First century BC   Gray Phyllite Carving in Gandhara, Pakistan

Size: 110.49 x 35.56 x 15.24 cm

Collection of Los Angeles Museum of Art   Longri Compilation

          This is a very rare Gandhara Buddhist statue more than 2000 years ago, almost a round sculpture. The ghost mother has been portrayed as a kind face, and several children around have their own characteristics and are lively. It is a masterpiece depicting the theme of ghost mother for thousands of years.

          Devil Mother, Devil Mother God (Hariti), also known as the mother of joy, the mother of violence and evil, or the mother of love for children, is transliterated into Sanskrit into the mother of the Emperor Heli. It was originally an evil god in Brahmanism. It was one of the twenty dharma protectors. It ate human children and called it "Mother Night fork". After being enlightened by Buddhism, he became a Dharma Protector specializing in protecting children.

          It is said that 500 people met a pregnant woman on their way to the meeting. The woman was accompanied by a miscarriage, and 500 people left her. The woman made a poisoned oath that she would give birth to the king in the next life and eat all the children in the city. Later, she swore that after the reincarnation of the king, she gave birth to five hundred children and captured the children in the city every day to feed them. When Sakyamuni heard about this, he hid one of her children while he was out. After the ghost mother came back, she couldn't find it. Finally, she had to ask Sakyamuni for help. Sakyamuni persuaded her to take her heart to heart, and indeed persuaded the devil and mother to understand the past, to return to Buddhism, and to be absorbed as a Dharma Protector. Become one of the Dharma Protectors.