Womb Realm

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The Garbhadhatu mandala. The center square represents the young stage of Vairocana Buddha. He is surrounded by eight Buddhas and bodhisattvas (clockwise from top: Ratnasambhava, Samantabhadra, Samkusumitaraja, Manjusri, Amitabha, Avalokitesvara, Amoghasiddhi, Maitreya)

In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Womb Realm (Skt. garbhakosa-dhatu, Japanese: 胎蔵界 taizōkai) is the metaphysical space inhabited by the Five Wisdom Kings. The Womb Realm is based on the Mahāvairocana Sutra. The name of the mandala derives from chapter 2 of the sutra, where it is said that Mahāvairocana Buddha revealed the mandala's secret teachings to his disciple Vajrasattva from his "womb of compassion".[1] In other translations, the term matrix realm or Matrix Mandala are used.[2]

The Womb Realm is a very popular subject for mandalas, and along with the Diamond Realm (vajradhatu) Mandala forms the Mandala of the Two Realms. This mandala, along with the Diamond Realm, form the core of Japanese Shingon and Tendai Buddhist rituals, including the initiation or abhiseka ritual. In this ritual, new initiates are blindfolded and asked to toss a flower upon a mandala. Where the flower lands helps decide which Buddhist figure the student should devote themselves to.[3]

In traditional Shingon halls, the Womb Realm Mandala is hung on the east wall, symbolizing the young stage of Mahāvairocana Buddha.[4]In this setting, the Diamond Realm Mandala is hung on the west wall symbolizing the final realization of Mahāvairocana Buddha.

Womb Realm map

Outside Vajra Hall
Hall of Manjusri
Hall of
Ksitigarbha
Hall of Shakyamuni
Hall of
Sarvanivarana-
Vishkambhin
Lotus
Hall		Hall of Encompassing KnowledgeHall of
Vajrapani

Center
Eight Petal Hall
Hall of the Wisdom Kings
Hall of Akasagarbha
Susiddhi Hall

See also

References

  1. ↑ Abe, Ryuichi (1999). The Weaving of Mantra: Kukai and the Construction of Esoteric Buddhist Discourse. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-11286-6. 
  2. ↑ Hakeda, Yoshito S. (1972). Kūkai and His Major Works. Columbia University Press. p. 26. ISBN 0-231-05933-7. 
  3. ↑ Hakeda, Yoshito S. (1972). Kūkai and His Major Works. Columbia University Press. p. 44. ISBN 0-231-05933-7. 
  4. ↑ Hakeda, Yoshito S. (1972). Kūkai and His Major Works. Columbia University Press. p. 87. ISBN 0-231-05933-7. 

External links

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