Acala

Acala :

Acalanatha, the 'immutable lord', is a wrathful protector and knowledge-holder (vidyadhara), who is known as Fudo Myo or Joju Kongo in Japanese Buddhism, and as Budong Fo in Chinese Buddhism. He is fierce and blue-black in colour, and he stands upon Mt Meru, which is represented here as a vajra-rock formation surrounded by a turbulent ocean.

His face has a fierce and frowning expression with two squinting eyes, and he bites upon his upper lip with his lower teeth, with one of his two sharp fangs pointing upward and the other downward. His tawny hair is coiled upon his head, with one twisted lock falling to his left shoulder, and his head is crowned with a golden chain and a pink lotus. As ornaments he wears golden earrings, bracelets and anklets, a necklace with hanging pendants, and armlets that are adorned with blue silk ribbons. His lower garments are fashioned from colourful embroidered silks and tied with a yellow silk belt, and he wears a red silk shawl that is draped across his left shoulder. With his right hand he holds a double-edged iron sword with a vajra handle, and with his left hand he holds a coiled rope-noose that is sealed at its ends with a vajra and a ring. Acala is surrounded by a blazing mass of wisdom fire, which annihilates all defilements.

© text by Robert Beer