Bishamon

Of interest is the shrine enshrining 10,000 images of Kannon. Also of interest is the thousand-year-old Keyaki tree and the large statue in front of the main gate of Ushi-oni . Legend states that in the 16th century, a devil animal with an ox head and a body like a fox appeared frequently on this plateau and scared the local people. A brave samurai named Kurando Yamada, an archery expert, shot the devil, cut off its head, and brought it to the temple in memory of the dead devil. The people called the animal Ushi-oni and believed that it had the power to purge an evil force.

In Taoist belief, he is conflated with the god Li Jing, whose iconography incorporates many of Vaiśravaṇa's characteristics, such as carrying a pagoda. Sometimes shown holding a mongoose, representing victory over the Naga . Kangiten is regarded as protector of temples and worshipped generally by gamblers, actors, geishas and people in the business of “pleasure“.

Try researching each one and see which deity you connect with the most. You can even meditate over their images to see which one speaks to you. Bishamonten is considered to be a protective warrior God, believed to be able to protect you from evil. Mantras are not used as a special meditative device in Japan in Zen temples/monasteries. First group are mantras of different dieties, like Mahakala, Vaishravana-Bishamonten, Idaten etc. and those are protection dieties with their corresponding mantras. The other group belongs to buddhas/bodhisattvas with which given monastery or temple has some connection.

Her sleeves are detached and are white and black in the entirety. Her gauntlets are longer than the other CPUs with it covering the majority of her forearms with ease. Especially in the Shingon tradition that gives some place and worth to this hybrid character of Bishamon although most Mahayana temples have Bishamon and her counterpart as guardians at the entrance gate. The Sanmayagyo symbol is a treasure club as well as a pagoda.

He is often shown holding the sun, moon, bow and arrows, a mirror, and has two hands in the Anjali mudra. The king of hunger, an ogre in perpetual anger, the king of quarrels. Of the three heads , the central head has a suffering expression, and the others appear angry.

Bishamonten is the scourge of evil doers, the black warrior, and one of Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods. This may have been the 88th temple, but it is not the end of the journey. What will you bring back and share with those awaiting your return?

One who is all knowing, one who hears everything in the kingdom, one who is always listening, 毘沙門天 completely versed in Buddha's teachings. Said to be the most powerful of the four Shitennō, with the other three serving as his vassals. Also the most popular and widely known of the four in Japan.

Therein, Jikokuten and Bishamonten pledge on behalf of all four to protect those who embrace the Lotus Sutra. Oldest extant statue of Tamonten is part of a set of four Shitennō statues possessed by Hōryūji Temple 法隆寺 in Nara that dates to the mid-7th Century. The skillful means provided by the puja, empowerment, and practice of the Dzambhalas work best with the right intention of developing bodhicitta to reach enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. All Dzambhalas are said to be the wealth giving form of Avalokitesvara, this means they originally emanated from Avalokitesvara or the Compassionate Buddha. Of interest here are the numerous crutches left by people who been miraculously cured during their pilgrimage.

In India Vaiśravaṇa was King of the North which also made him King of the Yakshas, the bringers of disease. His symbols were a banner, a mongoose and the color yellow. As best I can tell so far the mongoose never made it into the Japanese iconography of Bishamon. Below is a bronze sculpture of Jambhala (aka Vaiśravaṇa) said to date from the 17th century.