Which one of the following statements about the Buddhist Goddess Hariti is correct ?
- A.She was converted by the Buddha from a blood-thirsty yakshi to a benevolent maternal figure.
- B.She is the feminine personification of wisdom.
- C.She protects people from eight great fears.
- D.She is a warrior goddess associated with the dawn.
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, She was converted by the Buddha from a blood-thirsty yakshi to a benevolent maternal figure.. Hariti was a child-eating yakshi whom the Buddha converted into a protector of children and a benevolent mother figure.
According to Buddhist legend, Hariti had hundreds of children of her own but stole and devoured the children of others. To make her understand the grief she caused, the Buddha hid her youngest son. When she searched for him in despair, the Buddha showed her that other mothers suffered in the same way, and she turned to his teaching. She became a guardian of children and of childbirth, often shown holding a child, sometimes with her consort Panchika. Images of Hariti are common in Gandhara sculpture and at Buddhist monasteries.
B is wrong because the feminine personification of wisdom in Buddhism is Prajnaparamita. C is wrong because protection from the eight great fears is the role of Tara. D is wrong because the warrior goddess linked with the dawn is Marichi.
Exam tip: Hariti = converted yakshi, protector of children; Prajnaparamita = wisdom; Tara = saviour from eight fears.
Practice Questions
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