materials.In the upper part of the window is a toraëa depicting the eight-armed,three-headed Vajrasattva as the central deity, flanked by two bodhisattvas.At the top of the toraëa is a figure of Mahävairocana seated on a Garuòathrone, surrounded by four Bodhisattva figures, which include Maïjuçré.

The eastern door of the Vajrasattva shrine is ornamented by a beautifultoraëa depicting Vajrasattva with a painted panel of the Five Jina Buddhas(See 7, 8).

Tärä Shrine

On the south side of the courtyard is the Tärä shrine, established in 1958 CE.The shrine is mostly frequented by the devotional song group namedJïänamälä Bhajana Saìgha, presently having 80 members. The shrine housesother images including Maïjuçré. The members of the Jïänamälä groupmust each attend the shrine for a period of two weeks.

As Tärä represents the entire enlightened deeds of all Buddhas, she isknown as the ‘mother of the Buddhas of the three times’. A sütra recallshow Avalokiteçvara Bodhisattva saved and ferried over countless sufferingbeings from the sea of birth and death. One day, when Avalokiteçvarabeheld the misery of the world, he shed tears out of his great compassion.The tears turned into a lotus flower, from which appeared the white andgreen Täräs, who said to him: “Please don’t be sad. We shall assist you inliberating living beings. Although they are countless in number, the powerof our vow is also immeasurable.” Since that time, the two Täräs have beenliberating countless sentient beings every day.

There are 21 forms of Tärä, ‘the Saviouress’. In reality, they are all tran-sformed bodies (nirmänakäya) of Avalokiteçvara, the Bodhisattva of com-passion.

Green Tärä usually appears as beautiful young maiden. Her body isgreen. She has one face and two arms. She wears a crown ornamented withimages of the five Buddhas, as well as all the jewel-studded Bodhisattvaornaments, and many-colored celestial garments. She sits on a lotus thronein lalita attitude (ie. in the half-lotus posture). Her left hand shows the ges-ture of giving refuge vows, and her right hand shows the varada mudrä,indicating that she is quick to respond to the petitions of those who seek heraid.

Through the cultivation of Tärä’s sädhanä, all demonic and karmic ob-stacles may be eliminated, disasters avoided and one’s life lengthened. (9)

Nämasaìgéti Maïjuçré

In the northeast corner of the courtyard is the shrine of Nämasaìgéti foundedin 1985 by the fifteen-member Nämasaìgéti recitation group. To Näma-saìgéti’s left is Maitreya, to his right is Tärä.

Members must each attend the shrine for a period of one month. Theyare required to attend the morning ceremony at which they recite theNämasaìgéti text and other hymns in the pre-dawn hours. It is here that thegod-guardian spends the night.

Maïjuçré Nämasaìgéti is one of the important manifestations of Maïjuçré,the embodiment of the wisdom of all Buddhas. It is said that he was alreadyenlightened countless aeons ago; in Çäkyamuni’s time, he appeared as oneof the Buddha’s eight chief disciples. Since innumerable Buddhas through-out the ten directions have already been his disciple, he is called ÄdibuddhaMaïjuçré. The deity Nämasaìgéti is very popular in the Valley, and the text

which bears his name holds profound spiritual significance for many. (10)

Amitäbha Buddha and his two bodhisattva attendants

On the first floor of the adjoining southern hall is the shrine of Amitäbhaflanked by two bodhisattvas. Amitäbha means ‘immeasurable light’ in San-skrit. He resides in the western land of unlimited bliss, Sukhävaté. Twobodhisattvas, Avalokiteçvara and Mahästhämapräpta, assist him.

When he was still a Bodhisattva, he was called Bhikñu Dharmäkara. Hemade forty-eight vows to establish an adorned land of unlimited bliss toferry over those living beings who recite his name. Any sentient being who

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has faith, upholds vows and practices diligently will be received by thisBuddha and reborn in the pure land.

Amitäbha Buddha presides over the Bhadrakalpa, i.e. the FortunateAeon. He is always depicted making the Dhyäna mudrä, and can be recog-nized by the symbol of the lotus, the deity family to whom he belongs. Therecitation of the name of Amitäbha Buddha is a common practice in China,Korea, and Japan. In Tibet, too, devotees frequently recite prayers asking tobe reborn in the land of Amitäbha Buddha.

Recently, the Vihära Reform Committee commissioned a series of fres-coes to depict the Sukhävaté heaven, the Akñobhya heaven, the thirty-fiveConfession Buddhas, the Five protectress Deities, the Five Buddhas andthe Four Heavenly Kings. This shrine also houses a number of DépaìkaraBuddha images that are displayed during the Samyak Festival of Dépaìkara,held every five years.

The inscribed wooden toraëas above the two doors on the east and westends of the southern building depict the Jinas of the Dharmadhätu Maëòala.(See picture of the toraëas; Picture 11)

Amoghapäça Lokeshvara Shrine

The hall on the first floor of the north side of the building, known as theGompa, contains an excellent image of Amoghapäça Lokeçvara as well asa very large prayer wheel. Amoghapäça Lokeçvara has eight arms and isflanked by White Tärä and Green Tärä. Images of other Buddhist deities,such as the Thousand-armed Lokeçvara, Maitreya, Padmasambhava, theMedicine Buddha, and Tärä adorn the shrine.

The walls of the monastery building are decorated with frescoes of fig-ures from the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon, such as Guru Padmasambhava,the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, the Thousand-armed Lokeçvara, BuddhaAparimitä, the Medicine Buddha, the two Herukas, the Wheel of Life(bhavacakra), the Four Heavenly Kings, the Täräs and innumerableBodhisattvas and Gurus of the Tibetan tradition.

The gompa also stores a set of the Tibetan Tripiöaka — the Narthangedition of the Kanjur — and a copy of the Ser phyin, namely the Perfectionof Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.

This Amoghapäça shrine was built by the Saìgha lay patrons fromKväbahä who were known by the generic title of ‘Lhasa Newars’. At present,

the Saddharma Surakñä Saìgha, an organization which takes care of dailyrituals and ceremonial püjäs, has more than forty members (including theauthor), all from within the Kväbahä saìgha.

Learned Tibetan Buddhist masters often come here to give initiationsand teachings on the on the dharma. Indeed, for Newar lay people, this areaof Kvabahä is a center of Tibetan Buddhism. Here, lay devotees performthe fasting rite called Nyu ne, as well as the Añöamé vrata, Daçamé püjä andso forth. At present, there is no resident monk at the gompa; however,Newar monks ordained in the Tibetan tradition often come to the shrine togive the upoñadha vows, five precepts, and eight precepts to the laity.

Amoghapäça Lokeçvara is a multi-armed form of Avalokiteçvara thatseems to have been popular in Nepal since the Middle Ages. As his namesuggests, he is the ‘lord of the world with an infallible noose’, which is usedto lasso suffering sentient beings and lead them on the path to enlighten-ment. According to the Amoghapäça Hådaya Dhäraëé Sütra, ninety-oneaeons ago, Avalokiteçvara received the transmission of this Dhäraëé fromLokeçvararäja Tathagata. Ever since then he has used that dhäraëé to teachlimitless sentient beings. As Avalokiteçvara manifests his transformed body(nirmäëakäya) and uses this Dhäraëé to ferry over sentient beings, he istherefore addressed as Amoghapäça. Amoghapäça is popular not only inNepal but also in all countries where Mahäyäna Buddhism has spread.

The earliest known Nepalese image of Amoghapäça can be found in theÄrya Amoghapäça Sütra preserved in Keçar Library, Kathmandu. (12, 13)

Mahäkäla

After entering the second entrance door, the reception office lies to theright. Opposite, on the left, are images of Mahäkäla and the vase of Guhye-çvaré emerging from a lotus.

Mahäkäla is worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists, and can be seenat the entrance of most Buddhist monasteries of the Kathmandu Valley. Heis said to be a protector of the dharma. There are several forms of Mahäkäla:two-armed, four-armed, six-armed and sixteen-armed. The two-armed formof Mahäkäla sculpted in stone is widely found in the Newar Buddhist tradi-tion. Mahäkäla is said to be a manifestation of Bodhisattva Avalokiteçvara.25

25Shakya, 1994, p.69.

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Mahäkäla has remained the main protector of the dharma in most of Nepal’smonasteries. (14)

Guhyeçvaré shrine

The image of a vase (kalaça) lies next to the Mahäkäla statue. Here the vasesymbolizes the primordial source of the lotus from which the luminousform of Svayambhü first emerged, later taking root at the Guhyeçvaré shrinenear Pañupati. This is a proxy shrine of Guhyeçvaré, who is the personifica-tion of selflessness, Nairätmä Devé.

Prajïäpäramita Scripture

A widely renowned and venerated text, the Ärya AñöasähasrikäPrajïäpäramitä Sütra (Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines),written in gold Raïjanä script, has been preserved in the main shrine forgenerations. Noone is allowed to enter this shrine except the two priestswho are currently attending the deity, and small boys who have just beenordained as monks in their Barechuyegu ceremony. However, it is broughtout of the shrine almost daily by the two bäphäcä assistants of the god-guardian, to be recited by Buddhist Vajräcäryas, whose spritual conduct ismore strictly regulated. Since the text contains the profound wisdom teach-ings of Lord Buddha, the recitation of this sütra brings blessings to devo-tees who have commissioned the reading of the text, as well as to all sen-tient beings.

The manuscript dates back to NS 345 (1215 CE) and was copied byBhikñu Änanda of Kapitanagar during the reign of Abhaya Malla (1217–1255). It is illustrated with several miniature paintings of the birth ofSiddhärtha and so on. (15)

Four Metal statues

Situated at the four corners of the monastery courtyard are fourAvalokiteçvara statues. Wary of theft, the Monastery Reform Committeehas installed thick metal belts around their midriffs to secure them. Arthistorians believe three of the images are of Padmapäëi Lokeçvara: thestatue in the northeast corner dates to the 12th century; the statue in thenorthwest corner, to the 10th century; and the statue in the southwest cor-

ner, to the 14th century. In the southeast corner is a statue of Maïjuçré as achild, dating to the 14th century. (Pictures 16–18)

Dharmadhätu Maëòala

The copper repoussé maëòala is found in front of the Svayambhü Caitya onthe east side. It is surmounted by a vajra and covered by a metal canopy.The inscription at the base gives the date of consecration as NS 984 (1864CE). The deities are depicted on the horizontal embossed surface of themaëòala. Only the deities of the maëòala’s central pavilion are shown with

their various attributes. (19)

Four Monkeys in the courtyard

The presence of four monkeys in the courtyard of this monastery remindsus of the story of the monkey Jïänakara in a dense forest. Dépaìkara visitedthis forest of monkeys, bringing good fortune to its inhabitants. Hearing ofDépaìkara Buddha’s visit in their forest, the monkey collected what littlealms they could afford to give.

Here the Four monkeys are shown presenting gifts of Jackfruit to theBuddha Dépaìkara. (See Pictures).

Upon receiving the gift from Jïänakara, Dépaìkara gave him someinstruction in the dharma and promised him transformation into a man . Inthe Kapisävadäna, the monkey after offering jackfruit fell into a well anddied instantly and was reborn as a human being as Dharmaçré as a result ofmerit of their gift to the Buddha. The transformation from monkey Jïänakarato Dharmaçré is an interesting feature of the story. Within this story, themost important life event for Dharmaçré is his gift of dust to DépaìkaraBuddha. Seeing the Buddha approach, Dharmaçré reached down and pickedup a handful of dust to offer the Buddha. When the Buddha received thesmall offering of dust, it turned to gold because of the pure intention ofDharmaçré. Buddha Dépaìkara again predicted that for this good conduct,he would be reborn as Sarvänanda, the king of Dépavaté.

Throughout the bahä and bahé courtyards of Kathmandu valley, thegroup of monkeys offering alms to Dépaìkara Buddha appears as repre-sented in the corners of the courtyards of Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära. Theysymbolize the four alms giving to Dépaìkara:

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1. The gift of jackfruit2. The gift of dust3. The gift of alms giving of King Sarvänanda and the Guita Nakén4. The gift of païcadäna of King Sarvänanda

King Sarvänanda seems to be first king of Avadäna literature who in-troduced Païcadäna festival of Newar Buddhist tradition. From what isknown about the Dépaìkara story, the païcadäna festival is held on theanniversary of the king’s initial gift to Dépaìkara. Dépaìkara Buddha thusbecame the object of devotion to the localized mythology of Newar Bud-dhists of the Kathmandu valley

Yogämbara Shrine

The Tantric shrine of Yogämbara/Jïänaòäkiné is located on the first floorof the building on the eastern side of the courtyard. A toraëa adorns theentrance door of the Yogämbara shrine (see picture). The interior court-yard wall on the upper east level has eight strut figures of female deities,each holding a skullcup (kapäla) and flaying knife; these are probably thedeities of Yogämbara’s maëòala.

Only the Cakreçvara, the most senior Vajräcärya member of the mon-astery, is permitted to visit the shrine of Yogämbara, a highest yoga tantradeity. Certainly, no outsider or foreigner may enter. Most of the ceremo-nies related to initiation, such as tonsure (cüòäkarma), the coronation of atantric priest (äcärya abhiñeka), gatherings of yogins (gaëacakra), and thesinging of ‘performance songs’ (caryägéta) are carried out here. Only theten senior most elders (äjus), known as the Ten Perfections (Daçapäramitä),may serve in the shrine of Yogämbara/Jïänaòäkiné. The Ten Perfectionelders have special seating arrangements during tantric performances.Members of the Kväbahä Saìgha also gather here for their annual lineageworship ceremonies in April/May, where they hold ritual feasts. (Strutsand toraëa – 20)

Cakrasamvara Shrine

Passing out of the back entrance of Kväbahä, located in the southwest cor-ner, one enters the residential courtyard called Ilänani. Here is Kväbahä’s

other tantric shrine, dedicated to the tantric deity Cakrasamvara, whichwas constructed in 1692 CE.26

Twelve strut figures depict the ten wrathful deities of the directions,27

holding skullcups and flaying knives, as well as two of the female bird-faced guardian deities28 of the Cakrasamvara maëòala. This too is closed tooutsiders.

It is here that twenty elders hold regular meetings and conduct worshipsuch as amäipüjä, añöamévrata and so on. Once a year, in October/No-vember, the open space in front of this shrine is used for a feast calledSaìgha bhojana, in which all initiated members of the monastery (nowmore than 3000 in all) participate.

Cakrasamvara is a deity of Highest Yoga Tantra. He is the perhaps themost popular among Newar Buddhists; almost all the Çäkyas and theVajräcäryas of Patan and Kathmandu regard Cakrasamvara as their tute-lary deity. Vajräcäryas have inherited the age-old Cakrasamvara practice,a highly developed technique of contemplation to realize the Clear Lightand emptiness aspects of the mind. A special tantra called the Herukäbhi-dhäna tantra (also known as the Cakrasamvara mülatantra, or theLaghusamvara) is dedicated to this éñöadevatä.

On the ground floor is a small shrine dedicated to the deity Canda-mahäroñaëa, the eliminator of distress, obstacles and adverse circumstances.The shrine is surrounded by the three miniature images belonging to thegroup of Great Eight Mahäsiddhas. That is why visitors to this shrine aremore numerous by comparison with other shrines. One can often see devo-tees, confident that the worship of this powerful tantric deity will bringefficacious results, lining up at this shrine.

26Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, p.139.27They are: Yamäntaka, Vighnäntaka, Acala, Mahäbala, Prajïäntaka, Padmäntaka, Takki-räja, Néladaëòa, Uñëéñacakravartén, and Çumbharäja. For details see my Iconography ofNepalese Buddhism, pp. 54–59.28Ulukäçyä (1st strut) and Käkäçyä (12th strut).

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Around 1 PM, they came back to Kväbahä and rested in the Swayambhüshrine, waiting for the moment when all the paraphernalia and ornamentsof the main deity were handed over in the presence of members of theKväbahä Saìgha. At 3 PM, the new temple priests entered the main shrineand offered betel nuts and coins with rice grains at 37 different places withinthe main shrine, and offered lit lamps to the deities. The outgoing priestsinstructed the new priests about how to conduct the daily rituals. The out-going priests then left the shrine, carrying yellow sandalwood paste andflowers. Then the Betäju, the chief ritual officer, checked each item on theroster of articles. If there is a discrepancy, or some items cannot be located,then the god-guardian has to pay for the loss or replace them. The god-guardian is burdened by the fear of losing such articles during his tenure, aswell as by the lack of manpower and by the expenditure of the substantialsums of money involved in attending to the shrine for a whole month.

After all the items have been checked, the list is handed over to the newgod-guardian, and both outgoing and incoming god-guardians must offerrefreshments to the elders and their family members and to people whohave been invited to observe this ritual event.

Now the new bäphäcäs take up the position of temple priests insidemain shrine. It is they who actually perform the rituals, whereas the god-guardian oversees and coordinates, but rarely participates directly.

First Watch

At about 3 AM, the recital group comes to Kväbahä to chant the Nämasaìgéti.After they have recited for about twenty minutes, the senior bäphäcä, whohas slept the night on a mat near the Vajrasattva shrine, gets up and takes abath. He goes into the shrine of the Kväbahäju and bows to ÇäkyamuniBuddha. He sweeps the floor clean inside the shrine and lights the wicks ofits lamps. He removes the clothes of the Kväbahäju, takes a water pot lo-cated inside the shrine, and goes to fetch water from the well.

Having fetched the water, he puts down the pot of clean water at theshrine door, and goes out to wash his face. Then he takes it inside, bows tothe Buddha again, and rinses the Worship Plate (püjäbhaù), water pot, andsilver plate (babhu), placing them all in front of Vajradhara. He pours halfof the pure water into the flask (kalaça), and grinds yellow powder (mhäsusinhaù). As soon as he has finished this, he lights a ghee lamp.

RITUAL AT THE MAIN SHRINE

IN THE FOLLOWING I present an account of the daily routine I followedduring my month as the monastery’s god-guardian (devapälaka), a re-sponsibility which all members of Kväbahä must assume at least once intheir lives.

In other Vihäras, the role of god-guardianship passes in turn down theroster of members from the most senior to the most junior for a week, afortnight, or a month at a time. Depending on the number of members andlength of service, one’s turn may occur once a year, once every few years, orat even longer intervals. In the case of Kväbahä, whose membership is verylarge, one’s turn comes only once in a lifetime. (The Saìgha is restricted tomale Çäkyas and Vajräcäryas.) As I was ordained in 1956, my turn fellforty-three years later, in the month of May/June 1999.

At the outset, I appointed two young male assistants called bäphäcäsenior and junior, of 8 years and 22 years in age, respectively. Their rolewas to assist me in attending to the main shrine. I also appointed a younglady known as Nikulimha, who was to cook the food to be offered to theKväbahäju and to these two bäphäcäs. I registered my application in theevening, usually 8 or 9pm, in front of the Yogämbara Shrine, along withtraditional ritual offerings.

A Gurumaëòala rite was performed by the most senior Vajräcärya, calledthe Cakreçvara-Äju, whose responsibility is to attend to the YogämbaraShrine. Only he is permitted to see the main deity of the shrine. Afterperforming worship at the Yogämbara shrine, the Vajräcärya blessed andgave prasäda to the bäphäcäs, after which they were not allowed to eatanything until they became full-fledged temple priests. The next day, bothbäphäcäs went to bathe in the Bägmaté River, shaved their heads, and donnedthe white garments of a temple priest. It is a monastery rule that the twobäphäcäs must wear the same white garments for the whole month; they areforbidden to wash them, however dirty they might get.

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By this time the recitation of the Nämasaìgéti will have reached thehalfway point; the coordinator of the Nämasaìgéti recital groups asks thedevapälaka to wake up the junior bäphäcä, whereupon the younger priestgets up, hastily washes his face, enters the shrine and bows down to thedeities therein.

The senior priest then comes out to light the wicks along the balconyand again goes inside. Then, while the junior priest rings a bell, the seniorpriest pours water from the flask onto the silver plate, takes the small flaskwhich stands on it, and washes the faces of the main deity (Kväbahäju), andof Vajradhara.

After this, he makes offerings to the deities while the younger priestshows the Buddha his reflection in a mirror. Standing at the doorway, healso holds up the mirror to Svayambhü. The junior priest then sprinklespure water on Svayambhü and over the waiting devotees. Meanwhile, thejunior priest comes out with rice and a flask in his hand, and puts rice andwater in a circle on the maëòala on the balcony. Next, the two priests comeout to strike the wooden gong 108 times. Meanwhile, the devotees, who bynow are reciting the concluding verses of the Nämasaìgéti, watch the ritualwith rapt attention.

Usually, on receipt of small amounts of money from the devotees, theNämasaìgéti Recital group may also recite various dhäraëés: the AparimitäDhäraëé for long life, the Bhaiñajya Buddha Dhäraëé for patients, or theTärä Dhäraëé for the sake of overcoming obstacles. During my period ofguardianship, three foreigners were invited to witness this beautiful morn-ing ceremony, and each of them contributed towards the dhäraëé recitationand offered flowers to Çäkyamuni Buddha in the main shrine.

On completion of this ritual, the junior priest rings the bell, and therecital members come up onto the balcony below the shrine of Kväbahäju(or Kväbäju) and read the Buddhaè trailokyanäthaè. When this is over,the senior priest takes the yak-tail fly whisk, and the junior priest takes thesilver whisk with peacock feathers, and the two of them ring bells while therecitation of the Dänabalena is underway. Then, the two priests dot yellowpowder paste (mhäsu sinha) on their foreheads, and give yellow paste andflowers to devotees waiting in the courtyard outside. Other devotees con-tinue coming to the monastery for worship until about 8 or 9 am, or later onimportant days (such as full or new moon, saìkränti/sanhlu, or the eighthday of the month).

Second Watch

At this time, the lady who prepares the priests’ food arrives; she is known asNikulimha. She goes into the kitchen, removes the clothes she has arrivedin and puts on clean clothes. She fetches pure water, smears cowdung on thefloor inside, and makes the cooking area neat and clean. She then comes tothe door of the main shrine, and the senior priest passes her the worshipplate with a ghee lamp, wicks and a small water pot upon it. She takes theseback to the kitchen, lights the ghee lamp, and prepares the priests’ meal ofpure food (pälan).

At 9 AM, the junior priest goes off on his rounds, ringing his bell in theneighborhoods of Nhu Bahäù, Nyäkhächowk (my ancestral home), TäpaHiöi, Näg Bahä, Ilä Nani, and Saraçvaté Nani, returning via the main doorof Kväbahä. He stands at the door of the shrine, puts down the things he hasbeen carrying, and the senior priest sprinkles him with holy water (jala)and hangs up the paraphernalia. The junior priest then washes his face, goesinto the main shrine and bows to the deities. The two priests again beat thegong 108 times, and while the junior priest rings the bell, the Buddhamtrailokyanätham is read. Once again, they bow to the deities within.

After a short while, the junior priest takes the silver food carrier to thekitchen and places it outside the door. The cook washes it, puts food onthree worship plates, places them in the silver carrier, and puts it outside.The junior priest puts one plate before the Kväbäju, one before Vajradhara,and the other he scatters around for the mice. Then the junior bäphäcä goesto eat; after a little while, the senior bäphäcä does the same. Any food otherthan milk, rice green lentils, ghee, molasses, or ginger is forbidden.

After this, the priests may take a rest and if they are sleepy, lie down foran hour and a half, until noon.

Third watch

The priests must wash again, and may not touch anyone. At 3 PM, they enterthe shrine and bow to the gods. The junior bäphäcä puts on the shoulderrobe (cévara) and comes out wearing monastic sandals (kväpälakän). Thesenior bäphäcä takes the large wooden gong outside, and they beat it 108times. The junior bäpäcä goes inside and rings the bell while the Buddhamtrailokyanätham is recited outside. At 4 PM, the cook goes into the kitchen,changes into a set of pure clothes, and goes to fetch pure water. Then, she

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puts out beaten rice, molasses, cakes, fruit, and yoghurt for the priests. Shecalls them, and they come to eat.

Fourth watch

After eating, the priests may take a short rest, and at 5.30 PM they wash again.The senior bäphäcä goes with two water pots to the well to bring purewater. He puts down the pots outside the shrine and washes his face. Thenhe goes in and bows to the deities. The junior bäphäcä likewise washes hisface, sweeps the balcony, goes into the shrine, brings the flask outside, andpours water on the maëòala there. The elder priest takes out the woodengong and rests it on the junior bäphäcä’s shoulder. The junior bäphäcäagain beats the gong 108 times.

After a while, as before, the junior priest goes off ringing the bell. Mean-while the Nikulimha comes to offer wick lamps to the various deities, asspecified. By this time, the junior bäphäcä has returned from his tour. Hetakes off his shoulder robe and bell, and comes out of the shrine. The seniorbäphäcä stays inside for those who come to read in the evening.

At 7 PM, the junior bäphäcä washes his face and goes into the shrine. Thereaders come and take out the hymn book and the younger priest rings thebell while they read the Buddham trailokyanätham. When the reading isfinished, the priests stand at each side of Kväbäju, ringing bells and wavingtheir whisk, while the Dänabalena is read. When this is over, they light thedépa jvälä lamp, they wave it around while ringing the bell. Both thebäphäcäs then take the light, and so do those who have read. Then they readmore verses, while the younger priest rings the bell and elder priest wavesthe lamp (äraté).

When the reading is over, the äraté is put down, and the senior bäphäcätakes the Worship Plate, worships Kväbäju with the rice, applies yellowpaste to his forehead, and then also to Vajradhara and the other deitiesaround him. Then the junior bäphäcä takes a spot of yellow powder pastefor himself, and the senior bäphäcä does likewise. Then they give it to thereaders outside in the courtyard.

When everyone has placed a spot of paste on his or her forehead, thepaste bowl is passed back inside. The senior buphäcä then covers Kväbäjuwith a special cloth, while the junior bäphäcä comes out with the key. Thesenior baphacha puts the flask and silver plate in front of Vajradhara, and

then puts out rice for the mice. He puts three piles on the silver plate, andthree at the legs of the Flask’s tripod. Then he uncovers the pure water pot,bows to Kväbäju, and comes out. He locks the shrine door with an old key,and checks to make sure that the shutters and doors are closed up. By 9.30PM, their daily duties are over and they rest.

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29Adapted from Karuëäkar Vaidya, Buddhist Traditions, 1986.

alms. The Lord thereupon spoke on the relative merits of giving alms whichone has earned by the sweat of one’s brow, and which one can give withheartfelt devotion and true faith; whereas the alms which a wealthy mangives lacks hard-earned sincerity, and not only involves an display of power,but implies competition. When the Sarvänanda realized the true meaningbehind the practice of charity and beneficence, he gave up his royal plea-sures and went to work in a blacksmith’s shop, and managed to earn somemoney through hard labor. He once again invited Dépaìkara Buddha, andthis time presented him with an alms bowl which he had prepared with themoney gained through his own toil. This time, his generosity was a trulymeritorious act, which earned for him the title of Bodhisattva.

For Newar Buddhists, the annual païcadäna is the principal setting forthe giving of gifts to the monastic community. Païcadäna reaffirms theancient Buddhist tradition of alms-giving to the monastic community. It isthe responsibility of the lay community to maintain this tradition, even inthe unique socio-religious context of married householder monks.

On the morning of the festival, in important temples — such asHiraëyavarëa Mahävihära — priests in ceremonial garb assemble to re-ceive the Five Offerings (païcadäna): unhusked rice, polished rice, lentilseeds, wheat and salt.

c) Feasting the Saìgha:

This is an annual event, in which the main Buddha image of the monasteryis carried in procession through adjacent neighborhoods. Devotees singdevotional hymns dedicated to Lord Buddha to the accompaniment ofmusical instruments. After completing the procession, initiated membersof the Kväbahäl Saìgha gather for a feast in Ilänani, behind the Kväbahäshrine.

d) Dépaìkara Festival:

This festival is carried out once every twelve years or at even longer inter-vals, depending on the auspicious time calculated by astrologers for theevent. At this time, devotees make a twenty-hour pilgrimage on foot tosacred places in the Kathmandu Valley, worshipping Buddhas, Lokeçvaras,Täräs, and other deities.

FESTIVALS AT THE MONASTERY

SEVERAL RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS carried out within the monastery. Among them,the following are most popular:

a) Samyak/Dépaìkara Festival of Patan:

The monastery management committee organizes the Dépaìkara/Samyakfestival once every four years, a colorful ritual in which large bronze Bud-dha images — among them, one of Dépaìkara Buddha — are honored andworshipped. The festival has remarkable historical origins; see the Appen-dix for details.

b) Païcadäna:

Païcadäna is an annual festival, taking place during the first few days of themonth of Gunlä (corresponding to July/August of the western calendar).During this Buddhist holy month, Newars visit Buddhist monasteries, thebahäs and bahés. On the occasion of païcadäna, Çäkyas and Vajräcäryasare honored as Buddhist monks, and they receive alms called païcadänafrom devotees. In Patan, this ceremony falls on the eighth day of the brighthalf of the month of Bhädra.

The earliest reference to this festival can be found in a classical story,the Sarvänanda Nåpa Avadäna. The story runs thus:29

Sarvänanda, king of Dépavaté city, once invited the Buddha Dépaìkarato his city, where he ceremonially received him and presented him with analms bowl. Before Lord Dépaìkara reached his palace, however, he firstapproached an old virginal lady, Lakñmé Thakun, and received handful ofrice grains from her as alms. When Dépaìkara Buddha entered the royalreception hall, the king asked the Lord to tell him why he had taken these

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e) Exhibition of the Gods (Bahédyo Boyegu):

The festival of Bahédyo Boyegu is an annual event, taking place during themonth of Gunlä (corresponding to August/September of the current year).This ceremony is one of the most beautiful events in the religious life ofNewar Buddhists. All the monasteries are swept and tidied, and the oldimages and statues of the different deities are washed, cleaned, and put onshow for the purpose of exhibiting the monastery’s holdings to visitors.

For students of Buddhist iconography, this event is practically an openlaboratory, providing the challenge of identifying images from the richNewar Buddhist pantheon. The materials displayed include Buddhist sculp-tures, bronze images, old Buddhas (some wooden), thangkas, paintings(paubhä), narrative scrolls, illuminated Buddhist manuscripts and so forth.Also displayed are gifts from the faithful, including the clothes they intendto wear in heaven. These are mounted on the walls of the monastery, andare good specimens of a little-known art form. The best in Patan are foundat Guita, in the eastern quarter. In Kathmandu, two stories are presented –at Itum Bahäl, the Guru Mäpä tale, and at Thabahil in Thamel, the saga ofChakandyo. In Kathmandu, Kathesimbhu (Çrégha) and the Bahäls on theKumäré’s Matayä route are the most interesting. In Patan, Kväbahä’s col-lection is among the easiest to view, but many bahäls hold exhibitions, andit can be quite a walk to seek them out. Visitors throng to monasteries forthe Exhibition of the Gods particularly on three days of note: full moonday, the second day, and the third day, Matayä.

f) Gunlä dharma:

This festival lasts for a full month. It lies between the bright half of Çrävaëaand the dark half of Bhädra. It is known as the “Buddhist Holy Month”.Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Swayambhü and Ädinäth are the focal pointsof worship during this grand occasion. Public festivities, including classi-cal band music and hymn-singing, take place early in the morning through-out the entire month. The display of divine images, particularly effigies ofDépaìkara Buddha, takes place in all the monasteries of the Valley. Gunläis indeed the sacred month of Newar Buddhists, a time of special prayerand devotional exercises. The month includes events like Païcadäna (thepresentation of Five Offerings), Bahidyo Boyegu (Exhibition of the Gods),and Matayä. Separate festivals are held throughout the month as well.

It is a month of light work in the fields; yet many of the püjäs requireextremely long walks. The Great Stüpa of Swayambhü, which is illumi-nated for every night of the month, is the main center of daily worship forKathmandu Newars. Patan Buddhists, meanwhile, journey to Chobhär andits Ädinäth Lokeçvara Temple. Devotees begin walking from the city around2–3:00 A.M. , many leaving small oil lamps on the trails and roads to eitherhill. Women at home fashion votive images from rice flour as well as allu-vial black clay each morning, accumulating them throughout the month.

In the first week, the main destination is Namo Buddha, near Dhulikhel;in the second week, it is Säìkhu’s Khaògayoginé Temple (many also detourto Champak Näräyaëa Temple on their return); in the third week, the walkto Swayambhü, done in the light of the full moon (though some ride busesto and fro). Other hikes are held on Wednesdays.

On the 8th day of the bright fortnight, Patan Buddhists convenepaïcadäna, reliving the days when monks lived solely off the alms of thepeople.

From the 12th day of the bright fortnight, the Exhibition of the Godsbegins, and Buddhist monasteries in Patan, Bhaktapur and centralKathmandu display their various religious treasures. The exhibition runsthrough the second day of the dark fortnight.

On the 13th day of the dark fortnight, Kathmandu Buddhists stage theirown païcadäna, decorating bahäls with Buddha portraits and adorningstupas. Sometimes, the ceremonials are very elaborately staged, and eveninclude palanquin (khat) processions to and from Swayambhü.

On the last morning of Gunlä, Newar women gather up all their home-made votive images and ritually immerse them in a sacred river. The fol-lowing day, groups of devotees come to Swayambhü Hill for an all-daypicnic.

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et Matériaux. Mémoires de l’Académie de Belgique, pp. 177-232.

Locke, John K.

1985 Buddhist Monasteries of Nepal. Sahayogi Press Pvt. Ltd,Kathmandu, Nepal.

1989 ‘The Unique Features of Newar Buddhism’. In T. Skorupski (ed.),The Buddhist Heritage vol. I. The Institute of Buddhist Studies,Tring, UK, pp. 71-116.

Regmi, D. R.

1965 Medieval Nepal. Mukhopadyaya, Calcutta.

Shakya, Min Bahadur

1984 A short history of Buddhism in Nepal, Young Buddhist Publication,Patan.

1986 Introduction to Buddhist monasteries of Kathmandu Valley.YMBA Publication, Lalitpur, Nepal.

1994 Iconography of Nepalese Buddhism, Kathmandu, Nepal Handi-craft Association of Nepal.

1997 Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti Devi, Book Faith India, New Delhi.

Slusser, Mary Shepard

1982 Nepal Mandala: A cultural study of the Kathmandu Valley. Prince-ton University Press (reprint: Mandala Book Point, Kathmandu, 1998).

Snellgrove, David L.

1987 Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. Shambhala Publications, Boston.

40 41

Selected Biliography

Vaidya, Karuëäkar

1986 Buddhist Traditions and Culture of the Kathmandu Valley. SäjhäPrakäçana, Kathmandu.

Vajracharya, Ratnaraj

1993 Kväbahäyä Vaèçävalé (in Newari). Mangalaratna Shakya, Patan.

42 43

Selected Biliography

APPENDIX

THE SAMYAK FESTIVAL OF PATAN

Introduction

Of all the Buddhist festivals of the Kathmandu Valley, the Samyak orDépaìkara festival seems to be unique in many ways. A special highlight ofthis festival is the display of many large images of Dépaìkara in the court-yard of Nägbahäl.

The word ‘Samyak’ implies the oneness of all sentient beings. In Bud-dhist literature, we find three forms of enlightenment, namely çrävaka-bodhi, pratyeka-bodhi and samyak-sambodhi. In this context, Samyakstands for ‘Perfect’ and Sambodhi for ‘Enlightenment’. The Samyak festi-val thus denotes those practices which lead to Perfect Enlightenment,namely, the path of the Bodhisattvas that will bring samyak-sambodhi.

The essence of this festival is the practice of Giving, or dänapäramitä –specifically, to monks (Çäkyas and Vajräcäryas in the Newar Buddhist tra-dition) and to Buddhas, especially to Dépaìkara Buddha, who predictedLord Çäkyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment in a previous lifetime. At thistime, Newar Buddhists also honor and venerate the BodhisattvasAvalokiteçvara, Ärya Tärä, and so on. Çäkyas and Vajräcäryas are said tobe householder bodhisattva monks. It is on this occasion that they receivealms and däna from lay upäsakas and upäsikas. Often, those who givedäna or make offerings are referred to simply as bhaktajana, or devotees.

Çäkyamuni’s past-life meeting with Dépaìkara Buddha

Once there lived a certain learned man who was well-versed in Brahmanicallore, who had 500 young Brahmins as pupils. One of these pupils wasMegha, a young Brahmin who was learned, wise, judicious, and of keenintelligence.

Before long, he had learned all the Brahmanical mantras by heart. Aftercompleting his study of the Vedas, he left the Himalayas and went down

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Appendix The Samyak Festival of Patan

into the country below, in order to seek the fee due to his teacher. With hisstaff, water-pot, hat, sandals, and mantle, he entered many villages, cities,and towns, and each of these places became free of affliction and calamitythrough Megha’s spiritual power. Along the way, he begged for money,and someone gave him 500 coins. He then decided to go to the royal cityDépavaté, in order to see the city of a universal monarch, made of the sevenprecious things, and delightful to behold. When he entered the city, he sawthat it was in festive array. He wondered to himself, “What holiday do wehave here today, or what dramatic performance, or what festival? Perhapsking Arcimat has heard that the young Brahmin Megha, on completing hisstudy of the Vedas, has come down from the Himalayas and is on his way tothe royal city of Dépavaté; hence this splendid decoration of the city!” Andas he went on, he looked for someone he could question.

Just then, a young Brahmin girl came along — attractive, good-looking,reliable, gentle, and modest. She held a water jug and seven lotus flowers inher hands. Megha asked her, “Is there a festival in the city today?”

She replied with these verses:

You cannot, young man, be from around these parts;a stranger from another city you must be.You do not know that coming to this town isthe Benefactor of the World, the Bringer of the Light!Dépaìkara, the leader of the world, the sonof king Arcimat, He, a greatly famous Buddha,is drawing near. To honor him, this cityis decked in gay and festive garb.

Megha asked her: “How much did you pay or those seven lotus flowers?”She replied: “Five of them I bought for 5000 coins; two were given to meby a friend.” Megha said to her: “I will give you 500 coins, and in returnyou give me those five lotuses, and with them I shall worship Dépaìkara,the Lord. You can honour him with the remaining two.”

She replied: “You can have those five lotuses, but only on condition thatfor all future time, you take me as your wife. Wherever you may be reborn,there I shall be your wife, and you my husband.” Megha replied: “My heartis set on supreme enlightenment. How can I think of marriage?” She an-swered: “No need to desist from your quest! I shall not hinder you!”

So Megha consented, and said: “In exchange for those lotuses, I takeyou for my wife. I will be able to worship Dépaìkara, the Lord, and con-tinue to strive for supreme enlightenment.” He gave her the 500 coins, andtook the five lotus flowers. When he had heard the maiden speak of theBuddha, he was rapturous with joy.

Meanwhile, the Lord had set out for Dépävaté, accompanied by 80,000monks, and by king Arcimat with 80,000 of his vassals and an entourage ofmany thousands. Megha saw Dépaìkara, the Lord, coming from afar. TheLord’s body had the thirty-two marks of a superior man, as well as theeighty secondary marks. He was endowed with the eighteen special dharmasof a Buddha, mighty with the Ten Powers of a Tathägata, and in possessionof the four Grounds of self-confidence. He was like a great Näga, and haddone all he had to do. His senses were turned inwards, and his mind did notturn to outer things. He had won the stable assurance of Dharma, his senseswere calmed, his mind was calm, and he had reached perfect self-controland tranquility, like a well-guarded Näga who has conquered his senses —transparent as a pool, clear and unperturbed. He was beautiful and good tolook at. No one ever got tired of seeing him, and there was nothing ungra-cious about him. The light which shone from his body extended as far as aleague.

When he had seen the Buddha, Megha identified himself to him, andsaid to himself: “I also will be a Buddha in the world.” He then recitedthese verses:

Long is the time before this vision could arise.Long is the time before Tathägatas appear.Long is the time until my vow shall be fulfilled:Yet a Buddha I’ll become, no doubt about it!

Thereupon Megha, feeling the thrill in his whole body, his mind filled withsublime joy and exaltation, threw those five lotus flowers to Dépaìkara, theLord. The flowers remained suspended in midair, and formed a circle roundthe Lord’s radiant head. The young Brahmin girl also threw her two lo-tuses. They also stood suspended in the air, and so did those thrown byother people. This was one of the miracles by which Buddhas impress people,so that they may be receptive to the truth. The Buddha sustained this canopyof flowers, which stood above him in the air, so as to edify those beings who

Appendix The Samyak Festival of Patan

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Appendix The Samyak Festival of Patan Appendix The Samyak Festival of Patan

saw it, and to bring joy and happiness to Megha, the young Brahmin. Andthis canopy was lovely and fair to behold, with four pillars and entrances,garlanded with strips of colored cloth.

When Megha saw these lotus flowers suspended about the Lord’s radi-ant halo, and how lovely and pleasing they were, his body was flooded withgreat joy and gladness, and a sublime decision arose in his mind. He put hiswater-pot to one side, spread out his deer-skin cloak, and threw himselfdown at the feet of Dépaìkara, the Lord, wiping the soles of his feet with hishair, and aroused within himself the following thought: “Ah! May I too atsome future period become a Tathägata, with all the attributes of a perfectBuddha, just as this Lord Dépaìkara is just now! May I too turn the wheelof the highest Dharma, as this Lord Dépaìkara does just now! Havingcrossed over, may I lead others across; having been freed, may I free others;having been comforted, may I comfort others — as does this LordDépaìkara! May I become like him, for the weal and happiness of the many,out of compassion for the world, for the sake of a great multitude of livingbeings, for their weal and happiness, irrespective of whether they be godsor men!”

Dépaìkara, the Lord, with a Buddha’s supreme knowledge, knew howready Megha, the young Brahmin, was to turn towards enlightenment. Heknew that his past store of merit, as well as his recent vow, were withoutfault or defect, without blemish or scar. So he now predicted his futureenlightenment, in these words: “You shall be, young Brahmin, in a futureage, after immeasurable and incalculable aeons, in Kapilavastu, the city ofthe Çäkyas, a Tathägata by the name of Çäkyamuni; an arhat, a fully enlight-ened Buddha, perfect in knowledge and conduct, well-gone, a World-knower, unsurpassed, a leader of men to be tamed, a teacher of gods andmen. Like me, you will have a body adorned with the thirty-two marks andthe eighty secondary marks. You will have the eighteen special dharmas ofa Buddha, be mighty with the Ten Powers of a Tathägata, and confidentwith his four grounds of self-confidence! Having crossed over, you willlead others across; having been freed, you will free others; having beencomforted, you will comfort others; having won final Nirväëa, you willhelp others to win it — as I do now! You will turn the wheel of the highestDharma, preside over a harmoniously united body of disciples, and bothgods and men will listen to you and believe. What I am now, that you willbecome one day — for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the

world, for the sake of a great multitude of living beings, for their weal andhappiness, be they gods or men!”

Origin legends of the Dépaìkara Festival of Patan

In about the 14th century, during the medieval period, descendants of kingBhäñkaradeva Varmä (1045–48 CE), who founded the Golden Temple orHiraëyavarëa Mahävihära, established a religious trust in which the spon-sors would honor ten elders as the embodiments of the Bodhisattvas whohad actualized the ten perfections. One of those descendants married a ladyfrom Bhaktapur belonging to the Öhaküré dynasty. While the donor wasparticipating in this trust, he invited his son’s father-in-law and feasted himwith due honor and respect.

During the ceremony, the in-laws carefully observed all the rituals andperformances except for one special, secret ceremony, in which their par-ticipation was not required. However, since the father-in-law was not privyto that secret ritual, he was offended.

Once, when the son was invited to Bhaktapur for dinner with his in-laws, he was asked about this secret ritual. Subsequently, the son invited hisfather-in-law to the secret ritual in which the Ten Elders were offered milkrice. The father-in-law, with evil intent, secretly poisoned the milk rice andoffered it to the Ten Elders. The Ten Elders, knowing the malice of the guestfrom Bhaktapur, chanted the dhäraëé called ‘Purification of poison’, andate all the food as if though were fit to eat. As a result of their Dhäraëé re-citation, they were unaffected, but in return the man from Bhaktapur expe-rienced deadly suffering as though poisoned, even though he did not ingestthe poison.

After consulting with astrologers, it was reported that this was a karmicconsequence which afflicted the one who poisoned the food, and it could beannulled only when he confessed his sin to the Ten Elders. The poisonerconfessed accordingly, and then the Ten Elders instructed those donors andsponsors who were present: “O devotees! Evil is growing in this world;your father-in-law, without any offence caused by our side, committed agreat crime out of spite, and hence has to undergo this suffering as a resultof his actions.” They then sprinkled some holy water on the sinner andcured him in an instant, with the power of the Ten Elders’ bodhisattvamotivation.

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Appendix The Samyak Festival of Patan Appendix The Samyak Festival of Patan

Confessing his grievous fault, the sinner asked for their forgiveness, andpledged that he would not cause suffering to anybody in the future. Hepraised the awsome power of the great compassion of the Ten Elders.

Then the Ten Elders said, “O Man of Nhola Vihära of the Öhaküré Dy-nasty! From now on, we will not be able to repeatedly return to this world;instead, we will appear in the form of these Ten Elders (the DaçapäramitäÄjus). Please venerate and respect these elders as though they were them-selves the bodhisattvas of the Ten Perfections. You will in turn receiveequal benefits and merit, and finally achieve ultimate happiness.” Speak-ing thus, they disappeared.

Because of this extraordinary event in the past, the Ten Elders are ven-erated till today as the Bodhisattvas of the Ten Perfections. Newar Bud-dhists traditionally invite them as honored guests at their rites and weddingceremonies in order to receive their blessings.

Several years after this event, a man called Bhälibhärada, of the ÖhaküréDynasty, fell into severe poverty and had to do the menial job of collectingcowdung. He began to deposit the cowdung he gathered in his storeroom.Because of his poverty, he could not bear to tell his wife that he was storingcowdung rather than treasure in the storeroom. He was worried that shewould see the cowdung, so he hid the key. Once he forgot to hide the keyand his wife found it lying on the ground. Out of curiosity, she opened thestoreroom and found that all the cowdung had turned to gold. As he cameback from the river, he was told that gold had been discovered in his store-room. His wife told him that she never expected her husband had hiddensuch a vast amount of gold in his treasury. She asked why he suffered somuch in spite of his tremendous wealth.

With great joy he told his wife, “O my beloved wife! With the blessingsof the Triple Jewels, we received a vast amount of wealth. We have sufferedbecause of our past non-virtuous deeds, but similarly, we received this vastwealth due to our past acts of generosity. Therefore, we should now estab-lish a trust to further the cause of dharma, which brings benefits both forthis life and the lives to come. What kind of dharma should we follow? Letus decide.”

Then his wife proposed that they follow Viñëu, and suggested that hespend their wealth on worshipping the god. On the other hand, her husbandpreferred to follow the religion of Buddha, because it was handed down inhis family for generations. But his wife was firm in her decision. He thought

it not proper to press the point, for this might sow discord in their conjugallife.

Therefore he devised a plan to solve the problem. He proposed to testthe power of both religions, namely, Vaiñëavism and Buddhism. They des-ignated a seed of camphor for Buddhism and a Tulasé flower for Vaiñëavism.They accepted that whichever plant sprouted first, they both would followthe corresponding religion. So they planted the seeds and waited. Aftersome time, the couple saw the camphor sprouting first, and so they decidedto adopt the way of the Buddha.

From that time on, they established a trust called the Samyak güöhé. Thetrust committee is obliged to regularly invite the presence of all the imagesof Dépaìkara belonging to the various vihäras of Patan, along with all theimages of Ärya Tärä and the entire Buddhist Saìgha consisting of Cailakas,Çrämaëeras, Brahmacarya bhikñus, Çäkya bhikñus, Vajräcäryas and so on.

The date assigned for this event is Phälguëa Çukla Tåtéyä, ie. the 3rd dayof the waxing fortnight of the month of Phälguëa. On the eve of this date,the committee elders are to hold a respectful reception for all the inviteddeities and offer them lamps. The following day, one should make fullofferings (Samyakdäna) to all the invited Buddha images, Bodhisattvas andTäräs. Since the event required a lot of resources and manpower to con-vene, Bhälibhärad donated a substantial estate and funds towards its suste-nance.

According to a chronicle, the committee could not continue its activi-ties every year because of certain unavoidable circumstances. However,the Buddhist Saìgha of Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära managed to hold thisevent every fourth year. The tradition continues today, thanks to the orga-nizers of the Samyak Festival who managed to sustain it over the centuries.

Historical Background

The earliest documentary evidence of the existence of Dépaìkara images isfound in a palm-leaf document dated 565 NS (1345 CE) in the collection ofPaëòita Hemraj Shakya. It mentions that a donor, Jaya Räja Bhäro, gildeda Dépaìkara Buddha image with gold lent from the Brahmacarya bhikñuÇré Akhayaçré Thapäju, of Çrépulacho Mahävihära.

Further evidence of this festival is found in another palm-leaf documentfrom Dépaìkara Vihära, dated NS 596 (1476 CE), which records that the

30Slusser, Nepal Mandala, p.293.

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Çäkyabhikñus of Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära had sent an invitation to theTen Elders of Dépaìkara Vihära in Bhaktapur to attend a Samyak feast.

Another palm-leaf document dated NS 599 (1479 CE) from PaëòitaHemraj Shakya’s collection is an invitation letter in which the Samyakfestival organizer invites the bhikñus of Yampi Mahävihära for a Samyakfeast to be held in Taùbahäl.

Among the several known alms-bowl inscriptions, the most ancient isdated NS 645 (1525 CE). It says that on the eight day of the waxing half ofÇrävaëa, ie. Çrävaëa Sukla Astami on a Thursday, Çré Harñasièha’s wifeHerasmi, together with their sons and daughter, who hailed fromNyäkhächowk Vihära, offered this alms bowl to the Dépaìkara Tathägatasand the Sarva Saìgha, and wished for happiness and prosperity from themerits of this generosity.

In an another document, a bhikñu of Nakabahél sent an invitation toKing Mahendra Sièha (NS 837–843) to attend a special feast — Samyak —at Hiraëyavarëa Mahävihära in the month of Mägha, NS 839 (1719 CE).Apart from these documents, no any other evidence has come to light tosubstantiate the early history of this august festival.

It is now thought that faith in Dépaìkara among the Newar communityderived from the Buddhist traditions of the Kuçäna kingdom. Mary Slusser’sdiscussion of Dépaìkara Buddha in Nepal was the first to postulate a con-nection to the Gändhäran region:

The cult of Dépaìkara Buddha achieved little popularity in India,

except in Gändhära, whence it spread to Central Asia and China.

Given the relatively late date of its prominence in Nepal, the Dépaìkara

cult very likely came from this direction. Since Dépaìkara Buddha is

considered, among other things, to be a protector of merchants, one

can suppose he came into fashion in the period of the Three King-

doms as the patron of Newar Traders who then so diligently plied

the Tibet trade.30

With the discovery of a Kuçäna sculpture from the reign of Jayavarman,dated 185 CE, found at Händigaon and Mäligaon, scholars are of the opin-ion that images of Dépaìkara have their origin in the cultural exchangesbetween the Kuçäna dynasty and the Kathmandu Valley.

One of the earliest Nepalese images of a standing Buddha displayingthe ‘prediction of enlightenment’ gesture was published by Mary Slusser.31

However, the inscription on the base identifies it as Çäkyamuni, the gift ofa Çäkya nun of Yaègal Vihära, Patan, made in 591 CE. Since images ofÇäkyamuni Buddha and Dépaìkara Buddha are both known to display thisprediction of enlightenment gesture, identification is problematic and dif-ficult.

The earliest image that can definitely be identified as Dépaìkara Bud-dha dates to the 13th century, and is located at Guita Bahé, Patan.32

List of Deities Displayed in the Dépaìkara Festival

1. A Svayambhü Caitya2. Vajrasattva image3. Vajrasattva’s crown4. Bhego Äju5. Kväbahä Äju6. Vasudharä7. Jaöädhäré Lokeçvara Karuëämaya8. Buìgama Lokeçvara9. Chasan deo10. Embodiment of Lagankhel Stüpa12. Ärya Tärä from Tangabahä13. Dépaìkara from Tangabahä14. Dépaìkara from Kobahäl15. Dépaìkara from Dhumbahä16. Ärya Tärä from Dhumbahä17. Dépaìkara from Chukabahä18. Dépaìkara from Kulimbahä19. Dépaìkara and Bhalibhäro from Kväbahä20. Bahapa Deva21. Dépaìkara from Wambahä22. Dépaìkara from Daubahä23. Dépaìkara from Taùbahä24. Dépaìkara from Bubahä

31Slusser, p.448.32Regmi, Vol. I.

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25. Dépaìkara from Habahä26. Dépaìkara from Jyobahä27. Dépaìkara from Gujibahä28. Buìgama Lokeçvara from Gujibahä29. Dépaìkara from Bhinchebahä30. Dépaìkara from Ukubahä31. Dépaìkara from Subahä32. Tärä from Subahä32. Dépaìkara from Yacchubahä33. Tärä from Yacchubahä34. Dépaìkara from Kirtipur35. Tärä from Kirtipur36. Dépaìkara from Jatibahä37. Tärä from Jatibahä38. Adinath Lokeshvara39. Dépaìkara from Kirtipur40. Tärä from Kirtipur41. Tärä from Jadebahä42. Tärä from Kirtipur43. Tärä from Kirtipur44. Tärä from Okubahä45. Tärä from Okubahä46. Tärä from Bhinchebahä47. Tärä from Gujibahä48. Tärä from Guhibahä49. Tärä from Jyobahä50. Tärä from Jyobahä51. Tärä from Habahä52. Tärä from Habahä53. Tärä from Bubahä54. Tärä from Bubahä55. Tärä from Tabahä56. Dépaìkara from Tabahä57. Tärä from Tabahä58. Tärä from Daubahä59. Tärä from Wombahä60. Deva from Micchubahä

61. Ja Jayemä Dépaìkara62. Dépaìkara from Yatbahä63. Dépaìkara from Därikabahä64. Dépaìkara from Ikhächen bahä65. Tärä from Chukabahä66. Dépaìkara from Chukabahä67. Tärä from Chukabahä68. Dépaìkara from Änandabahä69. Tärä from Mikhäbahä70. Dépaìkara from Akibahä71. Dépaìkara from Athabahä72. Dépaìkara from Mubahä73. Chilandeva74. Tärä from Thyäkä75. Tärä from Nyäkhächowk76. Maitridhvaja kamala Äju and Tärä77. Hilän Äju and Tärä from Täjäpha78. Dépaìkara from Wonbahä: Kun Äju79. Dépaìkara from Hauga80. Tärä from Hauga81. Dépaìkara from Chäpägaon82. Tärä from Chäpägaon83. Dépaìkara from Bubahä84. Tärä from Bubahä85. Dépaìkara from Sibahä86. Dépaìkara from Sibahä-Kachäbahä87. Tärä from Sibahä-Kachäbahä88. Dépaìkara from Sibahä89. Dépaìkara : Bhäyo Äju90. Tärä91. Dépaìkara from Mubahä92. Tärä from Mubahä93. Tärä from Chibahächuka94. Bhikñu Äju95. Dépaìkara from Ibahi-Thäsandya96. Dépaìkara from Bhinchebahä97. Tärä from Bhinchebahä

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98. Dépaìkara from Subahä99. Tärä from Subahä100. Dépaìkara from Thakunbahä101.Tärä from Thakunbahä102.Dépaìkara from Iläbahé103.Tärä from Iläbahé104.Dépaìkara from Dhunbahä105.Tärä from Dhunbahä106.Dépaìkara from Tabahä107.Yatabahä Kämi Äju108.Dharmaçéla Äju109.Bhanasi Äju110.Dépaìkara Munidhan (Dhäkhwä)111.Tärä (Dhäkhwä)112.Dinapani Äju113.Dharmadhvaja Äju and Tärä114.Dhusa Tärä115.Gajendravajra Tärä116.Dänamuni Dhäkhwä Tärä117.Bägnarsièha Tärä Iku118.Säkhati Jayemä119.Jog Äju Habahä120.Dépaìkara from Kväbahä Näpit121.Dépaìkara from Chikanbahé -Dhanad