Other
Gods of War and Peace
In Asia gods of war have been venerated for centuries.
Below you will find other examples of Shinto, Buddhist
and Taoist gods of war.
Bishamonten
In
Japan, Bishamonten, or just Bishamon, is the Shinto armor-
clad god of warfare or warriors and a
punisher of evildoers. Bishamon is portrayed
holding a spear in one hand and a small pagoda
in the other hand, the latter symbolizing the divine treasure
house, whose contents he both guards and gives away.
In Shinto beliefs, he is one of the Japanese Seven gods
of Fortune. Bishamon is also called Tamonten,
meaning "listening to many teachings"
because he is the guardian of the places where
Buddha preaches. He lives half way down the side of
Mount Sumeru. (Wikipedia)
Fudo
Myo-o (Buddhist, Japanese)
Fudo
Myo-o or Acala (Sanskrit) is the destroyer of delusion and
the protector of Buddhism. His immovability refers to his
ability to remain unmoved by carnal temptations. Despite
his fearsome appearance, his role is to aid all beings by
showing them the teachings of the Buddha, leading them into
self-control. He is seen as a protector and aide in attaining
goals. Temples dedicated to Acala perform a periodic fire
ritual in devotion to him. (Wikipedia)
In
Shingo Buddhism or Esoteric Buddhism which was very popular
in Okinawa the Myo-o are considered warlike emanations of
the Cosmic Buddha or Dainichi Nyorai and they represent
the luminescent wisdom of the Buddha, and guard the four
cardinal directions and the centre. They are also known
as a personification and the messengers of Dainichi's wrath
against evil and ignorance. His furious, glaring face, converts
anger into salvation. He carries "kurikara" or
devil-subduing sword in right hand (which also represents
wisdom cutting through ignorance); and holds rope in left
hand (to catch and bind up demons). He is often portrayed
having the third eye in the forehead (all-seeing) and is
seen either seated or standing on rock (because Fudo is
"immovable" in his faith). This relates to the
idealism of Fudoshin, or immovable mind which is a desirable
state of mind for the martial artist.
TOP
Page
1
2 3
