Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta

The Great Sun Buddha, also known as Vairocana Buddha, is the supreme and fundamental deity of Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism in Chinese mythology. He is the main deity of the two mandalas, the Golden and the Womb, and a core symbol of Esoteric Buddhism. He represents the essence and laws of the universe's reality and is revered as the supreme existence. He governs the esoteric belief system and is the ultimate pursuit of practitioners. He often forms the meditation seal, sits in the lotus position, and has a variety of clothing styles. There are "Bodhisattva costumes"; with exposed upper bodies or slanted silk belts and skirts at the bottom, as well as "vulgar costumes" (or "foreign styles") with triangular lapels, left lapels, belts around the waist and shoes or boots on the feet. The Great Sun Buddha not only symbolizes the essence and law of the universe's reality, that is, the "emptiness" as described in Esoteric Buddhism, but also embodies the supreme epister of the universe's essence, absolute truth, and wisdom, as well as the great preacher who leads all sentient beings to liberation. The last two characters - the highest comprehender of wisdom and the great preacher - are particularly semiotic: the Great Sun Buddha, who possesses supreme wisdom, uses his entire body (body, speech and mind) to preach the Dharma, indicating that he is a symbol sender guiding all sentient beings to liberation.