Dhayni Buddhas

There are five different types of buddha also known as  Dhyani Buddhas. It is used to found on the head of the crown of the head of tantric buddhas,
1. Amitabha
2. Amogsiddhi
3.Aksobhya
4.Ratnasambhava
5.Vairocana

Buddhas             Color      Direction      Mudra                  Symbol           Element      Vehicle

Amitabha            Red         West           Meditation           Lotus               Fire           Peacock               
Akshobhaya        Blue         East            Touching Earth    Vajra               Water        Elephant  
Amogasiddhi       Green      North           Fearless              Doulbe Dorjee Air            Griffin
Ratnasambhava   Yellow     South          Granting               Jewel               Earth         Horse
Vairocana            White      Center         Preaching            Wheel               Sky           lion

Amitabha

He is the fourth and most ancient of the five Transcendental Buddhas that embody the five primordial wisdoms meditation. He presides over the Buddha realm Sukavati (Tibetan: Dewachen), a Pure Land that is the expression of his own field of pure expression and nothing else. Amitaba is the Lord of the Padma or Lotus family and is the pure expression of the wisdom of discriminating awareness, which transmutes the poison of attachment and desire. He and the other Lotus family members support the gradual unfolding of one's spiritual petals into enlightenment. Amitaba is red in color, sits in the full-lotus posture with his two hands resting on his lap in the MUDRA of meditative equipoise.

He is most often depicted in thankas flanked by two eminent bodhisattvas, Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Vajrapani, the Bodhisattva of Power. It is the special vow of Amitaba that to benefit beings that are caught in the realm of their own confusion and suffering that if they remember his name with faith at the time of their death they will take rebirth in Sukavati. Through this they will achieve enlightenment and not again fall into a realm of suffering. This is due to the power of the merit of Buddha Amitaba's virtuous activities accumulated throughout his countless lives as a bodhisattva. Because of this, meditation upon Amitaba is widespread and very popular.


He is the particular focus of the faith of the Pureland Schools of Buddhism and of the meditative training of Powas or Transference of Consciousness that enables one to transfer their consciousness into the field of pure perception of Sukhavati, the Realm of Great Bliss at the time of their death. In some mandalas, Amitaba is depicted in union with his Wisdom Consort Gokarmo, who embodies the pure element of fire.

Amoghasiddhi

  The Buddha Amogasiddhi is the fifth of the Transcendental Buddhas that embody the five primordial wisdoms. He is the Lord of the Karma family and embodies the wisdom of all-accomplished activity that transmutes the poison of jealousy. His recognition symbol is the Double DORJE, representing his wisdom of all-accomplishing activity. His attributes are power and energy that is both subtle and often hidden. Amogasiddhi is the Supreme Siddhi-the magic power of enlightenment.

In this way the inner and outer world, and the visible and invisible are united as the body becomes spirit and the spirit embodies. He is green in color, his left hand rests in his lap in the mudras of equipoise and his right hand is held at chest level facing outwards in the mudras of granting protection. He is often depicted in union with is Wisdom Consort Damtsig Drolma, Green Tara, who embodies the pure element of air.

Akshobhya

 Akshobya is the second of the Transcendental Buddhas. He originates from the blue seed syllable HUM and represents the primordial cosmic element of consciousness; immutable and imperturbable. The path to enlightenment through the Vajra family is one of breaking free of constraints and obstacles, transmuting negativity, and is generally more dynamic and proactive.

He sits in the earth touching mudras with his left hand resting on his lap face up and his right hand resting on the right knee with the tip of the middle finger touching the earth with palm drawn inwardly as he faces the East. He is often depicted with his consort Lochana who expresses the mirror-like primordial wisdom.

Ratna Sambhav

Ratna Sambav is the third of the five Transcendental Buddhas. He is yellow and his wisdom is associated with experience and known as representing the "primordial wisdom of equality. He is associated with the human realm on the wheel of life. He is known for his equanimity reminding us that all human beings are precious. He faces the south in with his consort Mamaki.

Vairocana

Vairochana is an emanation of Adibuddha and represents the cosmic element of form. He is the primordial wisdom of the sphere of reality. His is in the center of the MANDALA consisting of the five Transcendental Buddhas, and his rites pacify negative emotions. He is white and his two hands are held against the chest with his thumbs and forefingers touching. He radiates the light of Buddhahood and his consort is Akashadhateshvari, who is the sovereign lady of infinite space. So the dance of light and the space for it to radiate through creates the united dance of Dharmadhatu. It is this dance that is represented by these unions and the sexual imagery depicted in Tantra.

Source: Mr Ujjwal Shakya ( Member of Nepalese Handicrafts Associations)
Photos: NepaCrafts