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Name

Description

Bonten
梵天

Dai Bontenno
(Great Heavenly
King Brahma)

Photo: Nara Era
Hōryū-ji Temple 法隆寺
(Nara)

Heaven Deva; Skt. = Brahmā or Sikhin; guards the upward direction; Hindi deity who created the universe, with four heads for overlooking each of the four directions (although often shown with only one). Also known as the universal soul, in contrast to the individual soul (atman). Bonten’s “vahana” is the wild goose. Four infinite virtues are attached to Bonten: (1) give others happiness; (2) remove their suffering; (3) help them see, thus freeing them from desire; (4) help them abandon attachment to love and hate to become impartial to all. One can attain rebirth in the Brahma Heaven, it is said, by practising these virtues. Bonten lives in the first of four meditation heavens, in the world of form, above Mount Sumeru; said to rule the “saha” (Sanskrit word for endurance and for the world of suffering); people in the saha world endure many sufferings caused by desire and three poisons -- greed, anger and foolishness. For another photo of Bonten, click here. 

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Taishakuten
帝釈天

Photo: Nara Era
Hōryū-ji Temple 法隆寺
(Nara)

East. Skt = Indra, Indira, or Sakradevanam. Indra is the Hindu god of war; Taishakuten is also represented at the center of the world when grouped with the Shitenno.

He governs the 32 other gods who live in Zenkenjo (Palace of Correct Views) in the Buddhist heaven (Trayastrimsha) on the peak of Mt. Sumeru

Worshipped in Japan, China and Tibet.

Click here for more about Taishakuten.   

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Bishamonten
毘沙門天

Also
known as
Tamonten 多聞天

Photo: Heian Era
Kurama-dera 鞍馬寺
(Kyoto)

North; Skt : Vaisravana, Vaishravana. Means “Listens to the Teachings of Buddha;” protects all locations where the Buddha preaches; lives halfway down northern side of Mount Sumeru; accompanied by the Yaksha and Raksha; also known as the god of war and warriors; usually clad in armor, with a spear in one hand and a pagoda in the other; the scourge of evil doers; one of the Four Guardians of Buddhism (Shitenno); one of Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods; pagoda he carries symbolizes the divine treasure house; he is both a protector of and dispenser of treasure (shares the pagoda’s vast treasures with only "the worthy").

See our Bishamonten page for more on this deity. Also see our Tamonten page.

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Katen

火天

Photo:
Heain Era Mask
10th century
Kyoto National Museum

Southeast; Fire Deva; Skt : Agni. God of fire, invoked in Shingon fire rituals (Agni homa ritual); carries messages to the gods in the flames and smoke of fire; often depicted as old man with stern facial expression.

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Enmaten
Emmaten
Emma

焔魔天

Photo: Kamakura Era
Hōshaku-ji Temple 宝積寺
(Kyoto)

South; Hell Deva; Skt : Yama or Yama-raja. King of the Underworld; chief judge in the afterlife; when a person dies, s/he must appear before Enma (and also before other judges), who decides whether the person is good or bad; the person is then sent to the most appropriate afterworld; among the judges of hell, Enma is the most important. For details and artwork of Enma, please see this Kyoto National Museum page. Or see Ten Kings / Judges of Hell for more details.

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Rasetsuten
Rasatsu
Rasetsu
Raksa
Raksasa
Rakshasa
Rakushasa

羅刹天


Photo: Kamakura Era
Masuda Family
Hell Scroll

Located at
Nara National Museum

Southwest (Note: direction unconfirmed). Skt = Raksa (male); Raksais, Rākṣasīs (female). Among Hindu demons, the Raksa torture and feed upon the flesh of the dead (those who were evil while living); like the Ashura, these creatures become guardian deities once introduced to Buddhism; right hand often holds a sword. The Rākṣasīs (female) are the demon daughters of Kariteimo (one of Japan's most widely known Yaksha, who was originally a child-devouring deity from Hindu lore named Hāritī, but she repents and coverts to Buddhism). Her ten rākṣasīs apparently have black powerful bodies and eat humans. They are also known as the Ten Cannibal Demon Daughters (Jūrasetsu-nyo 十羅刹女), especially important to Japan’s Nichiren sect. These 10 demon daughters utter dharanis (magical chants, spells, and incantations) and became guardian deities once introduced to Buddhism; they are listed in the Lotus Sutra. For more details on the Rasetsu, please see JAANUS.

Also, Bishamonten, the god who protects all places where the Buddha preaches, is guardian of the north, and he is accompanied by two classes of demons called Yaksha and Rasetsu (this page). The Beasts of Buddhist Hell are also known in Japan as "Gozu-Mezu" -- short for Gozu Rasetsu 牛頭羅刹 and Mezu Rasetsu 馬頭羅刹. With heads resembling those of ox / cows (Gozu 牛頭) and horses (Mezu 馬頭), they are said to torture and feed upon the flesh of the deceased (those who have committed sins and are thus in hell). The Rasetsu might be particularly monstrous Yaksha, or alternatively, the Yaksha might be Rasetsu who have pledged to serve the Deva as guardians of forests, villages, and towns. The iconography is unclear.  .

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Suiten

水天、水神、水王

Photo
Heian era 1127AD painting, Kyoto National Museum

West; Water Deva; Skt : Varuna. Among the oldest Vedic gods, Suiten is the personification of the heavens, and preserver of the universe; later becomes the lord of the Sun Gods, and still later the god of oceans and rivers. Please visit the Kyoto National Museum for details and photo of this deity, or click here for other Japanese manifestations of Suiten. See our page on SUITEN for more details. .

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Fūten, Futen, Fuuten
Fūjin, Fujin, Fuujin

風天

Photo:
Heain Era Mask
10th century
Kyoto National Museum

Northwest; Wind Deva. Sanskrit = Vayu, Anila, Gandhavaha. Typically appears as a elderly person, with white hair, red body armor, and holding a scepter of the wind in the right hand. The term “Futen-goshin-gassho” refers to a hand sign (mudra) in esoteric Buddhist practices, acheived by creating a "ring" with the index finger and the thumb. Fūten is also one of the Guardians of the Eight Directions (Happōten 八方天) and is also identified with Fūjin 風神 (God of Wind) -- the latter is one of the 28 Legions protecting the 1000-Armed Kannon.

Says Soothill: Vāyu. One of the twelve celestials 十二天. Originally the Indian god of wind, a deity who brings good fortune, posterity, and longevity. In Buddhism Vāyu becomes one of the guardian deities, included in the Garbhadhātu maṇḍala in the form of an old man. Transliterated as 嚩庾, 縛臾, 婆庾, 婆牖, and 伐由. Also translated as 風神 and 風大神. (Skt. Vāyu-daivata, Vāta; Pali Vāyu) 〔大日經 T 848.18.23b12〕 

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Ishanaten
Ishana
Daijizaiten

伊舎那天

Also known as
Jizai Ten 自在天

Northeast; Skt : Isana; said to live in the sixth, or highest, heaven of the world of desire; in right hand, often holds a three-pronged spear (trident), and in his left a bowl of blood (see painting at Kyoto National Museum); Ishana is an obscure dikpala (a god who guards one of the eight directions), whose name simply means "the Lord." Also one of the eight manifestations of Shiva.

Also known, in Japan, as Daijizaiten 大自在天, which is the translation of Sanskrit Mahesvara (also transliterated as Makeishura 摩醯首羅), one of the many names of Shiva (Siva), who, along with Brahma (Bonten 梵天) and Visnu is one of the three chief gods of Hinduism. Daijizaiten was adopted into Buddhism as a protector of the Buddhist teachings and became one of the "Twelve Deva" (this page). In this context he appears under the name Ishana 伊舎那. According to the traditions of Esoteric Buddhism, before becoming a Buddhist tutelary deity Daijizaiten was first vanquished by Gouzanze Myou-ou 降三世明王, the conqueror of earthly desires. As a result he and his consort Uma 烏摩 (Skt: Uma) often appear in representations of Gouzanze, who is shown trampling them underfoot. Gigeiten 技芸天, a minor deity in Japan and patroness of the arts, is believed to have been born from Daijizaiten’s hairline. <above Daijizaiten text adapted from JAANUS>..

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Jiten
 Chiten
Kenrochijin
地天

Photo
12th century, Wood
Yōgōji Temple
(Kyoto)

Earth Deva; Skt : Prthivi.
Guards the downward direction; god of the earth. Jiten's counterpart is Bonten (Brahman), who guards the upward direction.

Says Soothill: The earth devā, one of the four with thunderbolts in the Vajradhātu group; also 地后 the earth devā in the Garbhadhātu group and 地神. (Skt. Dig-devatā, Pṛthivī-devatā) 〔瑜伽論 T 1579.30.302c7〕 

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Nitten
Dai Nittenno
Nikko

日天

Photo: Nara Era.
Treasure of
Tōdai-ji Temple 東大寺
(Nara)

Sun Deva; Skt : Surya, Aditya
Great Heavenly Sun King, a Hindu god adopted into Buddhism as a protector; said to be a subject of Taishakuten.

See also Yakushi Nyorai, who is almost always flanked by Nikko and Gakko.

Nikko = Suryaprabha
Gakko=Candraprabha

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Gatten
Gakko

月天

Photo:
Modern bust of Gakko
Courtesy this site

Moon Deva; Skt : Candra
Appears as a Bodhisattva; often depicted riding a white goose; Gatten sometimes holds a half moon with a rabbit in it

See also Yakushi Nyorai, who is almost always flanked by Nikko and Gakko.

Nikko = Suryaprabha
Gakko=Candraprabha