THE THOUSAND-ARMED AVALOKITEŚVARA

LOKESH CHANDRA

1988, 303 pp. bibl., plates, ISBN: 81-7017-247-0: Rs 500 (HB)

This publication is a fundamental work based on original Sanskrit, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Sogdian and Tibetan works, on the ongm of Avalokiteśvara. Several prevalent folk deities were assimilated into the iconographical form of Avalokite8vara. The worship of Avalokiteśvara was accompanied by a dhāraṇī (recited hymn). This work describes five versions of dhāraṇī.

The present edition is largely based on the texts of Bhagavad-dharma, Amoghavajra, Vajrabodhi and Chin-t’ung in Chinese characters. The original texts are also given in their indigenous scripts. Siddham manuscripts from Korea and Japan have been reproduced in facsimile.