文殊菩薩

文殊問經字母品第十四
開府儀同三司特進試鴻臚卿肅國公食邑三千戶賜紫贈司空謚大鑒正號大廣智大興善寺
三藏沙門不空奉　詔譯

爾時文殊師利白佛言。世尊一切諸字母。云何一切諸法。入於此及陀羅尼字。
佛告文殊師利。一切諸法入於字母及陀羅尼字。文殊師利如
稱阿(上)a字時是無常聲
稱阿(引去)a-字時是遠離我聲
稱伊(上)i字時是諸根廣博聲
稱伊(引去)i-字時是世間災害聲
稱塢(上)u字時是多種逼迫聲
稱污(引)u-字時是損減世間多有情聲
稱楡　字時是直軟相續有情聲
稱楡(引去)字時是斷染遊戲聲
稱力l-字時是生法相聲
稱食(引)　字時是三有染相聲
稱曀e字時是起所求聲
稱愛ai字時是威儀勝聲
稱污o字時是取聲
稱奧ai字時是化生之聲
稱暗am-字時是無我所聲
稱惡ah-字時是沈沒聲
稱迦(上)ka字時是入業異熟聲
稱佉(上)kha字時是出一切法等虛空聲
稱誐(上)-na字時是甚深法聲
稱伽(去)ga字時是摧稠密無明闇冥聲
稱仰　字時是五趣清淨聲
稱左ca字時是四聖諦聲
稱磋(上)cha字時是不覆欲聲
稱惹ja字時是超老死聲
稱酇(才舸反)jha字時是制伏惡語言聲
稱孃(上)~na字時是制伏他魔聲
稱吒(上)-ta字時是斷語聲
稱咤(上)-tha字時是出置答聲
稱拏(上)-da字時是出攝伏魔諍聲
稱荼(去)-dha字時是滅穢境界聲
稱拏(鼻聲呼)-na字時是除諸煩惱聲
稱多(上)ta字時是真如無間斷聲
稱佗(上)tha字時是勢力進無畏聲
稱娜da字時是調伏律儀寂靜安隱聲
稱馱dha字時是七聖財聲
稱曩na字時是遍知名色聲
稱跛　字時是勝義聲
稱頗　字時是得果作證聲
稱麼ba字時是解脫繫縛聲
稱婆bha字時是出生三有聲
稱莽(鼻聲呼)ma 字時是息憍慢聲
稱野ya字時是佛通達聲
稱囉(梨假反)字時是樂不樂勝義聲
稱砢la字時是斷愛支聲
稱嚩(無可反)va 字時是最上乘聲
稱捨'sa字時是出信進念定慧聲
稱灑-sa字時是制伏六處得六神通智聲
稱娑(上)sa字時是現證一切智聲
稱賀ha字時是害煩惱離欲聲
稱乞灑(二合)k-sa字時是一切文字究竟無言說聲
文殊師利此謂字母義。
一切諸字入文殊問經字母品

Early Tibetan Mandalas
Mandala of an Esoteric Form of ManjusriCentral Tibet, 14th century65.5 x 53.5 cm

At the center of this mandala is an esoteric deity whose precise identity is uncertain. The three-headed, six-armed god embraces his consort and holds a lotus and book, wheel (?), sword and an unidentified object. The sword and book, implements characte ristic of Manjusri, the Mahayana bodhisattva of wisdom, suggest this might be an esoteric form of Manjusri. However, the iconography of this god and that of his entourage do not precisely correspond to known iconographic descriptions for Manjusri.1
Without an accompanying iconographic description, the identities of the other figures in the mandala are unclear. However, the outer assembly includes a standard group of protective deities: Yamantaka (E), Prajnantaka (S), Padmantaka (W), Vighnantaka (N) , Takkiraja (SE), Niladanda (SW), Mahabala (NW), Acala (NE), Usnisacakravartin (zenith; here, in the western gate), Sumbharaja (nadir; here, in the eastern gate).

None of the historical figures are identified by inscription; their precise identities are therefore speculative. Indian mahasiddhas and Tibetan monks are represented, together with other deities associated with the teachings of this esoteric form of Man jusri's mandala.

1 See Mallmann, Manjusri, passim; and Bhattacharyya, The Indian Buddhist Iconography, passim. The iconography is similar, though not identical with that of Manjuvajra's mandala. See Mallmann, Introduction a l'iconographie du tantrisme bouddhique, pp. 42-43.