Kalaviṅka

File:Amidakyohenso Karyobinga.jpg

Karyōbinga in a depiction of the Amitabha Sutra

Kalaviṅka (Sanskrit: कलविङ्क kalaviṅka ; Chinese: 迦陵頻迦 Jiālíngpínjiā ; Japanese Karyōbinga (迦陵頻迦), Burmese ကရဝိက်; Thai การเวก) is a fantastical immortal creature in Buddhism, with a human head and a bird's torso, with long flowing tail.

The kalaviṅka is said to dwell in Buddhist paradise (gokuraku-jōdo, nirvana), and reputed to preach the Buddhist scripture with its fine voice. It is said to sing while still unhatched within its eggshell. Its voice is a descriptor of the Buddha's voice. In Japanese text, it is sometimes written not phonetically, but under translated names myōonchō (妙音鳥, "exquisite sounding bird"), kōonchō (好音鳥, "goodly sounding bird") among other rendered names.

Edward H. Schafer notes that in East Asian religious art the Kalaviṅka is often confused with the Kinnara, which is also a half-human half-bird hybrid mythical creature, but that the two are actually distinct and unrelated.

Depictions

In Chinese art

In Chinese mural art, it is portrayed as a human-headed, bird-bodied being (i.e. armless?), but in Japanese Buddhist art, it has been portrayed with an upper torso of a winged boddhisatva (i.e., having hands and arms), with a birdlike lower extremity. In the murals of Dunhuang (敦煌) they appear as figures both dancing and playing music.

In Japanese art

Karyōbinga, panels on octagonal platform. Chūson-ji

A well-known example is the pair of kalaviṅka carved in openwork (sukashibori) onto a Buddhist hanging ornament called the keman, used in the golden hall of Chūson-ji temple in Iwate Prefecture. The kalaviṅka from this ornament was commemorated on a 120-yen definitive stamp issued Nov. 1, 1962. The pose and general appearance on this piece is similar to the ones seen on the octagonal pedestal of the same temple (pictured right).

• In another keman from the Tokugawa period (see keman page), the creatures stand more bipedally erect and hence more humanlike.
• In the ancient courtly dance performance Gagaku - karyobin (迦陵頻) is the name of dance expressive of the kalaviṅka, and is danced in pair with the kochō (胡蝶), a dance of butterfly motif. The paired dancing is called tsugai-mai (番舞).
• A kalaviṅka painting by the brushstrokes of Hasegawa Tōhaku resides in Daitoku-ji (Kyoto), inside the Kinmōkaku (金毛閣) erected by tea-master Sen no Rikyū.
• Painted on the ceiling of Tōfuku-ji's Sanmon gate (Kyoto).
• Painted on the ceiling of Myōshin-ji's Sanmon gate (Kyoto), normally not open to public.
• The [[{{{1}}}]] at 214 Mizusawa, in the former city of Ikaho, Gunma, Main Hall, front right ceiling, painting of a heavenly woman with eagle-like talons, anonymous.
• Kawakami Sadayakko (Sada Yacco), billed as the first overseas Japanese actress, late in her life, built a villa located at Unumahōshakujichō, Kagamihara, Gifu. The villa was christened Banshōen (萬松園) by Itō Hirobumi, and the room with the Buddhist altar has a ceiling painting of kalaviṅka, which may be peered from outside (but access to premises only on Tuesday mornings).

In Tangut art

The Kalaviṅka is a common feature of Tangut art created during the Western Xia period (1038–1227).

• Glazed Kalavinka.jpg

  Western Xia Glazed pottery Kalaviṅka-shaped architectural ornament.

• Grey Kalavinka.jpg

  Western Xia Grey pottery Kalaviṅka-shaped architectural ornament.

See also

• Garuda
• Harpie (Greek mythology)
• Karura
• Kinnara
• Gumyōchō (共命鳥), phoneticized: Chinese: 耆婆耆婆迦; pinyin: ɡònɡ mìnɡ niǎo, Skr.:Jīvajīvaka - twin-headed human-bird.

Popular culture

(manga)

• RG Veda by CLAMP: Ancient Hindu mythology theme. A sickly princess character.
• Dream Saga (夢幻伝説 タカマガハラ, Mugen Densetsu Takamagahara) by Megumi Tachikawa : based on Amano-Iwato legend. A sacred bird character.

(Novels)

• [[{{{1}}}]] (ナイチンゲールの沈黙 Nightingale's silence) by [[{{{1}}}]], bestselling medical fiction author:
• [[{{{1}}}]](高丘親王航海記 Prince Takaoka's voyages) by Tatsuhiko Shibusawa
• [[{{{1}}}]] (赤目四十八瀧心中未遂 Akame forty-eight waterfall suicide pact attempt) by [[{{{1}}}]]: Tattooed on the back of Aya, a female character.

(Music)

• Kalavinka by Buck-Tick