Midterm Flashcards

Question

Yakṣiṇīs | 2. Role/function

Answer 1

Beautiful and irresistible to mortal men Supernatural beings that are given offerings nature/ tree spirits Can manifest as demonic or divine

Answer 2

Often minimally clothed/ nude | Often shown intertwined with a tree

Answer 3

Mayadevi and Birth of Buddha (?) The Flower Ornament Scripture (Sutejomandalaratisri) Possible theories to creation Locals of Lumbini worshipped image of Mayadevi in their own fashion, creating two forms of worship Lumbini site was already its own a goddess shrine which inherited Mayadevi

Answer 4

Foresaw that a Buddha would be born there, transformed it into a fitting environment for the birth Told Sudhana how to be born into the lineage of Buddhas in the Flower Ornament Scripture

Answer 5

Assume it is similar to Mayadevi (?)

Answer 6

``` None associated (?) Appears in Pali Literature, but no primary roles ```

Answer 7

Goddess of watery realm, agriculture goddess Associated with wealth, luck, and good fortune Laksmi as Watcher of the Portal Wards off outside influence from the temple Liquid born like a lotus (she is the daughter of the king of the ocean of milk) Goddess of wealth, abundance, good fortune

Answer 8

2 - 4 arms typically holding lotus flowers Largely associated with flowering lotuses Holding lotuses, surrounded by lotuses, standing atop a lotus Purna-ghata/Pot of Plenty vase/womblike vessel with lotuses blooming out of it Elephants

Answer 9

Transforms from a devourer of infants into a bestower and protector of children and benefactor of humans. Known in her early life as Abhirati, “Joyful Girl”- she was the daughter of Sata, the patron yaksa of Rajagrh. Had made a vow in a former life to prey on the children of Rajagrha. After she gave birth to 500 children, she terrorized people by abducting and consuming their children. Shalyamuni concealed the yaksini’s youngest son, Priyankara. Grieved, Hariti was made to realize the suffering she was causing the people of Rajagrha. B n She agreed to follow his teachings and took the lay five precepts and offered her children to the monastery. - Myth of her past life: Went to the market to sell buttermilk and encountered people singing and dancing. She danced to a point of exhaustion and suffered a miscarraige, causing her to be deranged. - Offered a Pratyeka Buddha 500 mangoes and vowed in his presence to be reborn in Rajagrha and to consume children.

Answer 10

Yaksini queen Great Goddess of Motherhood Associated with curing disease (small pox)

Answer 11

Often depicted holding a baby/ surrounded by children

Answer 12

Consort of Hariti | Commander and chief of yaksa army

Answer 13

Represented holding a lance and a bag of jewels or money | With Hariti in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara

Answer 14

The ascent of the Goddeses in a Mahayana context is the Avatamsaka Sutra or Flower Ornament Sūtra

Answer 15

Sthavara is the first goddess that helped Sudhana in his quest. Sthavara predicted Sudhana’s enlightenment Sthavara is an earth goddess Sudhana found Sthavar at Bodhgaya in Magadha where she saw Shakyamuni’s enlightenment and sees the enlightenment of all Buddhas

Answer 16

Also known as ratri-devata After visiting Sthavara, Sudhana visited the nine night goddesses Celestial goddesses represent spatial awareness, purity, and expansiveness of being sought by Mahayana bodhisattvas Vasanti (lady of springtime) was the first night goddess to be visited by Sudhana. She was inhabiting the sky above Kapilavastu (capital of Sakya clan) into which Shakyamuni Buddha was born. She was sitting on a jewel lion throne with a lotus. She wore a crest that had a moon and her body reflected the stars and constellations. She always takes female embodiment and has been incarnated as a goddess many times. She uses celestial phenomena as instruments of her compassion. Primeval goddesses preside over crossroads (place where 3 roads meet)

Answer 17

At the birth of the Buddha, Indra caught the baby in his jeweled net

Answer 18

This sutra is an important document of the ascent of goddesses in a Mahayana context Gandavyuha sutra is also known as the entrance into the dharma realm. It talks of pilgrim Sudhana’s journey for enlightenment. Each speaker will talk about their spiritual journey Sudhana converses with 53 kalyana-mitrata (wise advisors) Vasumitra - enlightened prostitute

Answer 19

1st cosmic female of the Buddhist pantheon (mother of all buddhas) Name means perfection of wisdom She is seen as the mother of all beings who attain enlightenment She is the ultimate source of refuge and object of reverence Earliest image found in a cave site at Ellora.

Answer 20

Standing posture with one hand in varada mudra and other holding a lotus and manuscript Earliest literary description of the goddess is her in a gold color and seated on a lotus with 1 hand in a teaching gesture and the other holding a scripture

Answer 21

Also known as 8000 line perfect wisdom scripture (buddhas owe their existence to her) Celebrates the goddess and her wisdom

Answer 22

Tribal woman who was clothed in leaves. She wears a skirt made of leaves. Freshly cut tree leaves are used in assorted healing rites in India. Has a white snake → she is a healer of snake bite Has 3 faces (the light face is associated with compassion, purity) Red face represents passion/transformation of passion, idea of magnetizing (she has this power to induce a connection), state of ecstasy She may be shown in a cross-legged meditative posture. The lunging form conveys kinesthetic intensity and physical prowess in confronting an adversary She is plump and muscular - sign of good health

Answer 23

Goddess with the power to heal the most drastic illnesses The environment created for her, when someone is praying to her, is a gem-laden mountain with magical trees Vajra is her Diamond scepter and it conveys indestructibility and that the healer works with the patient’s energy

Answer 24

Savari means tribal woman and is used as both a generic term and with specific reference to the Savara tribe hey would host healing ceremony rituals where they would dance together in a circle engaging in lunging movements to ward off the evil spirits. Healing implements include bow and arrow, leaves and brush to give medicinal water.

Answer 25

Known to wear skirts made of leaves or peacock tail feathers and to hunt with a bow and arrow Attributed with knowledge of medicinal and magic healing properties of plants Dance is integral to their healing ceremonies