A Wisdom King (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: विद्याराज;
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...
: ''Vidyārāja'', ) is a type of
wrathful deity
In Buddhism, wrathful deities or fierce deities are the fierce, wrathful or forceful (Tibetan: ''trowo'', Sanskrit: ''krodha'') forms (or "aspects", "manifestations") of enlightened Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Devas (divine beings); normally the sam ...
in
East Asian Buddhism
East Asian Buddhism or East Asian Mahayana is a collective term for the schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed across East Asia which follow the Chinese Buddhist canon. These include the various forms of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vi ...
.
Whereas the Sanskrit name is translated literally as "wisdom / knowledge king(s)," the term ''
vidyā'' in
Vajrayana Buddhism
Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...
is also specifically used to denote
mantras
A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...
; the term may thus also be rendered "mantra king(s)." ''Vidyā'' is translated in Chinese with the character
明 (lit. "bright, radiant", figuratively "knowledge(able), wisdom, wise"), leading to a wide array of alternative translations such as "bright king(s)" or "radiant king(s)". A similar category of fierce deities known as
Heruka
:''Heruka is also a name for the deity of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra.''
''Heruka'' (Sanskrit; Tibetan: ), is the name of a category of wrathful deities, enlightened beings in Vajrayana Buddhism that adopt a fierce countenance to benefit sentient ...
s are found in
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
.
The female counterparts of Wisdom Kings are known as Wisdom Queens (Sanskrit (IAST): ''Vidyārājñī'', Chinese: 明妃, ''Míngfēi'', Japanese: ''Myōhi'').
Overview
Development
![Dazu-Baoding Shan-304-No21-2012-gje](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Dazu-Baoding_Shan-304-No21-2012-gje.jpg)
''Vidyārājas'', as their name suggests, are originally conceived of as the guardians and personifications of esoteric wisdom (''vidyā''), namely
mantras
A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...
and
dharani
Dharanis (IAST: ), also known as ''Parittas'', are Buddhist chants, mnemonic codes, incantations, or recitations, usually the mantras consisting of Sanskrit or Pali phrases. Believed to be protective and with powers to generate merit for the Bud ...
s. They were seen as embodying the mystic power contained in these sacred utterances.
During the early stages of esoteric (Vajrayana) Buddhism, many of the deities that would become known as ''vidyārājas'' (a term that only came into use around the late 7th-early 8th century) were mainly seen as attendants of
bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
s who were invoked for specific ends such as the removal of misfortune and obstacles to
enlightenment. They personified certain attributes of these bodhisattvas such as their wisdom or the power of their voices and were held to perform various tasks such as gathering together sentient beings to whom the bodhisattva preaches, subjugating unruly elements, or protecting adherents of Buddhism. Eventually, these divinities became objects of veneration in their own right; no longer necessarily paired with a bodhisattva, they became considered as the manifestations of the bodhisattvas themselves and/or of
buddhas, who are believed to assume terrifying forms as a
means
Means may refer to:
* Means LLC, an anti-capitalist media worker cooperative
* Means (band), a Christian hardcore band from Regina, Saskatchewan
* Means, Kentucky, a town in the US
* Means (surname)
* Means Johnston Jr. (1916–1989), US Navy adm ...
to save sentient beings out of
compassion
Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as being sensitive to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based on n ...
for them. A belief prevalent in the Japanese tradition known as the ''sanrinjin'' (三輪身, "bodies of the three wheels") theory for instance posits that five Wisdom Kings are the fierce incarnations (教令輪身, ''kyōryōrin-shin'', lit. "embodiments of the wheel of injunction") of the
Five Wisdom Buddhas
5 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
5, five or number 5 may also refer to:
* AD 5, the fifth year of the AD era
* 5 BC, the fifth year before the AD era
Literature
* ''5'' (visual novel), a 2008 visual novel by Ram
* ''5'' (comics), an awa ...
, who appear both as gentle bodhisattvas who teach the Dharma through compassion and as terrifying ''vidyārājas'' who teach through fear, shocking nonbelievers into faith.
The evolution of the ''vidyārāja'' will be illustrated here by the deity
Yamāntaka
Yamāntaka ( sa, यमान्तक Yamāntaka) or Vajrabhairava (; ; ko, 대위덕명왕 ''Daewideok-myeongwang''; ja, 大威徳明王 ''Daiitoku-myōō''; mn, Эрлэгийн Жаргагчи ''Erlig-jin Jarghagchi'') is the "destroyer of ...
, one of the earliest Buddhist wrathful deities. In the 6th century text ''
Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa
The ''AryaMañjuśrīmūlakalpa'' or ''Arya-Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa'' is a text of the Kriyā-tantra class. It is affiliated with the bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit= ...
'', Yamāntaka is portrayed as the oath-bound servant of the bodhisattva
Mañjuśrī
Mañjuśrī (Sanskrit: मञ्जुश्री) is a ''bodhisattva'' associated with '' prajñā'' (wisdom) in Mahāyāna Buddhism. His name means "Gentle Glory" in Sanskrit. Mañjuśrī is also known by the fuller name of Mañjuśrīkumārab ...
who assembles all beings from across the world to hear the Buddha's preaching and vanquishes (and converts) those who are hostile to Buddhism; at the same time, Yamāntaka is also the personification of Mañjuśrī's dharani, the benefits of which are identical to his abilities. He was also commonly depicted in statuary along with Mañjuśrī as a diminutive
yaksha
The yakshas ( sa, यक्ष ; pi, yakkha, i=yes) are a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in ...
-like attendant figure.
![Dai Itoku Myoo Yamantaka Toji](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Dai_Itoku_Myoo_Yamantaka_Toji.JPG)
Later, as Yamāntaka and similar subordinates of various bodhisattvas (e.g.
Hayagrīva, who was associated with
Avalokiteśvara
In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being Padmapāṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...
) became fully independent deities, they began to be portrayed by themselves and increasingly acquired iconographic attributes specific to each. Yamāntaka for instance is commonly shown with six heads, arms, and legs and riding or standing on a
buffalo mount
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
. The status and function of these deities have shifted from being minor emissaries who gather together and intimidate recalcitrant beings to being intimately involved in the primary task of esoteric Buddhism: the transformation of passions and ignorance (''
avidyā'') into compassion and wisdom. As a result of this development, the relationship between Mañjuśrī and Yamāntaka was recontextualized such that Yamāntaka is now considered to be the incarnation of Mañjuśrī himself (so the ''
Mañjuśrī-nāma-samgīti''). Eventually, in the ''sanrinjin'' interpretation of Japanese esoteric Buddhism, both Yamāntaka and Mañjuśrī - under the name 'Vajratīkṣṇa' (Japanese: 金剛利菩薩, ''Kongōri Bosatsu'') - became classified as avatars of the buddha
Amitābha
Amitābha ( sa, अमिताभ, IPA: ), also known as Amitāyus, is the primary Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism. In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is known for his longevity, discernment, pure perception, purification of aggregates, and deep awarene ...
.
Other Wisdom Kings followed a more or less similar development. Hayagrīva, for example, was originally the horse-headed incarnation of the
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
god
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
which was adopted into Buddhism as Avalokiteśvara's attendant (although unlike the Hindu
Hayagrīva, the Buddhist figure was never portrayed with a horse's head, instead being depicted like Yamāntaka as a yaksha who may have a miniature horse head emerging from his hair). Eventually, as Hayagrīva increasingly rose to prominence, the distinction between him and his superior became increasingly blurred so that he ultimately turned into one of Avalokiteśvara's many guises in both China and Japan. One of the more famous ''vidyārājas'',
Acala
or Achala ( sa, अचल, "The Immovable", ), also known as (, "Immovable Lord") or (, "Noble Immovable Lord"), is a wrathful deity and ''dharmapala'' (protector of the Dharma) prominent in Vajrayana Buddhism and East Asian Buddhism., Jp. re ...
(Acalanātha), was originally an acolyte or messenger of the buddha
Vairocana
Vairocana (also Mahāvairocana, sa, वैरोचन) is a cosmic buddha from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Vairocana is often interpreted, in texts like the ''Avatamsaka Sutra'', as the dharmakāya of the historical Gautama Buddha. In East ...
before he was interpreted as Vairocana's fierce aspect or ''kyōryōrin-shin'' in the Japanese tradition. (In Nepal and Tibet, meanwhile, he is instead identified as the incarnation of either Mañjuśrī or the buddha
Akṣobhya
Akshobhya ( sa, अक्षोभ्य, ''Akṣobhya'', "Immovable One"; ) is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, a product of the Adibuddha, who represents consciousness as an aspect of reality. By convention he is located in the east of the Di ...
.
)
Iconography
The iconography of Buddhist wrathful deities are usually considered to be derived from both
yaksha
The yakshas ( sa, यक्ष ; pi, yakkha, i=yes) are a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in ...
imagery and
Shaivite
Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...
iconography, specifically from the wrathful forms of the Hindu god
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
(e.g.
Bhairava
Bhairava (Sanskrit: भैरव ) or Kala Bhairava is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshiped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva associated with annihilation. In Trika system ''Bhairava ...
).
Wisdom Kings are usually represented as fierce-looking, often with blue or black skin and multiple heads, arms, and legs. They hold various weapons in their hands and are sometimes adorned with
skulls
The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, the ...
,
snakes or animal skins and wreathed in flames. This fiery aura is symbolically interpreted as the fire that purifies the practitioner and transforms one's
passions
''Passions'' is an American television soap opera that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1999, to September 7, 2007, and on DirecTV's The 101 Network from September 17, 2007, to August 7, 2008. Created by screenwriter James E. Reilly and pro ...
into awakening, the so-called "fire ''
samadhi
''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...
''" (火生三昧, Japanese: ''kashō-zanmai'').
Certain ''vidyārājas'' bear attributes that reflect
the historical rivalry between Hinduism and Buddhism. For instance, the Wisdom King
Trailokyavijaya
Trailokyavijaya (Vajrayana, , Japanese: Gōzanze Myō-ō; Korean: Hangsamse Myeongwang) is the King of knowledge having conquered the three worlds, one of the five kings of knowledge of Buddhism. His mission is to protect the eastern part of th ...
is shown defeating and trampling on the
deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
Maheśvara
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...
(one of the Buddhist analogues to Shiva) and his consort Umā (
Pārvatī
Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi in ...
). A commentary on the ''
Mahavairocana Tantra
Vairocana (also Mahāvairocana, sa, वैरोचन) is a cosmic buddha from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Vairocana is often interpreted, in texts like the '' Avatamsaka Sutra'', as the dharmakāya of the historical Gautama Buddha. In Eas ...
'' by the
Tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
monk
Yi Xing
Yi Xing (, 683–727), born Zhang Sui (), was a Chinese astronomer, Buddhist monk, inventor, mathematician, mechanical engineer, and philosopher during the Tang dynasty. His astronomical celestial globe featured a liquid-driven escapement, the ...
meanwhile attributes the taming of Maheśvara to another ''vidyārāja'', Acala. Acala himself is sometimes shown trampling on an elephant-headed demon/deity
who may share a common origin with the Hindu
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...
named Vighnarāja (the "Lord of Obstacles") in
Tibetan art
The vast majority of surviving Tibetan art created before the mid-20th century is religious, with the main forms being thangka, paintings on cloth, mostly in a technique described as gouache or distemper, Tibetan Buddhist wall paintings, and sma ...
.
List of Wisdom Kings
The Five Wisdom Kings
In
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
and Japanese (
Shingon
file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...
and
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...
) esoteric Buddhism, the Five Great Wisdom Kings (五大明王, Jp. ''Godai Myōō''; Ch. ''Wǔ Dà Míngwáng''), also known as the Five Guardian Kings, are a group of ''vidyārājas'' who are considered to be both the fierce emanations of the
Five Wisdom Buddhas
5 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
5, five or number 5 may also refer to:
* AD 5, the fifth year of the AD era
* 5 BC, the fifth year before the AD era
Literature
* ''5'' (visual novel), a 2008 visual novel by Ram
* ''5'' (comics), an awa ...
and the guardians of Buddhist doctrine. Organized according to the five directions (the
four cardinal points plus the center), the Five Kings are usually defined as follows:
*
Acala / Acalanātha (不動明王; Jp. ''Fudō Myōō''; Ch. 不動明王, ''Bùdòng Míngwáng'') - Manifestation of
Mahāvairocana, associated with the center
*
Trailokyavijaya
Trailokyavijaya (Vajrayana, , Japanese: Gōzanze Myō-ō; Korean: Hangsamse Myeongwang) is the King of knowledge having conquered the three worlds, one of the five kings of knowledge of Buddhism. His mission is to protect the eastern part of th ...
(降三世明王; Jp. ''Gōzanze Myōō''; Ch. ''Xiángsānshì Míngwáng'') - Manifestation of
Akṣobhya
Akshobhya ( sa, अक्षोभ्य, ''Akṣobhya'', "Immovable One"; ) is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, a product of the Adibuddha, who represents consciousness as an aspect of reality. By convention he is located in the east of the Di ...
, associated with the east
*
Kuṇḍali / Amṛtakuṇḍalin (軍荼利明王, Jp. ''Gundari Myōō''; Ch. ''Jūntúlì Míngwáng'') - Manifestation of
Ratnasambhava
Ratnasambhava ( sa, रत्नसम्भव, lit. "Jewel-Born") is one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas (or "Five Meditation Buddhas") of Mahayana and Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism. Ratnasambhava's mandalas and mantras focus on developing equanimity ...
, associated with the south
*
Yamāntaka
Yamāntaka ( sa, यमान्तक Yamāntaka) or Vajrabhairava (; ; ko, 대위덕명왕 ''Daewideok-myeongwang''; ja, 大威徳明王 ''Daiitoku-myōō''; mn, Эрлэгийн Жаргагчи ''Erlig-jin Jarghagchi'') is the "destroyer of ...
(大威徳明王; Jp. ''Daiitoku Myōō''; Ch. ''Dàwēidé Míngwáng'') - Manifestation of
Amitābha
Amitābha ( sa, अमिताभ, IPA: ), also known as Amitāyus, is the primary Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism. In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is known for his longevity, discernment, pure perception, purification of aggregates, and deep awarene ...
, associated with the west
*
Vajrayakṣa (金剛夜叉明王, Jp. ''Kongōyasha Myōō''; Ch. ''Jīngāng Yèchā Míngwáng'') - Manifestation of
Amoghasiddhi
Amoghasiddhi (Devanagari: अमोघसिद्धि}) is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas of the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism. He is associated with the accomplishment of the Buddhist path and of the destruction of the poison o ...
, associated with the north in the Shingon school
**
Ucchuṣma (烏枢沙摩明王; Jp. ''Ususama Myōō''; Ch. ''Wūshūshāmó Míngwáng'') - Associated with the north in the Tendai school
The Eight Wisdom Kings
In
Chinese Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism or Han Buddhism ( zh, s=汉传佛教, t=漢傳佛教, p=Hànchuán Fójiào) is a Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism which has shaped Chinese culture in a wide variety of areas including art, politics, literature, philosophy, ...
, the Eight Great Wisdom Kings (八大明王; pinyin: ''Bā Dà Míngwáng''), is another grouping of Wisdom Kings that is depicted in statues, mural art and paintings. The acknowledged canonical source of the grouping of eight is the ''Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa'', the Chinese translation of which (大方廣菩薩藏文殊舍利根本儀軌經; ''Dà fāngguǎng Púsà Zàng Wénshūshèlì Gēnběn Yíguǐ Jīng'', lit. "The Fundamental Ordinance of Mañjuśrī") in about 980-1000 CE is attributed to the monk Tianxizai, who is possibly the north Indian
Shantideva
Shantideva (Sanskrit: Śāntideva; ; ; mn, Шантидэва гэгээн; vi, Tịch Thiên) was an 8th-century CE Indian philosopher, Buddhist monk, poet, and scholar at the mahavihara of Nalanda. He was an adherent of the Mādhyamaka philo ...
. Each of the Wisdom Kings correspond to one of the
Eight Great Bodhisattvas zh/nowiki> in Chinese Buddhism as well as to a specific compass direction.
The Eight Wisdom Kings, with exceptions in certain lists, are usually defined as:
* Acala - Manifestation of the bodhisattva
Sarvanivāraṇaviṣkambhin, associated with the north-east
* Kuṇḍali - Manifestation of the bodhisattva
Ākāśagarbha
Ākāśagarbha (, Standard Tibetan ''Namkha'i Nyingpo'', Vietnamese ''Hư Không Tạng Bồ Tát'') is a bodhisattva in Chinese, Japanese and Korean Buddhism who is associated with the great element (''mahābhūta'') of space ( ''ākāśa''). ...
, associated with the north-west
* Trailokyavijaya - Manifestation of the bodhisattva
Vajrapāṇi
(Sanskrit; Pali: Vajirapāṇi, meaning, "Vajra in ishand") is one of the earliest-appearing bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power.
Vajrapāni is also c ...
, associated with the south-east
*
Mahācakra (大輪明王; Ch. ''Dàlún Míngwáng)'' - Manifestation of the bodhisattva
Maitreya
Maitreya (Sanskrit: ) or Metteyya (Pali: ), also Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha, is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. As the 5th and final Buddha of the current kalpa, Maitreya's teachings will be aimed at ...
, associated with the south-west
*
Padanakṣipa (步擲明王; Ch. ''Bùzhì Míngwáng'') - Manifestation of the bodhisattva
Samantabhadra Samantabhadra (Lit. "All Good", or "Always Auspicious") may refer to:
* Samantabhadra (Bodhisattva), a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with practice and meditation
* ''Samantabhadra'' (Tibetan: ''Kuntu Zangpo''), the name of a Buddha, ...
, associated with the north
*
Aparājita (無能勝明王; Ch. ''Wúnéngshēng Míngwáng)'' - Manifestation of the bodhisattva
Kṣitigarbha
Kṣitigarbha ( sa, क्षितिगर्भ, , bo, ས་ཡི་སྙིང་པོ་ Wylie: ''sa yi snying po'') is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism and usually depicted as a Buddhist monk. His name may be tr ...
, associated with the south
*Yamāntaka - Manifestation of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, associated with the east
*Hayagrīva (馬頭觀音; Ch. ''Mǎtóu Guānyīn'') - Manifestation of the bodhisattva
Avalokiteśvara
In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being Padmapāṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...
(
Guanyin
Guanyin () is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara ( sa, अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She ...
), associated with the west
The Ten Wisdom Kings
![Dazu 2007 774](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Dazu_2007_774.jpg)
Another grouping found in certain Chinese depictions is the Ten Great Wisdom Kings (十大明王; ''Shí Dà Míngwáng''). The acknowledged canonical source of the grouping is from ''The Sutra of the Liturgy for Brilliant Contemplation of the Ten Wrathful Wisdom Kings of the Illusory Net of the Great Yoga Teachings'' (佛說幻化網大瑜伽教十忿怒明王大明觀想儀軌經; ''Fóshuō Huànhuàwǎng Dà yújiājiào Shífènnù Míngwáng Dàmíng Guānxiǎng Yíguǐ Jīng)''. There are several different groupings of the ten Kings, which differ in the removal and addition of certain ''vidyārājas'', as well as attributing some Kings to different buddhas and bodhisattvas. In medieval and modern Chinese Buddhist practice, the Ten Kings are regularly invoked in repentance ceremonies, such as the
Liberation Rite of Water and Land
The Liberation Rite of Water and Land () is a Chinese Buddhist ritual performed by temples and presided over by high monks. The service is often credited as one of the greatest rituals in Chinese Buddhism, as it is also the most elaborate and requ ...
, where they are offered offerings and entreated to expel evil from the ritual platform.
One version of the list of Ten Wisdom Kings are as follows:
* Acala - Manifestation of Sarvanivāraṇaviṣkambhin
* Trailokyavijaya - Manifestation of Vajrapani
*Mahācakra - Manifestation of Maitreya
*Padanakṣipa - Manifestation of Samantabhadra
*Aparājita - Manifestation of Kṣitigarbha
*Yamāntaka - Manifestation of Amitābha
*Hayagrīva - Manifestation of Avalokiteśvara
*
Vajrahāsa (大笑明王; Ch. ''Dàxiào Míngwáng'') - Manifestation of Ākāśagarbha
*Ucchuṣma (穢跡金剛明王; Ch. ''Huìjì Jīngāng Míngwáng'', lit. "Vajra Being of Impure Traces") - Manifestation of
Śakyamuni
*Ucchuṣma (?) (火頭金剛明王; Ch. ''Huǒtóu Jīngāng Míngwáng'', lit. "Fire-Headed Vajra Being") - Manifestation of Mahāvairocana
Another version of the list identifies the ten Kings with different buddhas and bodhisattvas:
*Acala - Sarvanivāraṇaviṣkambhin
*Kuṇḍali - Amitābha
*Trailokyavijaya - Vajrapāṇi
*Mahācakra - Maitreya
*Padanakṣipa - Samantabhadra
*Aparājita - Kṣitigarbha
*Yamāntaka - Mañjuśrī
*Hayagrīva - Avalokiteśvara
*Vajrahāsa - Ākāśagarbha
*
Mahābala (大力明王; Ch, ''Dàlì Míngwáng'') - Śakyamuni
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
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File:Ming dynasty mural of Mahabala (大力明王; Dali Mingwang), one out of Ten Wisdom Kings (十大明王), in Dayun Temple (浑源大云寺), Hunyuan, Datong, Shanxi, China.jpg,
(大力明王; ''Dàlì Míngwáng'')
File:Ming Dynasty mural of Hayagriva (馬頭觀音; 马头观音; Matou) and Acala (不動明王;不动明王; Budong), two of Ten Wisdom Kings (十大明王), in Dayun Temple (浑源大云寺), Hunyuan, Datong, Shanxi, China.jpg,
(''Bùdòng Míngwáng'') on the right
File:Ming Dynasty mural of Mahacakra (大輪明王; 大轮明王; Dalun Mingwang) and Yamantaka (大威德明王; Daweide Mingwang), two of Ten Wisdom Kings (十大明王), in Dayun Temple (浑源大云寺), Hunyuan, Datong, Shanxi, China.jpg,
(''Dàwēidé Míngwáng'') on the right
File:Ming Dynasty mural of Aparajita (無能勝明王; 无能胜明王) and Padanaksipa (步擲明王;步掷明王), two of Ten Wisdom Kings (十大明王), in Dayun Temple (浑源大云寺), Hunyuan, Datong, Shanxi, China.jpg,
(''Bùzhì Míngwáng'') on the right
File:Ming Dynasty mural of Vajrahasa (大笑明王; Daxiao Mingwang) and Kundali (軍荼利明王; 军荼利明王; Juntuli Mingwang), two of Ten Wisdom Kings (十大明王), in Dayun Temple (浑源大云寺), Hunyuan, Datong, Shanxi, China.jpg,
(''Jūntúlì Míngwáng'') on the right
File:Ming dynasty mural of Trailokyavijaya (降三世明王; Xiangsanshi Mingwang), one out of Ten Wisdom Kings (十大明王), in Dayun Temple (浑源大云寺), Hunyuan, Datong, Shanxi, China.jpg,
(愛染明王; Ch. ''Àirǎn Míngwáng''; Jp. ''Aizen Myōō'') - A ''vidyaraja'' considered to transform worldly lust and sexual passion into spiritual awakening; manifestation of the bodhisattva
(大元帥明王; Ch. ''Dàyuánshuài Míngwáng''; Jp. ''Daigensui Myōō'' or 大元明王, ''Daigen Myōō'') - A yaksha attendant of the
(孔雀明王; Ch. ''Kǒngquè Míngwáng''; Jp. ''Kujaku Myōō'') - A Wisdom Queen (''vidyārājñī''); sometimes also classified as a bodhisattva. Unlike most other ''vidyārājas'', s/he is depicted with a benevolent expression.
*Mahākrodharāja (大可畏明王; Ch. ''Dàkěwèi Míngwáng''; Jp. ''Daikai Myōō'') - Attendant or manifestation of Amoghapasha (不空羂索観音; Ch. ''Bùkōng Juànsuǒ Guānyīn''; Jp. ''Fukū Kensaku/Kenjaku Kannon''), one of Avalokiteshvara's forms.
*Sadākṣara (六字明王; Ch. ''Liùzì Míngwáng''; Jp. ''Rokuji Myōō'') - A deification of the Sadākṣara (Six-Letter) Sutra Ritual (六字経法; Jp. ''Rokuji-kyō hō''), a rite of subjugation focused on the
of Avalokiteshvara. Unlike other Wisdom Kings but like Mahamayuri, he sports a gentle bodhisattva-like countenance and is shown with four or six arms and standing on one leg.
Examples of depictions of the Eight Wisdom Kings can be found at:
* Cliff reliefs and rock carvings at