Image title: The Five Buddhas (and colors)

English text:

As the structure of the mandala became ever more refined with the passing of time, so did the positions, bodily colours, hand gestures (mudra), vehicles, etc., of its constituent Buddhas and other deities come to be prescribed in great detail. For example, although the five Buddhas of the Vajradhatu Mandala have Shakyamuni as their historical model, the figure of each is iconographically prescribed in its capacity as a Buddha transcending Shakyamuni’s historical being.

Vairocana resides in the centre of the mandala white in colour, with his hands making the gesture of "turning the Dharma-wheel" (symbol of preaching) or of the "wisdom fist" (grasping the erect forefinger of the left fist with the right fist), and seated on a lion. Aksobhya in the east is blue in colour, touches the ground with the right hand in the "earth-touching" gesture and is seated on an elephant. Ratnasambhava in the south is yellow in colour, makes the "wish-granting" gesture with the palm of his right hand facing the beholder and is seated on a horse. Amitabha in the west, his traditional quarter, is red in colour, has his hands clasped in the "meditation" gesture, indicating that he is in a state of meditation, and is seated on a peacock. Amoghasiddhi in the north is green in colour, makes the "fearlessness-bestowing" gesture with the palm of his right hand held up towards the beholder and is seated on the Garuda, a mythical bird.

Nepalese text (not proofread)

पञ्चबुद्ध—जसरी मण्डलको बनौट समयको गतिसँगै परिष्कृट हुँदै गए, त्यससंग सम्बन्धित बुद्ध बोधिसत्त्वहरू तथा अरु देवताहरूको आशन, वर्ण, मुद्रा, बाहन आदिमा पनि विस्तृत व्याख्या हुँदै गए । उदाहरणको लागि वज्रधातुमण्डल भित्र विराजमान पंचबुद्धको आकृति ऐतिहासिक शाक्यमुनि बुद्धको जस्तै देखिए पनि यी मूर्तिहरूको आ-आफ्नै गुण र सक्षमता अनुसार वर्णन गरिएका छन्, जसरी आदिबुद्धले शाक्यमुनि बुद्धको उत्कृष्टताको बारेमा व्याख्या गरेका थिए ।

मण्डलको मध्य भागमा सेतो वर्ण, धर्मचक्र प्रवर्तन वा वोध्यङ्ग मुद्रा बायाँ हातको औँला दायाँ हातको मुठ्ठीमा समाइरहेको सिंह वाहन गरेको वैरोचन हुन्छ । पूर्व दिशामा नीलो वर्ण, दायाँ हातको औँलाले भुईमा छोएको “भूमि स्पर्श मुद्रा" गरी हात्ती वाहन गरेको अक्षोभ्य हुन्छ । दक्षिण दिशामा पहेंलो वर्ण, वरद मुद्रा गरी दायाँ हत्केला दर्शकतिर देखाएको र घोडा वाहन गरेको रत्नसम्भव हुन्छ । पश्चिम दिशामा रातो वर्ण, ध्यानी अवस्थामा रहेको संकेत स्वरुप एक माथि अर्को हात राखि ध्यानमुद्रा गरी मयूर वाहन गरेको अमिताभ हुन्छ । उत्तर दिशामा हरित वर्ण, दायाँ हात माथि उठाई हत्केला दर्शकतिर देखाइ अभय मुद्रा धारण गरी धार्मिक पंक्षी गरुड बाहन गरेको अमोघसिद्धि हुन्छ ।

Nepalese to English (automated translation)

Panchabuddha—As the structure of the mandala became more refined with the speed of time, the associated Buddha Bodhisattvas and other deities' postures, varnas, postures, vehicles, etc. were explained in detail. For example, although the figure of the Pancha Buddha sitting inside the Vajradhatumandal looks like the historical Shakyamuni Buddha, these statues are described according to their own qualities and abilities, as Adibuddha explained about the excellence of Shakyamuni Buddha.

In the central part of the mandala, there is a white varna, Dharmachakra Pravartana or Wodhyanga Mudra, holding the left thumb in the right fist and holding a lion vehicle. In the east direction, the blue character, with the finger of the right hand touching the ground in the "Bhoomi Sparsh mudra" is a sign of riding an elephant. In the south direction, the yellow character, in the Varad mudra, pointing the right palm towards the viewer and riding a horse, is possible. In the west, the red character is a sign of meditation The figure is Amitabh holding the Peacock vehicle with one hand on top of the other in Dhyanamudra.In the north direction is Amoghasiddhi holding the religious bird Garuda holding the green color, raising the right hand and facing the audience with the palm facing the audience.

Transcription (with diacritics):

Pañcabuddha—jasarī maṇḍalako banauṭa samayako gatisaṃgai pariṣkṛṭa huṃdai gae, tyasasaṃga sambandhita buddha bodhisattvaharū tathā aru devatāharūko āśana, varṇa, mudrā, bāhana ādimā pani vistṛta vyākhyā huṃdai gae . Udāharaṇako lāgi vajradhātumaṇḍala bhitra virājamāna paṃcabuddhako ākṛti aitihāsika śākyamuni buddhako jastai dekhie pani yī mūrtiharūko ā-āphnai guṇa ra sakṣamatā anusāra varṇana gariekā chan, jasarī ādibuddhale śākyamuni buddhako utkṛṣṭatāko bāremā vyākhyā garekā thie .

maṇḍalako madhya bhāgamā seto varṇa, dharmacakra pravartana vā vodhyaṅga mudrā bāyāṃ hātako auṃlā dāyāṃ hātako muṭhṭhīmā samāiraheko siṃha vāhana gareko vairocana huncha . Pūrva diśāmā nīlo varṇa, dāyāṃ hātako auṃlāle bhuīmā choeko “bhūmi sparśa mudrā" garī hāttī vāhana gareko akṣobhya huncha . Dakṣiṇa diśāmā paheṃlo varṇa, varada mudrā garī dāyāṃ hatkelā darśakatira dekhāeko ra ghoḍā vāhana gareko ratnasambhava huncha . Paścima diśāmā rāto varṇa, dhyānī avasthāmā raheko saṃketa svarupa eka māthi arko hāta rākhi dhyānamudrā garī mayūra vāhana gareko amitābha huncha . Uttara diśāmā harita varṇa, dāyāṃ hāta māthi uṭhāī hatkelā darśakatira dekhāi abhaya mudrā dhāraṇa garī dhārmika paṃkṣī garuḍa bāhana gareko amoghasiddhi huncha .

Transcription (without diacritics):

pancabuddha—jasari mandalako banauta samayako gatisamgai parishkrita humdai gae, tyasasamga sambandhita buddha bodhisattvaharu tatha aru devataharuko ashana, varna, mudra, bahana adima pani vistrita vyakhya humdai gae . udaharanako lagi vajradhatumandala bhitra virajamana pamcabuddhako akriti aitihasika shakyamuni buddhako jastai dekhie pani yi murtiharuko a-aphnai guna ra sakshamata anusara varnana garieka chan, jasari adibuddhale shakyamuni buddhako utkrishtatako barema vyakhya gareka thie .

mandalako madhya bhagama seto varna, dharmacakra pravartana va vodhyanga mudra bayaṃ hatako aumla dayam hatako muththima samairaheko simha vahana gareko vairocana huncha . purva dishama nilo varna, dayam hatako aumlale bhuima choeko “bhumi sparsha mudra" gari hatti vahana gareko akshobhya huncha . dakshina dishama pahemlo varna, varada mudra gari dayam hatkela darshakatira dekhaeko ra ghoda vahana gareko ratnasambhava huncha . pashcima dishama rato varna, dhyani avasthama raheko samketa svarupa eka mathi arko hata rakhi dhyanamudra gari mayura vahana gareko amitabha huncha . uttara dishama harita varna, dayam hata mathi uthai hatkela darshakatira dekhai abhaya mudra dharana gari dharmika pamkshi garuda bahana gareko amoghasiddhi huncha .

Gallery information:

The Northern Himalayan region in Nepal offers a wide variety of Buddhist objects such as paintings, scriptures, sculptures, ritualistic objects, etc. Buddhism once entered Tibet from Nepal and has blended in its own way there, resulting in Tibetan Buddhism which is divided into many schools. The items found here are exhibited in the National Museum of Nepal (Rashtriya Museum).