The Four Heavenly Kings (guardians of the world)
The four heavenly kings are the guardians of the world who reside on the slopes of Mt. Sumeru in the heaven named after them from whence they are each responsible for one of the four cardinal directions. Each leads an army of supernatural creatures who help them keep the fighting demons (asuras) at bay. A Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Concepts relates the following information about them:
"The lords of the four quarters who serve Taishaku as his generals and protect the four continents. They are said to live halfway down the four sides of Mt. Sumeru. They are Jikokuten (Skt Dhritarashtra) who protects the east, Komokuten (Virupaksha) who guards the west, Bishamonten (Vaishravana) who watches over the north and Zojoten (Virudhaka) who defends the south. Their respective functions are to protect the world; to discern and punish evil and encourage the aspiration for enlightenment; to listen to the Buddhist teachings and protect the place where the Buddha expounds them; and to relieve people of their sufferings. They appear in the ceremony of the Lotus Sutra with their ten thousand retainer gods, and in the ‘Dharani’ (twenty-sixth) chapter, Bishamonten and Jikokuten pledge on behalf of all four to protect those who embrace the sutra." (p.117)
The Flammarion Iconographic Guide: Buddhism states: "These are the four celestial kings believed to guard the four cardinal points. Three are vassals of the fourth, Vaisravana. They are thought to live on Mount Meru, the home of the 33 deities (Trayastrimsa) and at the gates of the paradise of Indra, protector of Buddhism. Acolytes of Avalokitesvara, they are believed by some authors to be hypostases of the four-headed Brahminical deities symbolizing the cardinal points. They are the protectors of the world and of the Buddhist Law. As kings of the world, they were confused with their generals, and the Lalitavistara describes them already carrying weapons and wearing armor. Buddhist legends about them are legion: they are said to have assisted at the birth of the Buddha, and held up the hooves of his horse when he left the palace of the king his father at Kapilavastu. They offered the Buddha four bowls of food, which he miraculously merged into one. They were also present at his Parinirvana." (p. 241)
Dai Bishamon Tenno or Vaishravana ~ Heavenly King of the North Vaishravana is one of the Four Heavenly Kings. The Flammarion Iconographic Guide: Buddhism describes Vaishravana as follows: "Vaisravana is the guardian of the north and the chief of the four guardian kings – ‘He who is knowing’. ‘He who hears everything in the kingdom’, the protector of the state par excellence, sometimes thought to be a god of defensive warfare. In China, he is considered to be a Buddhicization of the Indian god of wealth, Kuvera, the north being considered to hold fabulous treasures. He presides over winter and is black, so is also called ‘the black warrior’. His symbols are a jewel and a serpent, and he commands a large army of Yaksas." (p.242)
Vaishravana’s army and attendants consisted of the kimnaras and the yakshas who are two of the eight kinds of supernatural beings who are said to revere and protect the Dharma. The kimnaras are celestial musicians and dancers who have the bodies of birds and human heads and torsos. They officiate at Vaishravana’s court. The yakshas are a kind of flesh-eating demon or spirit who make up Vaishravana’s army. Originally the yakshas appeared as the spirits of the trees and forests and even villages; but they had a fierce side as well, and in their more demonic aspect came to be called rakshasas.
The Flammarion Iconographic Guide: Buddhism states: "The Yaksas are commanded by 28 generals, of whom the chief is Pancika – according to the Mahavamsa, he was the father of the 500 sons of Hariti. Worshipped very early in India (some of his representations are found in Gandhara and in northern India) as well as in Java, this general of the Yaksas was soon merged with Vaisravana. (pp.244-245) Chapters twenty-four and twenty-five of the Lotus Sutra state that Bodhisattva Wonderful Voice and Bodhisattva World Voice Perceiver respectively can both transform themselves into Vaishravana (among many other forms) in order to expound the Dharma and save others. In chapter twenty-six of the Lotus Sutra, Vaishravana compassionately offers dharanis in order to protect those who teach the Lotus Sutra.
Icon: A crowned warrior wearing armor and wind-blown scarves. He is blue skinned and wrathful in appearance. In his right hand is a lance and in his right hand he holds up a stupa.
Dai Jikoku Tenno or Dhritarashtra ~ Heavenly King of the East Dhritarashtra is one of the four heavenly kings. The Flammarion Iconographic Guide: Buddhism describes Dhritarashtra as follows: "This guardian king governs in the east and presides over the spring. He is ‘He who maintains the kingdom (of the Law)’. ‘the maintainer of the state’…He commands an army of celestial musicians (Gandharvas) and vampire demons (Pisaca)." (p. 246) The Gandharvas are one of the eight kinds of supernatural beings who are said to revere and protect the Dharma.
According to the Kumarajiva translation of the Lotus Sutra, it is Dhritarashtra who offers dharanis in chapter twenty-six for the benefit of the teachers of the Lotus Sutra.
Icon: A helmeted warrior wearing armor and wind-blown scarves. He has a green complexion and a wrathful expression. He holds a sword in his right hand and his closed left hand rests on his hip.
Dai Zocho Tenno or Virudhaka ~ Heavenly King of the South Virudhaka is one of the four heavenly kings. The Flammarion Iconographic Guide: Buddhism describes Virudhaka as follows: "This guardian king governs in the south and presides over the summer. He is ‘He who enlarges the kingdom’, ‘the powerful one’." (p.246) Virudhaka’s army and attendants consist of the kumbhandas and the pretas. The kumbhandas are spirit eating demons who are known for their huge scrotums. They have human bodies and horses heads. The pretas are the hungry ghosts. Since yakshas are classified as hungry ghosts, Virudhaka’s pretas are often considered yakshas as well. According to the Sanskrit Lotus Sutra, it is Virudhaka who offers dharanis in chapter twenty-six for the benefit of the teachers of the Lotus Sutra.
Icon: A helmeted warrior wearing armor and wind-blown scarves. He has a blue complexion and a wrathful expression. He holds a sword in his right hand and his closed left hand rests on his hip.
Dai Komoku Tenno or Virupaksha ~ Heavenly King of the West Virupaksha is one of the four heavenly kings. The Flammarion Iconographic Guide: Buddhism describes Virupaksha as follows: "This is the guardian king of the west, ‘He who observes everything that happens in the kingdom’, ‘He who sees all’; he presides over the autumn." (p.247)
Virupaksha’s army and attendants are composed of the nagas and putanas. The nagas are the dragons or serpents who dwell beneath the ocean and who control the tides, the flow of the rivers, and the rain. The nagas are one of the eight kinds of supernatural beings who are said to revere and protect the Dharma. The putanas are another type of hungry ghost who are associated with fevers but also with the protection of pregnant women.
Icon: A helmeted warrior wearing armor and wind-blown scarves. He has a yellow complexion and a wrathful expression. He holds a trident in his right hand and his closed left hand rests on his hip.
