Ancient Indians, like the Aborigines of Australia and Japanese Shintoists, believed wholly in the supernatural and the natural world. They especially envied the characteristics of some animals. The peacock was one such creature they revered and desired to emulate.
At first, they were afraid of the peacock with its mournful cry, its fantastic plumage and its feral ways, and they were incredibly shocked when they realized on observing that it was capable of eating poisonous spiders and snakes to nourish its sizeable physical structure and could survive. Naturally, they also wished to transcend such poisoning and human fragility, and so came to worship the peacock out of envy and fear.
At this time in India, there were 2 influential religions: Hinduism for the masses and Brahmanism for the elite, and all beings aspired to spiritual liberation through these pathways. Therefore, many mantras —recited invocations—were used as a matter of course in everyday life. It is clear from research that the ancient Indians possessed an authentic insight into using the spiritual voice to communicate with the invisible world.
So, such mantras were developed to emulate the peacock and bring this animal god closer to the human world, some of which even incorporated the doleful cry of the peacock, for example, the Great Peacock King mantra from Tibetan Buddhism: “Om Mayura Krante Svaha.” They believed that by calling upon this magical and terrifying bird, they gained some of its divine qualities that enabled them to transcend their human weaknesses and limitations.
So, Mantrayana, the next stage of Buddhism after the Golden Buddha’s initial teachings and death (circa 2600), was created. This movement was inspired by the idea that all poisons are the same so that, in time, the negative aspects of the human mind, such as ignorance, greed, and hatred, became known as ‘poison’, which required an ‘antidote.’ Mantras or invocations were viewed as just such a kind of antidote and eventually became recognized as a part of nature and not created by man at all.
They represented an esoteric or secret language to which nature or the universe would respond. In other words, it is a way for humans to fuse with the microcosm.
These faith pioneers had enormous imaginations, not yet learning the passiveness of modern, intensively technological societies. Poisonous snakes such as the cobra were common, so protection and awareness were essential to prevent fatal bites or stings. One method was to mesmerize the snake with the sound of a flute so that it would obey, but another way was to worship creatures that could dispose of them.
When a peacock faces a snake, it pretends to be scared and allows the snake to wrap itself around its body. Then, just as the snake is about to attack, it spreads its wings and feathers with great force and sends it flying.
The image of the elegant peacock driving away a poisonous snake, like a beautiful woman driving off an evil beast, impressed people. They thought this bird had god-like powers, so gradually, this image became a Buddhist deity or Holy Being. Much later in Japanese Buddhism (7th Century), this image below became known as Peacock Myoo or Guardian of the Law.
The Guardian of the Law is riding on the back of the peacock and holding sacred instruments in her four arms: a lotus, a peacock feather, a fruit resembling a lemon, and a pomegranate. The lotus represents benevolence and kindness. The lemon cures the diseases of anyone who eats it. The pomegranate drives off evil spirits. But the mighty peacock feather has the power to actually prevent disasters such as earthquakes and floods. This painting used luxurious materials like silver and gold leaf to sparkle and shine with the peacock’s mystical power. However, the metals have tarnished over time, making it difficult to see clearly.
Linden Thorp has practised the Buddhist teachings for many decades. She was ordained as a Buddhist priest in Japan but nowadays lives a normal life applying all the wisdom she accumulated. She has left the raft of the teachings behind for others to use.