Heracles has, at least what I consider to be, very recognizable and memorable iconography.  He is portrayed as bearded, strong, and extremely muscular, in perfect physical form. In Greek sculptures he is often either in an active pose brandishing his weapon while defeating a creature, or standing confidently and powerfully.  Heracles is usually shown with a club as his weapon and a lion’s pelt on his head, around his waist, or with its paws on his chest after being tied around his shoulders. He is almost always nude or at least very scantily clad, though the lion’s pelt does give him some coverage. Interestingly enough, I came across one source that discusses Heracles’ connection with a sea deity (7, pg 122).
The iconography of Vajrapani is immediately comparable.  He is also depicted as a bearded athlete or warrior though carries no weapon.  He holds the vajra, or thunderbolt; the name Vajrapani literally means thunderbolt-bearer and has been called the god of rain.  He is often shown as having a third eye (in Tibet) and has an angered expression.  Vajrapani is meant to be a symbol of the Buddha’s power and acts as his protector.  He can be seen porting a tiger’s skin or a lion’s skin though is often nude, or more commonly, draped with very little fabric (8, pg 50).
The similarities between Heracles and Vajrapani are striking and it is no wonder they are equated across Greek and Buddhist art respectively.  What I found to be especially interesting, though likely not relevant, is the mention of Heracles interaction with the sea deity – is this a further link with Vajrapani, seeing as he is the god of rain? I doubt there is anything worth mentioning with that however the subject of water in both of these caught my eye. Clearly there are more obvious cross-overs here.  From the visibly apparent strength of Heracles comes the position of Vajrapani as a powerful figure.  Heracles’ club easily becomes Vajrapani’s lightning bolt and the tiger skin that is sometimes seen around Vajrapani parallels the lion of Heracles.  Putting this pelt aside, the fact that Vajrapani is seen as nude or barely clothed may be one of the most discernible connections between the two. In Buddhist art we often see the Buddha and his followers wearing translucent robes, or robes that are delicately draped across their shoulders, but rarely do we see anyone either nearly or fully nude.  Vajrapani truly stands out in this respect, and his nudity is likely a sign of divinity (5, pg 22). Â
In addition to having Hellenistic influenced Vajrapani there is also evidence of Gandharan-influenced Heracles. Â This is seen through the softening of features and pose, subtle changes in the appearance of his club, and his posture (2, pg 118). Â Actual photos of this sculpture have proven difficult to unearth, unfortunately.
