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Yamantaka was the manifestation the Bodhisattva Manjusri used
to overcome Yama, the Lord of the Dead.
In this guise Yamantaka was usually depicted as a deity with nine heads,
the principal one being a bull, thirty four hands, and sixteen feet.
He holds many different items, including a thunderbolt, wheel of life,
the corpse of a man, and axe.
Manjusri was of Chinese origin and, as Wên-Shu, is revered by
the Buddhists as a god of wisdom, and master of knowledge and meditation.
Bodhisattva Manjusri descended to the depths of the sea to convert its
serpent inhabitants.
His attributes are the sword of knowledge and a book. His favourite
companion is a lion.
In Tibetan Buddhism, Yamantaka is called Gsin-rje gsed. In Japanese
mythology he is known as Dâi itoku-myôô and represented
with only six heads, six hands, six feet, and surrounded by flames.
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