The Indian Buddhist world abounds with goddesses--transcendent wisdom figures, maternal nurturers, potent healers and protectors, voluptuous tree spirits, cosmic mothers of liberation, and dancing female Buddhas. But relatively little has been published about these female deities, and until now no single resource was available. Buddhist Goddesses of India is the essential and definitive guide to these divinities that, as Miranda Shaw writes, "operate from transcendent planes of bliss and awareness for as long as their presence may benefit living beings."

Beautifully illustrated, the book retells the legends of the deities, devoting a chapter each to the images and histories of nineteen goddesses--and conveying and interpreting their character and powers. Additional chapters address human figures and texts relevant to the goddess theme. Shaw draws on a sweeping range of material, from devotional poetry and meditation manuals to rituals and artistic images. Discussions of such intriguing traits as body color--what it means if a deity has a green or blue complexion, for instance--as well as stance, hairstyle, clothing, jewelry, hand gestures, and hand-held objects lend great insight into the symbolism and roles of each goddess.

In addition to being a comprehensive reference, this book will enrich readers by acquainting them with the diverse range of deities that evolved through the early, Mahayana, and Tantric movements in India and found a place in the pantheons of Tibet and Nepal.

Hardcover, November 2006, 720 Pages, $35.00

Miranda Shaw is Associate Professor of Religion at the University of Richmond. She is the author of the award-winning Passionate Enlightenment: Women in Tantric Buddhism (Princeton).

Content Buddhist Goddesses of India

Acknowledgments ix
Note on Transliteration xi

Introduction 1

Part One: Ascent of the Sacred Female in Early Buddhism

Chapter 1: Prthiv: Mother Earth 17
Chapter 2: Mayadev: The Buddha's Wondrous Mother and Her Sacred Grove 38
Chapter 3: Yaksins: Voluptuous, Magical Nature Spirits 62
Chapter 4: Sri Laksmi: Glorious Good Fortune 94
Chapter 5: Hariti: Goddess of Motherly Love 110
Chapter 6: Female Buddhas: The Case of Gotami 143

Part Two: Mahayana Mothers of Liberation

Chapter 7: Goddesses in the Flower Ornament Scripture 155
Chapter 8: Prajnaparamita: Luminous Mother of Perfect Wisdom 166
Chapter 9: Parnasavar: Healing Goddess Clothed in Leaves 188
Chapter 10: Marici: Lady of Sunrise Splendor 203
Chapter 11: Janguli: The Buddhist Snake Goddess 224
Chapter 12: Sarasvati: Divine Muse 234
Chapter 13: Vasudhara: Lady Bountiful 247
Chapter 14: Cunda: Saving Grace 265
Chapter 15: Sitatapatra: Invincible Goddess With a Thousand Heads and Hands 276
Chapter 16: Usnisavijaya: Bestower of Long Life and Immortality 291
Chapter 17: Tara: Mahayana Buddha, Universal Savior 306

Part Three: Tantric Female Buddhas

Chapter 18: Vajrayogini: Her Dance Is Total Freedom 357
Chapter 19: Nairatmya: Her Body Is the Sky 387
Chapter 20: Chinnamunda: Severed-Headed Goddess 403
Chapter 21: Simhamukha: Lion-Faced Female Buddha 418
Chapter 22: Kurukulla: Red Enchantress with Flowered Bow 432

Epilogue 448

Notes 453
Glossary of Tibetan 521
Bibliography 525
Index 553