Khasarpana
By Jogendra Chandra Ghosh
Summary
Khasarpana is a term that appears in Vajrayana Buddhist literature with a dual connotation: it denotes both a form of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and a geographic location associated with his cult. This article unpacks the layers of meaning surrounding Khasarpana. It begins by noting that Vajrayana texts often describe different manifestations of Avalokitesvara, and Khasarpana is one such form, sometimes depicted as holding a noose and associated with granting boons. The article then introduces the itineraries of Buddhist pilgrims and missionaries, particularly the account of Buddhagupta preserved by the Tibetan historian Taranatha. According to Taranatha, Buddhagupta visited Khasarpana during his travels, describing it as a summit in the Malaya mountains where numerous images of Avalokitesvara could be seen【420759176627009†L3858-L3905】. This description suggests that Khasarpana was a pilgrimage site where devotees experienced visions or statues of the bodhisattva. Scholar Giuseppe Tucci interpreted the passage to mean that Khasarpana referred to a real mountain peak in the Malaya range (possibly in South India or Sri Lanka) near the legendary Mount Potalaka—the mythical abode of Avalokitesvara. The article discusses alternative interpretations, noting that some authors equate Khasarpana with Potalaka itself, while others argue that it represents a separate but related shrine. By analysing linguistic nuances, geographical clues and the broader context of Buddhist sacred geography, the article proposes that Khasarpana likely denotes a particular peak or cave associated with Avalokitesvara worship, distinct from but in the vicinity of Potalaka. The study emphasises that Buddhist literature often blends myth and geography; places like Khasarpana functioned as both physical destinations and spiritual constructs. The article concludes that careful textual and geographic analysis is necessary when identifying pilgrimage sites mentioned in religious texts. Understanding Khasarpana sheds light on the diffusion of Avalokitesvara worship, the travel routes of Buddhist monks and the interplay between legend and landscape in South Asian religious imagination.
Conclusion
The article concludes that Khasarpana represents both a deity (a form of Avalokitesvara) and a geographical site visited by pilgrims. Taranatha’s description of Khasarpana as a summit in the Malaya mountains suggests a location near but distinct from the legendary Potalaka【420759176627009†L3858-L3905】. Scholars must therefore distinguish between these terms when studying Vajrayana geography and myth.