The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1434 page)

(Skt., great masters of powers,
iddhis
).
Hinduism
Traditionally, there are eighty-four mah
siddhas, mainly in the
Tantric
tradition. Some are of legendary character, and are usually depicted in fearsome form, but others were teachers and prominent people.
Buddhism
The eighty-four mah
siddhas were adopted from Hinduism, and celebrated in stories and songs (
doha
). But the mah
siddhas were then greatly extended in number, especially in
Vajray
na
, where a mah
siddha is one who has acquired the teachings of the Tantras and demonstrates this through great powers (iddhis).

 
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Mah
sth
mapr
pta
(‘One of great power’)
.

A Mah
y
na Buddhist
bodhisattva
, who opens people's sight to their need for liberation. He is especially associated with Amit
bha (
Amida
); with
Avalokite
vara
, the two appear frequently in representations as the helpers of Amit
bha, a kind of
trinity
of compassionate grace and liberation.