Buddhist gods

諸天善神 ( Jpn shoten-zenjin ) Buddhist people don't refuge gods but they only ask help from gods. Lot of Buddhist gods can be attracted to you by mind requesting. If they take your requesting into consider, they will show it by dream or some sign. These dreams can be see by you or your family member who has best precepts. Then you need to transfer merit for that god by doing big merit work by yourself. Lord Buddha said practicing of - devotion to triple gem, observe five precepts, dharma learning, donations & develop wisdom help to born in own desired heavens. Among these six heavens, Tusita heaven is special heaven where have only real Buddhist gods, goddesses and Bodhisattva gods.

 Also their have 20 great heavens called as Brahma Loka, which have life time more than 9216 million years. To born in Brahma Loka we need to achieve contemplation or jhana or smadhi in deep meditation.
  
Here had given names of those 20 Brahma Loka :
     
Servants of Brahma (brahma parisajja deva), Ministers of Brahma (brahma purohita deva), Great Brahmas (maha brahma), Brahmas of Small Radiance (parittabha deva), Brahmas of Infinitive Radiance (appamanabha deva), Brahmas of Streaming Radiance (abhassara deva), Brahmas of Small Glory (parittasubha deva), Brahmas of Infinitive Glory (appamanasubha deva), Brahmas of Refulgent Glory (subhakinna deva), Brahmas of Very Fruitful (vehapphala deva),
Brahmas of not Falling Away (aviha deva), Untroubled Brahmas (atappa deva), Beautiful Brahmas (sudassa deva), Clear-sighted Brahmas (sudassi deva), Brahmas of Non-junior (akanittha deva), Infinite Space (akasanañcayatanupaga deva), Infinite Consciousness (viññanañcayatanupaga deva), Unconscious beings (asaññasatta), Nothingness (akiñcaññayatanupaga deva), Neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññanasaññayatanupaga deva).


Satarawaram gods : Four main gods rule in four directions of the world & four inhuman types from Heaven of four region or Caturr Maha Rajika. These four gods also called as Satarawaram gods and stay under rules of god Shakra Devandra. These four gods separate some devil leaders for protect virtuous Buddhist people.

Dutarathta (East) rules Gandrawa,
Virullha (South) rules Ghosts,
Virupakka (West) rules Naga &
Vaishravana - Kuwera (North) rules Devils.
  
Below we discuss some other Buddhist gods who are detailed in Sutra Pitakaya.

    Brahma Gods : Brahma Sahampathi god who lives in Brahma Loka, enlightened into Anagami state in Kasapa Lord Buddha's time and helped to our Gautama Buddha. People who do meditation can get attraction of this god. Also this god good for ask help for education. Another Brahma god is Sanath Kumara who lives in Brahma Loka, help to our Buddha's Bodhisattva times. He is main Dharma talker or adviser in six heavens. Tissa Brahma is another god who helping us to understand Buddhist sutra and advanced Buddhist teachings. He became Anagami state from our Lord Buddha's time, because his past life he stayed as educated monk. Gatikara Brahma is Amagami god who was close friend of our Buddha's bodhisattva time. He also helps to Buddhist people.
       
    Pure Land Gods : Suddhavaso deva are gods who attain Anagami (none returning to lust worlds) and Arahant states whose help to Buddhist people. They are real gods who take care Dharma and honest Buddhist people. These gods have huge number of lifetimes and many powers than any gods. Mainly these gods help to Buddhist people who work hard for attain path and fruition of Buddhism toward Nibbana. These gods finished their spiritual path into final level and always look at human world for support noble followers and seers. There have five pure land Brahma Lokas called as - Aviha deva, Atappa deva, Sudassa deva, Sudassi deva and Akanittha deva.
        
    Sakkra Devandra : Main god of both Tawatimsa & Caturmaha-Rajika heavens. Sometimes looks at human world & helps to virtuous Buddhist people. This god was became soovan state (stream-enterer), so sometimes comes as poor beggar to check our precepts. This god takes decisions related to human world than other gods.
       
    Kuwera or Vissawana : Leader of Yakka group among Satarawaram gods, sometimes helps to poor people who stay with Buddhism. He gives permission to his servants (devils) or low power gods to say future prediction in Devala. This action called as giving -waram. Our kings time, people keep Bara for get wealth and money form help of Kuwara god. Said to be good talker but also said cruel god. People who do businesses can ask help from this god for develop wealth & success in their firms.
      
    Datharaththa : Leader of Gandrauwa group among Satarawaram gods, who likes to art and music. So Buddhist people who do art works or esp. music, they can ask help from this god.
      
    Indra Deva : All sons of Satarawaram gods, are called as Indra gods. They take care other gods & goddesses. In Atanatiya Sutta there have details of these gods. You can ask help from these gods too. Esp. these gods help to virtuous Buddhist people when they occur troubles related to inhuman attractions.
      
    Visaka Goddess : Visaka said to be got soovan (stream-enterer) in her age seven and helped to our Lord Buddha. Also she helps to poor people. Now she lives as powerful goddess in Nimmana Rathi heaven. Therefore Buddhist female people who practice Dharma can ask help or attraction from this goddess.
      
    Matru Divya Raja : Our Lord Buddha's real mother called Mahamaya Davi, was rebirth as male god in Tusita heaven. This god helps every Buddhist people and esp. female Buddhists.
      
    Matali God : Official driver & close friend of Sakkra Devendra god. People who do work related to traveling can ask help from this god. Sometimes this god informs to other gods about good people in human world.
      
    Panchasika : Official musician of heaven Tawatimsa. Buddhist people who are doing works related to music can get attraction of this god. His past life he was poor young boy who help to develop his village from his body power. Also he played Vina and flute, so his merit overcame to be god in Caturmaha-Rajika heaven.
       
    Janasabha or Janawasabha : Whole sutra has in Sutra Pitakaya related to this god whose past life was one of soovan or stream-entered king called as Bimbisara, who was killed by his own son. He is live under Kuwera god, sutra said he works as messenger for Satarawaram gods. He was mention as one of devil leader in Atanatiya sutra who helps to Buddhist people for cure devil & ghost problems.
      
    Anatapindika Deva Putra : Lord Buddha's main laic care, bank owner called Anatapindika is another soovan god, (stream-enterer) who live in Tusita heaven. He will help to any Buddhist person for life problems.
       
    Viswakarma God : In Tawatimsa heaven has god called as Viswakarma who has ability for engineering works, sometimes help to engineers in human world for their creations. People who do technology, can get help from this god. Also this god helps to poor but honest people by creating properties.


    See; heavenly gods and benevolent deities.

Source

www.sgilibrary.org