Amoghapasha

Amoghapasha is a form of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (also known as Guanyin) worshipped in Buddhism. He is one of the six forms of Guanyin. 

His name means “Unfailing Lasso” in Sanskrit. The lasso shows her power to help people far from enlightenment.J A Schoterman, Ancient Indonesian Sculpture, Marijke J. Klokke & Pauline C. M. Lunsingh Scheurleer, pp. 154–157 

 History 
The first known book about Amoghapasha is the Amoghapasha Hridaya Sutra. It was translated into Chinese by the monk Jñānagupta in the year 587. Later, this text became part of a longer one called Amoghapasha Kalparaja.

Statues of him were made as early as the 8th century.

 Appearance 
He is usually shown with 4, 6, or 8 arms. He may appear with four helpers, including Tara and Hayagriva.

 In Japan 
At the Kasuga-taisha shrine in Nara, he is seen as the same as the Shinto god Takemikazuchi. This may be because he wears a deer hide, which was also linked to this god in Nara.Allan G. Grapard, The Protocol of the Gods: A Study of the Kasuga Cult in Japanese History, University of California Press, pp. 82–83

 Mantras 
His seed syllable (bījamantra) is Mo.  
Her mantra is: .

In Tibetan Buddhism, and in India and Nepal Amoghapasha is shown as male.


 Kasuga Shrine Equivalents 
The gods at Kasuga Shrine have Buddhist forms. Amoghapasha matches Takemikazuchi in this system.

Shrine Hall  Shinto Deity  Buddhist Deity (Daijo-in)  Buddhist Deity (Ichijo-in) First Hall  Takemikazuchi  Shakyamuni  Amoghapashahttps://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/1808/17426/1/Fowler.pdf Second Hall  Futsunushi  Bhaisajyaguru Third Hall  Ame-no-Koyane  Kṣitigarbha Fourth Hall  Himegami  Ekādaśamukha Wakamiya Shrine  Ame-no-Oshikumone  Manjushri  Āryāvalokiteśvara

 Gallery 

 Related pages 
 Guan Yin
 Tōdai-ji

 Notes 

 References 

Bibliography

Category:Guanyin