396 henrik h. sØrensenHence he occurs prominently, often with more than one image/niche
in such sites as Nankan in Bazhong (cf. Sichuansheng wenwu guanliju
et al. 2006, 96–97, 147–148), Beiyan in Zizhong (Zizhou
) (see Wang and Ceng 1989, 34–40), at Mt. Bei in Dazu,^7 and in Jia-
jiang to the south of Chengdu at Qianfoyan (cf. Sørensen
1997b, 37–48) and Niushenya (see Zhou 1988, 27–32).
While we do know that mature esoteric Buddhism in the form of
the Zhenyan tradition associated with Śubhākarasiṃha, Vajrabodhi,
and Amoghavajra did enter Sichuan during the late eighth century,
very few concrete traces of this can be found today. Images of the
protector Acala, as well as the ghost king Shensha , give some
indication of the spread of orthodox Zhenyan iconography and indi-
rectly signal that rites for invoking them were performed by the local
Buddhists.^8
As was the case elsewhere in China during the Tang, pillars engraved
with the Uṣṇīsavijayā-dhāraṇ ̣ī were common in Sichuan during this
time. A dhāraṇī-pillar made entirely of cast iron in Langzhong
county in northeastern Sichuan is mentioned in the Jinshi yuan
(Garden of Inscriptions in Metal and Stone). It is of the usual octago-
nal pillar type with a double lotus base and a simple, rounded roof of
the type often found on Chinese pavilions. It is dated 745 C.E., and
the text of the dhāraṇī was cast in the calligraphic standard for Tang
official script (lishu) derived from the Han dynasty (cf. Jinshi yuan,Pishamen tianwang suijun hufa yigui (Ritual of the
Method of the Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa of the Northern Direction Accompanying
the Army for Protection). Cf. T. 1247; the Beifang Pishamen tianwang suijun hufa
zhenyan (Mantra of the Heavenly King Vaiśravan ̣a
of the Northern Direction Accompanying the Army for Protection); T. 1248; the
Pishamen yigui (Ritual for Vaiśravan ̣a), T. 1249; the Beifang Pishamen
duowen baozang tianwang shenmiao tuoluoni biexing yigui
(Different Ritual of the Heavenly King of the Precious
Treasury, Vaiśravaṇa of the Northern Direction Divine and Wonderful Dhāraṇī); cf.
T. 1250. There are also a number of non-canonical Vaiśravaṇa scriptures recovered
from among manuscripts from Dunhuang, which likewise throw light on the cult of
Vaiśravaṇa. As an example of these, see, Dawei de Pishamen tianwang congming taizi
zhenyan (Mantras of the Greatly Angry Worthy
Vaisravaṇ ̣a, the Heavenly King and Wise Prince); cf. P. 2322 (10). The importance
of the Vaisravaṇ ̣a cult elsewhere in China under the Tang is also pointed out in Lü
1995, 363–369.
(^7) For a detailed treatment, see Suchan 2003.
(^8) See the section on esoteric Buddhist art in Sichuan during the Tang in Sørensen,
“Esoteric Buddhist Art under the Tang,” in this volume.