Hayagriva (Buddhism)

Hayagriva ("having the neck of a horse", IAST: Hayagrīva) is an important deity in Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism. He originated as a yaksha attendant of Avalokiteśvara (Guanyin) in India,^[1] and was assimilated into the ritual practices of early Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, Hayagriva is the manifestation of wrathful Avalokiteshvara, and is considered an extremely wrathful male deity in the pantheon of Herukas in Vajrayana Buddhism.^[1] Hayagriva together with his female consort Vajravarahi (Dorje Pakmo) remove hindrances and are renown for their epic conquering of the demon Rudra.

Hayagriva's iconography encapsulates his embodiment of a wrathful manifestation of compassion, symbolizing an unwavering determination to surmount internal obstacles and external challenges. Displaying attributes such as a scowling countenance with three penetrating eyes, green horse heads, a raised sword, a threatening mudra, and symbolic ornaments, Hayagriva conveys an intense resolve in his representation.

In Tibetan Buddhist practices, Hayagriva's significance is linked to his role in curing ailments, especially skin diseases like leprosy that are attributed to nāgas. Furthermore, specifically in the Nyingma school's Tibetan Buddhist Vajrayana practices, Black Hayagriva's role extends to confronting potent adversaries, exemplified through his and his consort Vajravarahi as Tröma Nagmo's cosmic battles against the demon Rudra and his epic earth-destructing demonic ego.^[2]

In Chinese Buddhism, Hayagriva assumes the mantle of a Dharma protector (dharmapala), particularly associated with travel and transportation. This is evidenced by the practice of placing license plates before his image within temples, invoking safeguarding influences for vehicles and their passengers. In the context of Japanese Mahayana Buddhism, he emerges as a form of Avalokiteśvara, with his dominion extending over beings embodying animal-like mental states.