Acala
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Acala | |
|---|---|
 Acala at Mount Koya, Japan
|
|
| Sanskrit: | Acala |
| Chinese: | Āzhēluó |
| Japanese: | Fudo |
| Information | |
| Venerated by: | Vajrayana |
| Attributes: | Immovable One |
Also known as Ācalanātha, Āryācalanātha, Ācala-vidyā-rāja and Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Ācala (alternatively, Achala or Acala in Sanskrit, Fudo in Japan) is the best known of the Five Wisdom Kings of the Womb Realm. Acala means "The Immovable One" in Sanskrit. Acala is also the name of the eighth of the ten stages of the path to become a bodhisattva.
Acala is the destroyer of delusion and the protector of Buddhism. His immovability refers to his ability to remain unmoved by carnal temptations. Despite his fearsome appearance, his role is to aid all beings by showing them the teachings of the Buddha, leading them into self-control.
He is seen as a protector and aide in attaining goals. Temples dedicated to Acala perform a periodic fire ritual in devotion to him.
The buddha Akshobhya, whose name also means 'the immovable one', is sometimes merged with Acala. However, Acala is not a buddha, but one of the Five Wisdom Kings of the Womb Realm in Vajrayana as found in the Indo-Tibetan tradition, as well as the Japanese Shingon sect of Buddhism. As 'Fudō myō-ō', Acala is considered one of the Thirteen Buddhas in Japan.
[edit] Fudo
Fudo is the Buddhist divinity of wisdom and fire. He is the principal deity of the Myō-ō, or great kings. Fudo is often called upon for protection during dangerous times. He is said to live in a temple on top of Mount Okiyama. Fudo is often shown to be an ugly old man surrounded in fire. He has a sword in his right hand to sever material connections and a rope in his left hand, that he uses to tie demons with. His sword is also used several times a year at Akakura in a healing ritual. Anyone who goes to see him is said to be punished with blindness. The most famous legend of Fudo claims that a young girl, named O Ai San, prayed to him for 100 days, naked under a waterfall near his shrine at Ohara in the province of Awa. Once she had returned home, her father, whom she had prayed for, was cured of a lingering illness.
[edit] Iconography
Acala is typically depicted with a sword for subduing demons in his right hand and a rope for catching and binding them in his left hand. He has a fearsome blue visage and is surrounded by flames, representing the purification of the mind. He is often depicted seated or standing on a rock to show his immovability. His hair commonly has seven knots and is draped on his left side, a servant hairstyle in Buddhist iconography. He is frequently depicted with two protruding fangs. One tooth points down, representing his compassion to the world, and one tooth points up, representing his passion for truth.
[edit] External links
- Fudo Myo-O, 不動明王 O-Fudo-sama in Japan
- http://people.brandeis.edu/~eschatt/ImmortalWishes/fudo.html
- Encyclopedia Mythica Article on Fudo
- Shingon Buddhist International Institute
|
||||||||
