Ekādaśamukha

In Buddhism, Ekādaśamukha is a bodhisattva and a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara, counted as one of six forms of the bodhisattva that represent salvation afforded to beings among the six realms of saṃsāra. Among these incarnations, Ekādaśamukha is believed to save those in the asura realm.
Ekādaśamukha is sometimes also referred to as Avalokiteśvara of the Universally Shining Great Light.

Overview

Historical origins

Although usually classified as an Esoteric or Tantric form of the bodhisattva, the eleven-headed type is thought to be one of the earliest iconographic depictions of Avalokiteśvara to develop, predating the emergence of Vajrayāna Buddhism. Its exact origin is unclear, though certain authors such as Lokesh Chandra have associated it with the eleven Rudras of Vedic and Hindu mythology. It is known that certain aspects of the Hindu god Shiva and elements of Shaivism both influenced and were incorporated into Buddhism, playing a role in the development of Avalokiteśvara's cult.
A relief carving of the eleven-headed Avalokiteśvara in Kanheri, dating from the late 5th to early 6th century, is both the earliest extant example of this iconographic type and the only surviving Ekādaśamukha image in India. Artistic depictions of this form are more numerous in East Asia: it is apparently one of the more popular forms of Avalokiteśvara in Dunhuang, second only to his thousand-armed or Sahasrabhuja form, judging by the number of paintings of the bodhisattva found there. In Japan, Ekādaśamukha also historiclally enjoyed a high degree of popularity, with images of the bodhisattva being installed as the main focus of veneration in many temples.

Symbolism

One interpretation of the eleven faces of Ekādaśamukha is that it represents both the ten stages of the bodhisattva path and buddhahood itself. Another interpretation meanwhile interprets the eleven heads as symbolizing the eleven kinds of ignorance that plague sentient beings and which the bodhisattva removes.
Certain depictions where Ekādaśamukha is shown with a total of twelve heads rather than eleven are meanwhile taken to symbolize the twelve links of dependent origination.

Stories regarding Ekādaśamukha

Buddhist lore offers various explanations as to how Avalokiteśvara obtained eleven heads. One story relates that Avalokiteśvara's head and arms once split into pieces when he discovered the extent of wickedness and suffering in the world and was overcome with grief as a result. The buddha Amitābha, seeing Avalokiteśvara's plight, restored him by giving him eleven heads and a thousand arms with which to aid sentient beings. In another story, Avalokiteśvara is said to have assumed this eleven-headed form to subdue and convert a prideful ten-headed rakshasa demon.
Ekādaśamukha is closely associated with the elephant-headed deva Vināyaka, the Buddhist analogue to the Hindu deity Ganesha. Certain stories relate that Vināyaka was originally a malevolent demon king who ruled over a horde of obstructive demons called vināyakas. He was eventually tamed by Avalokiteśvara, who assumed the form of an elephant-headed female demoness and embraced him, thereby causing him to achieve great bliss and abandon his evil ways. These legends serve as the origin myth for the 'Dual-Bodied' image of Vināyaka, which shows two elephant-headed figures embracing each other.

Iconography

As noted above, Ekādaśamukha may be depicted with either eleven or twelve heads.
Of the eleven faces, three wear a benevolent, serene expression characteristic of depictions of bodhisattvas, three sport a wrathful countenance, three are grinning with fangs protruding upward from their mouths, one is laughing boisterously, whilst the final, topmost head is that of a buddha, sporting a calm demeanor and a head knob.

Bīja and mantra

The bījā or seed syllable used to symbolically represent Ekādaśamukha is .
Several mantras and dhāraṇīs are associated with the bodhisattva. The two mantras commonly employed in the Japanese tradition are the following:

Sanskrit	Japanese
Oṃ mahākāruṇika svāhā	On makakyaronikya sowaka
Oṃ lokeśvara hrīḥ	On rokeijibara kiriku