Pancha Buddhas are Five Transcendental Buddhas in Newar Vajrayana Buddhism: Vajracharya

By Dr Rabin Man Shakya

Portland, (Nepal Oregon News): An advanced and second teaching on Pancha Buddha charya nritya was held in the zoom on Saturday, June 19, 2021 by Dance Mandal Hong Kong Sangha. The advanced teaching was conducted by Guru Prajwal Vajracharya of Portland's Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.

Speaking on the occasion, Vajracharya threw light on the importance and relevance of Pancha Buddha in the Newah Vajrayana Buddhism and said:"Pancha Buddhas Vairochana (the brilliant one), Amitabha (the infinite light), Ratnasambhava (the matrix of the jewel), Amoghasiddhi (the infallible realization) and Akshovya Buddha (the unshakable) are five transcendental Buddhas in Newah Vajrayana Buddhism."

The ubiquity of the Pancha Buddha can be explained by the fact that the drawings and paintings of Pancha Buddha can be found on the entrances of the majority of houses dwelt in by the Newah Buddhists in the Kathmandu valley, said Vajracharya who is also a scholar on Newah Vajrayana Buddhism.

Co-founder of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara Vajracharya expressed the view that Pancha Buddha charya nritya is considered to be one of the main ritual dances by the Vajracharyas and Shakyas of the Kathmandu valley, adding that this classical Buddhist charya dance is performed in honor of the Five Buddhas.

Focusing on the importance of Pancha Buddha charya nritya, Vajracharya said:"The Pancha Buddha dance is usually performed in the local Buddhist Mahaviharas of the Kathmandu Valley during important festivals and more auspicious religious occasions."

"At the time of sacred dancing, the five performers dress in the distinctive colors of the five Buddhas and depict their specific posture, color and direction. The nritya performers also put on specific ritual crowns on the head," veteran Charya guru Vajracharya said.

Vajracharya went on saying:"Different colorful costumes that the Pancha Buddha dancers wear are symbolic to the sky, earth, water, fire and air."

 During the teaching, underlining the importance of Dasaparmita, Jnan Bala or Dasa Bala, the senior priest of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara also said that Jnan Bala or Dasa Bala refers to the "ten powers" of the Boddhisattvas:(1) Sthanasthana (2) Karmavipaka (3) Nanadhatu (4) Nanadhimukti (5) Sattvendriyaparapara (6) Sarvatragaminipratipatti (7) Dhyanavimokshamadhisamapatti (8) Purvanivasanusmriti (9) Cyutyutpatti (10) Asravaksaya. 

Later, senior Charya dance teacher Vajracharya demonstrated the movements of legs, gestures of hands and fingers, expressions of face during the Pancha Buddha dance teaching.

Senior Charya dance pedagog Vajracharya also demonstrated different steps of the dance and also how various Pancha Buddhas take different directions.

The teaching presented a detailed and comprehensive description of the Pancha Buddha Charya dance. A number of relevant pictures were also shown during the teaching. At the end of the zoom teaching, Guru Prajwal replied to several questions of the zoom participants from Dance Mandal Hong Kong Sangha.

( Nepal Oregon News writer Rabin Man Shakya is a Newah journalist in America)