The Black Jambhala is the Buddhist avatar of Hindu deity lord Kubera. (Photos: Pinterest)
As Buddhism spread, many Hindu deities travelled to regions of Tibet and Japan through ancient and medieval Buddhist texts and teachings. These deities took up local forms, became gods of that particular region with similar traits to the Hindu deities. For instance, one of the most popular and revered Japanese Buddhist kami (deity), Benzaiten or Benten, is a Japanese avatar of the Hindu goddess Saraswati.
These manifestations reflect a fusion of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shintoism. According to the United Religions Initiative (URI), Shintoism is an ancient religion of Japan. “It started at least as long ago as 1000 B.C.E. but is still practised today by at least five million people. Followers of Shintoism believe that spiritual powers exist in the natural world. They believe that spirits called ‘kami’ inhabit natural places such as animals, plants, stones, mountains, rivers, people, and even the dead.”
The Hindu god Kubera, for example, took on the form of Jambhala, the god of wealth in Buddhist tradition. There are five different manifestations of Jambhala, also known as Dzambhala, Dzambala, Zambala, or Jambala. The five Jambhalas are:
White Jambhala — the compassionate manifestation of the Bodhisattva Chenrezig (Kuan Yin).
Yellow Jambhala — the emanation of Buddha Ratnasambhava. Practising Yellow Dzambala is believed to alleviate poverty within the six realms and to increase virtues, lifespan, and wisdom.
Green Jambhala — the manifestation of Amoghasiddhi Buddha, who was asked by Buddha Shakyamuni to turn the wheel of Dharma to aid beings suffering from poverty.
Red Jambhala — depicted alongside his consort, the heavenly mother of wealth. In ancient times, this deity was worshipped exclusively by royalty.
Black Jambhala — the Buddhist avatar of the Hindu deity Kubera. According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), “He is the Buddhist equivalent of Kubera, the ancient nature spirit (yaksha) absorbed into early Hinduism as the protector of jewels and other treasures. Jambhala serves as the chief of the yaksha; his secondary role as a directional guardian (dikpala) was probably assumed later.”
The Black Jambhala is depicted with a black body, standing on a human figure, symbolising the subduing of ego and greed. In his right hand, he holds a pot filled with gems, and in his left, he holds a creature called Nehulay, from whose mouth jewels are shown spewing. He was popularised by Shakyashri Bhadra who was one of the last great Kashmiri masters to arrive in Tibet from India during the transmission of Buddhism into the Himalayan country.
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