Tejaprabhā Buddha
| Tejaprabhā Buddha | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tejaprabhā Buddha and the Five Planets, a Tang dynasty silk painting from Dunhuang, housed in the British Museum. | |
| Sanskrit | Tejaprabhā (तेजप्रभा) Prajvaloṣṇīṣa (प्रज्वलोष्णीष) |
| Chinese | 熾盛光佛 (Chìshèngguāng Fó) 熾盛光如來 (Chìshèngguāng Rúlái) |
| Japanese | 熾盛光仏頂 (Shijōkō-bucchō) |
| Korean | 치성광여래 (Chiseonggwang Yeorae) |
| Vietnamese | Xí Thịnh Quang Phật |
| Information | |
| Venerated by | Chinese Esoteric Buddhism, Korean Buddhism, Japanese Esoteric Buddhism |
| Attributes | Lord of the constellations; granter of rain, bountiful harvests, longevity, and wealth; averter of astral calamities |
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Tejaprabhā Buddha (Chinese: 熾盛光佛; pinyin: Chìshèngguāng Fó; Korean: 치성광여래; Hanja: 熾盛光如來; RR: Chiseonggwang Yeorae), also known as the Buddha of Blazing Light, is an esoteric Buddha associated with the constellations and other celestial bodies.[1] He became associated with Chinese Esoteric Buddhism during the Tang dynasty.[1]
Iconography
Most surviving paintings of Tejaprabhā Buddha date from the Tang to Ming dynasties. Fewer than 100 artworks from this period are known today. Many depict Tejaprabhā with personified planets, constellations, and other celestial deities, alongside elements associated with Daoist astrological traditions.[2]
The surviving images are usually divided into two types. The first is the "bullock cart" type, which became popular during the late Tang and early Song dynasties. It shows Tejaprabhā seated on a lotus throne in a bullock cart, accompanied by five luminary deities holding colored objects. The second is the "preaching" type, which was more common during the Xixia, Liao, and Yuan dynasties. These images show Tejaprabhā meditating or preaching, surrounded by luminaries, constellation deities, and zodiac figures.[1]
Origins
Tejaprabhā Buddha was associated with Chinese Buddhist interest in astrology. The Northern Dipper (Big Dipper) was regarded as a celestial power associated with heaven and human destiny.[1] Daoist religious practices also included astrology, and Buddhist texts incorporated celestial figures and ideas associated with these traditions.[2]
In esoteric Buddhist texts such as the Dhāraṇī of the Tejaprabhā Buddha, Tejaprabhā is associated with the Pole Star and placed at the center of the celestial system. These texts also associate him with celestial phenomena and protection from disasters. Eclipses, comets, and meteors were often regarded as signs of disorder in the heavens. The texts also refer to Rahu and Ketu, which were associated with eclipses.[2] Tejaprabhā's light is described as controlling harmful celestial influences and protecting people from disasters such as famine and war.[3]
During the early Tang dynasty, Buddhist practices incorporated elements of the Daoist celestial system, including the veneration of the Northern Dipper. Tejaprabhā was associated with Buddhist astrology and with protection against astrological disasters, including those attributed to eclipses and planetary movements.[1][4]
Venerated in Korea
The worship of Tejaprabhā spread from China to Korea and Japan. In Korea, the Buddha is known as Chiseonggwang Yeorae (치성광여래).[1]
During the Goryeo dynasty, Chiseonggwang Yeorae was worshipped in state religious ceremonies. The royal court sponsored Sojae toryang (Rituals for Averting Calamities), large-scale esoteric rites performed to protect the state and avert misfortune associated with celestial phenomena.[4]
The worship of Chiseonggwang Yeorae continued during the Joseon dynasty and became associated with Korean folk religion. Many Korean Buddhist temples have a Chilseonggak (Shrine of the Seven Stars), where Chiseonggwang Yeorae is worshipped together with the Big Dipper and other star deities.[5]
Chiseonggwang Yeorae also appears in accounts concerning the Later Three Kingdoms period. Gung Ye (r. 901–918), the founder of Taebong, is described as having been influenced by the worship of Chiseonggwang Yeorae. According to one interpretation, Gung Ye associated his royal authority and claims of divinity with the deity because Chiseonggwang Yeorae was regarded as a ruler of the stars. The main deity worshipped at Balsapsa, Taebong's royal temple, was Chiseonggwang Yeorae.[6]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Chen, Yushu; Huang, Bing (2022). "The Influence of Daoist Astrology on the Chinese Visual Representation of Tejaprabhā Buddha". Religions. 13 (11): 1016. doi:10.3390/rel13111016.
- 1 2 3 Kotyk, Jeffrey (2017). "Astrological Iconography of Planetary Deities in Tang China: Near Eastern and Indian Icons in Chinese Buddhism". Journal of Chinese Buddhist Studies. 30: 33–88.
- ↑ Mak, Bill M. (2015). "The Transmission of the Grahamātṛkādhāraṇī and Other Buddhist Planetary Astral Texts" (PDF). Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies (17): 91–110.
- 1 2 Sorensen, Henrik H. (2010). "Worshipping the Cosmos: Tejaprabha Rituals under the Koryo". International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture. 15: 7–26.
- ↑ "The Assembly of Tejaprabha Buddha". Cleveland Museum of Art. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ↑ Lee, Jae-bum (31 August 2024). "The Religious and Ideological Background to Establishment of the Country name[國號] and the Regnal year[年號] in the Gung-ye[弓裔]'s regime and Unjusa temple[雲住寺]". Sillasahakpo. 61: 141–189. doi:10.65509/JSHS.2024.08.61.141.