A Brief Introduction of the Peacock King

The Peacock King (Mahā Māyūrī Vidyārājñī in Sanskrit, 佛母大孔雀明王 in Chinese) is the wrathful deity emanation of the Buddhas in the Vidyārājas class. Vidyārājas are a category of wrathful deities in Vajrayana Buddhism who are enlightened beings that adopt a fierce countenance. Mahā Māyūrī Vidyārājñī is the feminine mother side aspect of the Vidyārājas. Mahā Māyūrī is the only Vidyārājas deity to adopt the smiling appearance with a calm demeanour for both masculine and feminine aspects, in contrast to the terrifying and wrathful forms of all the other Vidyarajas.

Mahā Māyūrī Vidyārājñī symbolises the three Buddhas, originating from the Buddha Mahā Vairocana, and is translated as the “Great Sun Buddha”, 大日如来. He is also known as 毗盧遮那佛. Mahā Māyūrī Vidyārājñī (“Nisyandakāya” in Sanskrit and “等流身” in Chinese) is referred to as the “Identical Embodiment Body” emanation of Mahā Vairocana Buddha. Mahā Vairocana Buddha is highly revered for his attainment of thirteen Bhumi (or Stages). He is also the central figure in the Five Dhyani Buddhas Mandala (五方佛曼陀罗), and the other Dhyani Buddhas are his manifestations. Thus the display of identical Mahā Vairocana Buddha’s prowess is the emanation of his Nisyandakāya that is Mahāmāyūrī Vidyārājñī.

Mahā Māyūrī (“Nirmāṇakāya” in Sanskrit,“变化身” in Chinese) is referred to as the “Transformation Body” of Amitabha Buddha. According to the Amitabha Sutra, the Buddha who manifested the Western Paradise, including peacocks, parrots, jivajiras and kalavinkas, are also Amitabha Buddha direct manifestations. Therefore peacocks are the Nirmāṇakāya of Amitabha Buddha. Maha Mayuri is the transformation body of Amitabha Buddha with his equivalent power. 

Mahā Māyūrī (“Saṃbhogakāya” in Sanskrit, “受用身” in Chinese) is also the representation of Shakyamuni Buddha, who is referred to as the “Enjoyment Body”, he who in a previous life reincarnated as the Peacock King. Hence the Peacock King is an embodiment of Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism who attained Buddhahood in the Sahā world. Saha in Sanskirt refers to endurance, the world where sentient beings are able to endure suffering and are caught in saṃsāra. Samsara in the Buddhist cosmology refers to the cycle of existence. 

Thus, the Peacock King (Mahā Māyūrī Vidyārājñī) is the embodiment of the three Buddhas: the Identical Embodiment (Nisyandakāya) of Maha Vairocana Buddha, the Transformation Body (Nirmāṇakāya) of Amitabha Buddha and the Enjoyment Body (Saṃbhogakāya) of Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Peacock King Sutra, also known as Mahāmāyūrī Vidyārājñī Sutra, 佛母大孔雀明王经, is one of the classic Buddhist scriptures used in prayer and chanting ceremonies for blessings, protection, calamity eradication, enhancement, harmonisation and subjugation.