The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (510 page)

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Authors: John Bowker

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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CELAM
(Episcopal Conferences)
:
Celestial Buddhas
.
Those Buddhas, or those manifestations of the one buddha-nature, who appear in the
trik
ya
forms of manifestation, in the
sambhoga-k
ya
. They are accompanied by
bodhisattvas
. They are prolific in number. Major celestial Buddhas are Amit
bha/
Amida
,
Ak
obhya
,
Vairocana
,
Ratnasa
bhava
,
Amoghasiddhi
, and various Buddhas associated with
Vajray
na
. In
Tantric
Buddhism, there are also terrifying or
wrathful
Buddhas, e.g.
Heruka
, Hevajra, and
a
vara.
Celestial Kings
(Skt.
devar
ja
; Chin.,
t’ienwang
; Jap.,
shi-tenno
). The four world protectors in Buddhism. They dwell on Mount
Meru
and guard the four quarters of the world. Images of the Celestial Kings are widespread in China and Japan, and few monasteries are without them.

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