. central divinities 95
The Thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara, a popular aspect of the
bodhisattva as the personification of great compassion (dabei ),
entered the Esoteric Buddhist pantheon in China toward the end of
the seventh century.^11 This is one of the most important Esoteric Bud-
dhist forms of Avalokiteśvara and its cult has endured in Chinese Bud-
dhism since it was first introduced.^12 Numerous votive paintings and
carved images testify to its importance.^13
Ekādaśamukha, the Eleven-headed Avalokiteśvara (figure 3), is
counted among the primary Esoteric Buddhist forms of Avalokiteśvara.^14
In China his cult can be traced back to the sixth century, but it did not
appear to gain prominence until after Xuanzang’s translation of the
Ekādaśamukha-dhāraṇī sūtra^15 in the mid-seventh century. For rea-
sons unknown, this cult declined during the second half of the ninth
century and seems to have died out in China’s central provinces before
the rise of the Song.
The Cintāmaṇicakra-Avalokiteśvara (figure 4) form of Avalokiteśvara
is one of the latecomers to the Esoteric Buddhist pantheon. The pri-
mary canonical scripture on his cult is the Padmacintāmaṇi-dhāraṇī
sūtra, which exists in several translations.^16
During the Tang, especially after the Zhenyan tradition was estab-
lished in the twin capitals Chang’an and Luoyang, the cult of this form
of Avalokiteśvara became widespread and very popular. Images dating
from the eighth century have been found in Dunhuang and in several
locations in Sichuan province.^17 A Buddhist talismanic tradition has
become part of the Cintāmaṇicakra cult, a development that may have
originated due to the presence of Great Dipper worship in at least
one of the related scriptures.^18 After the Tang, the Cintāmaṇicakra cult
disappeared.
(^11) A detailed discussion of his cult and its history can be found in Reis-Habito 1993
and 1994. See also Reis-Habito 1991.
(^12) Cf. Yü Chün-fang 2001, 263–91.
(^13) See Sørensen, “Esoteric Buddhist Art under the Tang,” “Esoteric Buddhist Art in
China, 960–1279,” and “Esoteric Buddhism Art under the Nanzhao and Dali King-
doms,” in this volume.
(^14) Cf. Sørensen 1991–1992b, 303–304.
(^15) T. 1071. See also Grinstead 1994.
(^16) T. 1080, T. 1081, T. 1082, T. 1083.
(^17) Cf. Sørensen 1991–1992b, 305–306. Jiajiang, Dazu, and Bazhong counties in
Sichuan feature images of Cintāman 18 ̣icakra.
Cf. T. 1091. Also see Robson, “Talismans in Chinese Esoteric Budddhism,” in
this volume.