Vitanadhara, Vitānadharā, Vitana-dhara: 1 definition

Introduction:

Vitanadhara means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

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In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist Iconography

Vitānadharā (वितानधरा) is another name for Paṭadhāriṇī: one of the four “Door Goddesses”, as commonly depicted in Buddhist Iconography, and mentioned in the 11th-century Niṣpannayogāvalī of Mahāpaṇḍita Abhayākara.—Her Colour is blue; her Symbol is the curtain; she has two arms.—The fourth and the last goddess in the series of four deities of the door is called by the name of Paṭadhāriṇī [...] A statuette of this goddess occurs in China under the title of Vitānadharā  where vitāna means a curtain.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

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