Hindu deities in Japan – Some Masterpieces from Ninnaji Temple
A veritable feast was arranged at Tokyo National Museum @ Ueno recently.
Treasures of Ninnaji, founded by Emperor Koko in 886 and which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were exhibited during this event.
Together with magnificent Buddhist sculptures, many treasures related to Esoteric ritual were presented during this occasion which are normally not accessible by the public.
Although photography was prohibited in general, it was a unique opportunity to experience the statues surroundings of Kannon hall that are seldom seen by the public.
The structure of the Kannon Hall is much similar to that of famous Sanjyusangendo in Kyoto.
Thousand armed Kannon (Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteshwar) in the middle, 28 guardian deities (Dharmapala) on both sides along with Varun and Vayyudev.
Thousand armed Kannon accompanied by Fudo Myo’o (Achlanatha) and Gozanze Myo’o (Trailokyavijaya) is an unusual combination found here..
It’s very interesting to see that how our Hindu deities have been transformed into this new avatars!
One more interesting aspect is some of these deities are no more worshiped in India now a days, but they were certainly been worshiped in the past at least till the time when this cultural transformation had happened..
Usually Japanese people know about Buddhist deities such as Benzaiten, Daikokuten, Taishakuten, Enmaten etc. but they rarely know about Hindu origin of these deities and their original names.
But as the original Sanskrit names of these deities were also mentioned (refer to below list) I hope that people who have visited this exhibition got aware of these interesting facts!
Raijin (वरूण) Varuna
Naraen Kengo’o (नारायण) Narayan
Magoragao (महोरग) Mahorag
Kinnarao (किन्नर) Kinnar
Gobujokyoten (यमर) Yamar
Kendatsubao (गंधर्व) Gandharv
Basu Sennin (वसु / वसिष्ठ) Vashishth
Mansen’o (पूर्णभद्र) Purna bhadra
Konjiki kujakuou (महामयुरी) mahamayuri
Sanshi Daisho (पंचक / संजय) Panchak/Sanjay
Hibakarao (विभाकर) Vibhakar
Shagara Ryuo (सागर) Sagar
Jikokuten (धार्तराष्ट्र) Dhartrashtra
Tamonten (वैश्रवण) Vaishravan
Bonten (ब्रह्मा) brahma
Gozanze Myo’o (त्रैलोक्यविजय) Traylokyavijay
Senju Kannon Bosatsu (सहस्त्रभुजा अवलोकितेश्वर) Sahastrabhuja avlokiteshwar
Fudo Myo’o (अचलनाथ) Achalnath
Komokuten (विरूपाक्ष) Virupaksh
Zochoten (विरूढक) Virudhak
Taishakuten (इंद्र) Indra
Konpirao (कुंभीर) Kumbhir
Ashurao (असुर) Asura
Daibenkudokuten (महाबाला) Mahabali
Mawaranyo (पृथ्वी) Prithvi (Earth)
Makeishurao (महेश्वर) Maheshwara
Manzenshao (पूर्णभद्र) Purna bhadra
Nanda Ryuo (नंद) Nand
Kondaio (मणिभद्र) Mani bhadra
Karurao (गरूड) Garuda
Misshaku Kongo Rikishi (वज्रधर) Vajradhar
Jinmoten (हरिती) Hariti
Fujin (वायू) Vayu