Bhrikuti

Bhrikuti or Bhrikuti Devi (7th century) is, according to the traditions Nepalese and Tibetan, a princess of the kingdom of Licchavi (Nepal), girl of the king Amsuvarma, and one of the two most known wives of the king of the Tibet Songsten Gampo, with the Chinese princess Wencheng. The tradition Tibetan allots the introduction of the Bouddhisme and the foundation of the temple of Jokhang to these two queens, considered as two incarnations of the Bodhisattva Tara. It is also called in Tibetan Trisun, Belsa (Nepalese queen), and in Chinese princess Chizun (尺尊公主). Its name Sanskrit, which is in the beginning that of a deity, means " that which wrinkles the sourcils".

History

The scarcity of the reliable historical sources going back to this time, as well on the side Tibetan as Nepalese, makes that the facts of its life must be regarded as legendary, and it was even suggested that it could be a question of a fictitious character. Min Bahadur Shakya estimates nevertheless that the alliance of Songsten Gampo with a Nepalese princess is probable. There is no personal information besides either on the Chinese princess whose existence is however certain, his marriage being recorded in annals of the Tang. Nevertheless, Bhrikuti was not inevitably the girl of Amsuvarma, usurper having reversed Udayadeva. Narendradeva, wire of this last, took again its throne by the force towards 641, and it seems that he for that went to seek of the assistance in Tibet. The Nepalese queen could thus be one of her relationships. All the traditions agree to locate the arrival of Bhrikuti at Tibet before that of Wencheng.

Caption

According to a Nepalese tradition, Songsten Gampo, having asked for the hand of a girl of Amsuvarma, would have wiped a refusal. It would have then attacked Licchavi, and thus obtains Bhrikuti and a Jowo. The Tamang of Nepal claim to go down from the tamaks , riding Tibetans carried out by Songsten Gampo. According to the tradition Tibetan surrounding Mgar stong-btsan yul-srung, Prime Minister of Songsten Gampo, it is by his mediation as an ambassador that the king of Nepal would have agreed to send a princess. Extremely of his success, the minister would have made himself the year following (640) in China to obtain a Chinese princess. Its embassy with Chang' year is attested by historical documents. One allots to Bhrikuti, in partnership with Wencheng, the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet and sometimes even the conversion of the king. It is not very probable because, according to Mr. B. Shakya, the influence of Nepalese Buddhism had started to be exerted as of before this marriage. In addition, the first sovereign Tibetan to promote Buddhism officially will be, one century later, Trisong Detsen. Bhrikuti would have brought with it of the representations of Tared, Avalokiteshvara and Akshobhya, the latter perhaps makes of it a statue of the Bouddha 8 years old, also called Jowo Mikyoe Dorje, venerated first of all in Jokhang, then with the temple of Ramoché. The Chinese queen would have also brought Jowo in her dowry, currently in Jokhang. A certain ethnic competition shows through indeed in the way in which the legend of the two queens is reported. Thus, the first building of the Potala was built by the king for one or the other wife, according to whether the legend is Nepalese or Chinese. With regard to the temple of Jokhang, the version selected generally is that of a collaboration, Wencheng choosing the site thanks to its knowledge of the Fengshui and Bhrikuti providing the funds. The Nepalese queen would have also founded Thangdul, Yangdul Runon and of many temples to the Bhutan.

References and notes

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