also: さまやぎょう
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.
The samaya form of Dainichi Nyorai is a jeweled stupa.
Many buddhas' samaya forms are depicted in the mandala.
Standard kanji spelling for this Buddhist term.
Alternate reading; less common than さんまやぎょう.
Variant kanji spelling; 摩 replaces 昧.
Variant kanji spelling with the alternate reading.
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.