In his work Medieval Nepal (part 2: 864), the Nepalese scholar D.R. Regmi asserted that a (typical) Newar Buddhist monastery (vihāra) has Mahākāla, Hāritī, Gaṇeśa and Hanumān installed in wall niches as protectors. Earlier, Brian Hodgson’s informant Pandit Amṛtānanda (1774–1834) had made similar statements when describing the Buddhist vihāras in the city of Patan. In this article, I will present the results of a preliminary survey of iconic and aniconic representations of Hanumān in Newar Buddhist vihāras in the Kathmandu Valley. The latter include triangular openings which are either identified with Hanumān or, more specifically, designated as passages through which the divinity travels. The article also addresses Hanumān’s role in Newar Buddhism and legends about his conversion to Buddhism, illustrating the adaptability of this complex religious figure to various sectarian contexts.
目次
Abstract Introduction Iconic representations Aniconic representations Hanumān’s role in the Buddhist pantheon Conclusion Footnotes Acknowledgements References
