Inner Asia: The Art of Nepal II: Newar Buddhist Art
In this view and that on the preceeding page, the Guhyesvari (more properly
known as Puran Guhyesvari or "Old" Guhyesvari in contrast to Naya,
"New," Guhyesvari that is near Pasupatinath) site is seen from
the western approach, and except for the huge ancient Bodhi-tree, best seen
in 24.23, is an un-prepossessing shrine that is of apparently mostly recent
to modern construction. This is because this is what we can call a "technical"
shrine. although of great fundamental importance, it is actually of interest
to only the priestly community who receive "empowerments" from
the rituals that take place here.
The importance of the Guhyesvari shrine is made clear in the Swayambhu Purana
narrative in which Guhyesvari is given the place of absolute primacy over
the Buddhist phenomenon in the Katmandu Valley because it is at Guhyesvari
where the lotus took root and from which it grew for some time before giving
rise to the blossom that produced the Swayambhu Jyotirupa. Since Guhyesvari
is, by definition, female, she is literally the "mother" of Buddhism
in Nepal and directly conflated with the Buddhist Buddhamatri (mother of
[all] Buddhas), Prajnaparamita. Thus what Guhyesvari is, is actually a
shrine to the origins ("mother") of Buddhism in Nepal.
