also: さまやぎょう
noun
samaya form; symbolic object of a buddha's vow
Buddhist term referring to a symbolic object or shape that represents a buddha or bodhisattva's vow to save all beings. Often depicted in mandalas or held by deities.
大日如来の三昧耶形は宝塔である。
The samaya form of Dainichi Nyorai is a jeweled stupa.
曼荼羅には多くの仏の三昧耶形が描かれている。
Many buddhas' samaya forms are depicted in the mandala.
From Sanskrit samaya, meaning 'vow' or 'pledge', combined with 形 (form). The term is used in esoteric Buddhism to refer to symbolic objects representing a deity's vow.