IMAGES. 263 



This order of the images is, however, seldom observed. Most 

 frequently in Nyingmapa temples the chief place is given to the 

 Gtirii, and this is justified by his own statement that he was a second 

 Buddha sent by Shakya Muni specially to Tibet and Sikhim, as 

 Buddha himself had no leisure to go there. Sometimes Shakya's 

 image is absent, the third image in such case being usually the fanciful 

 Buddha Opa-med (Skt. Amitabha, The Boundless Light) or Tse-pa- 

 med (Skt. Amitayus, Unlimited Life), each with hands joined in the 

 support of a begging-bowl {hlun-ze) or holy-water vase respectively. 

 Tse-pa-med, the god of long life, is always crowned. In Karmapa 

 temples the chief place is given to the founder of the Karmapa sub-sect, 

 namely, Karma Bakshi. 



Ranged on either side of this triad are the other large images 

 „ , . of the temple. The followinpf are especially com- 



Other images, ^ n ir j 



mon : — 



Dorje-pha(/})io {8kt. Vajravarahl) — " The Sow- faced Lady Dorje;". 

 when with three heads, the left is that of a sow. 



Dol-ma} (Skt. Tdra)—^^ The Unloosener" or Deliveress — the Virgin- 

 mother, and in other aspects the wife, of the Buddhas and the 

 Bodhisatwas. Further particulars regarding her and her worship are 

 given in Chapter IV, page 313, et seq. 



Chak-dor (Skt. F«/rajt7a?zi)— " The Wielder of the Thunderbolt" 

 («.e., Jupiter), with uplifted bolt. 



Jam-yang (Skt. ^lanjuc/hosa) — ''The god of Mystic Wisdom," with 

 the flaming sword of light in his right hand and the lotus-supported 

 book of wisdom in left. 



Che-resi {^\.i. Avalokitci) — " The Seer with keen eyes," in his usual 

 four-handed form ; or with eleven heads and a thousand arms, each 

 with an eye in the palm. This is the great "God of Mercy," one of 

 whose titles is "The Great Pitier" — his thousand eyes and arms graphi- 

 cally represent his being ever on the outlook to discover distress and to 

 succour the troubled. This Bodhisatwa, together with the foregoing 

 two, namely, Jam-yang and Chak-dor, are the especial Defcnsores 

 Fidei of Lamaism under the title of Rik-sum-gon-po or "The Triad 

 Protectors." 



Seng-dong-ma — "The Lion-faced Goddess." 



Kang-chhen-ds'6-nga — The chief " country-god of Sikhim," of red 

 colour, carrying a gyaltshen or banner of victory, and mounted on a 

 white lion. (Plate VI). 



His dwelling place is the mountain from which he takes his 

 name — Anglice " Kanchinjingna." This graceful mountain, second iu 

 height only to Everest, was formerly in itself an object of worship, as 



> jgrol-ma. 



