Eight Protectors of The Twelve Zodiac

Eight Protectors of The Twelve Zodiac are listed in the fourth volume of Butsuzōzui. In the illustrations, the Thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara is simplified to have four-armed.

Eight Protectors of The Twelve Zodiac (Japanese: 十二支の御守り本尊[1]), also known as the The Eight Guardian Deities (Chinese: 八大守护神), Hachi-tai Futsu (Japanese: 八体仏), are guardian deities of the twelve zodiac animals in Japanese esoteric Buddhism, based on the Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, Twelve Nidānas and Godai.[2] Although they are called guardian deities, they are actually Yidams. According to Japanese Buddhist customs, each person born in the year of their birth is guarded by the Buddha or Bodhisattva corresponding to their zodiac sign. For example, the guardian deity of those born in the Year of the Rabbit is Manjushri.[3] Each guardian deity has a corresponding seed syllables, direction, and earthly branch.

The Eight Guardian Deities are not mentioned in any traditional Buddhist scriptures. Besides Japan, they are also widely circulated in China Mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Their images or seed syllables are often made into amulets, jewelry, thangkas,[4] Thai amulets, and creative industries. The Eight Guardian Deities are also enshrined in the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, Singapore.[3]

List

Images Seed syllables Yidams Corresponding Chinese zodiac signs Direction

𑖮𑖿𑖨𑖱𑖾 / hrīḥ 		Thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara
Rat 		North

𑖝𑖿𑖨𑖯𑖾 / trāḥ 		Ākāśagarbha
Ox 		Northeast
Tiger

𑖦𑖼 / maṃ 		Mañjuśrī
Rabbit 		East

𑖀𑖼 / aṃ 		Samantabhadra
Dragon 		Southeast
Snake

𑖭𑖾 / saḥ 		Mahāsthāmaprāpta
Horse 		South

𑖪𑖼 / vaṃ 		Vairocana
Goat 		Southwest
Monkey

𑖮𑖯𑖼 / hāṃ 		Acalanātha
Rooster 		West

𑖮𑖿𑖨𑖱𑖾 / hrīḥ 		Amitābha
Dog 		Northwest
Pig

See also

References

  1. ^ "十二支の御守り本尊". Archived from the original on 2021-08-02.
  2. ^ "佛教密宗的八大守护神". 佛教导航. 2010-03-22. Archived from the original on 2024-09-15.
  3. ^ a b "十二生肖八大守护本尊". 新加坡佛牙寺龙华院. Archived from the original on 2024-09-15.
  4. ^ "桑杰本原创唐卡《十二生肖本命佛》获国家版权局版权保护". 凤凰佛教. 凤凰网佛教文化. 2019-09-18. Archived from the original on 2024-09-20.
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