摩利支天——从印度神到中国神

Maricideva:from Indian God to Chinese Goddess

摩利支原本是一个非常古老的印度婆罗门教神明,后来被佛教吸收,被称为摩利支天或摩利支菩萨。在佛教中,摩利支天又由男神变为女神,又由曼妙天女变为三头六臂的恐怖之神。这一演变过程,体现于佛教密宗的几个主要发展阶段。摩利支天随佛教来到中国,不仅受到佛教徒的崇拜,而且还被道教吸收,演变为道教神明斗姆。

Marici was a very ancient God in Brahminism. When admitted into Buddhism, he became Maricideva or Marici Bodhisattva, But afterwards God Maricideva became a goddess in Buddhism, and her image turned from a beautiful apsara into a fearful goddess with three heads and six hands. This evolvement was embodied in every major stage of esoteric Buddhism. Moricideva came into China along with the spread of Buddhism, worshipped not only by Buddhists, but also by Taoists worship as Dou Mu.