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EIGHT BUDDHIST PROTECTORS
OF THE 12 ASTROLOGICAL ANIMALS
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Eight Protectors in Private Garden, Kamakura, Japan
Stone, Early Meiji Period (see individual photos below)
BACKGROUND NOTES
- Eight Protecting Buddhist Deities (Hachi Hogo Butsu 八守護仏)
- Also known as the Ichidai Mamori Honzon 一代守本尊
This grouping of eight Buddhist saviors is associated with the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac calendar. Each deity is associated with a specific Zodiac animal and serves as the protector (patron) for all people born in that animal year. For example, people born in the Year of the Rat are protected by Senju Kannon (see chart below).
The origin of this grouping of eight is unknown to me. It was popular at least by the Edo period (1603 - 1867) for it was listed in the Butsuzō-zu-i 仏像図彙 or “Collected Illustrations of Buddhist Images,” one of Japan's first major studies of Buddhist iconography (published in 1690 AD). Each of the eight Buddhist protectors is linked to one of the 12 zodiac animals, to one of the 8 directions and semi-directions, and to one of the 10 calendar signs. The list goes on, with these Buddhist protectors also linked to the Five Elements, Five Colors, Five Entrances, etc. Zodiac lore is tremendously confusing and clouded by thousands of interpretations, making it hard to track down the origin of the many traditions and legends still flourishing in Japan.
In modern times, this grouping of eight is not very prominent among Japan’s surviving Buddhist sculptures, but it can still be found here and there. Below I present a grouping of eight stone statues near my home in Kamakura, Japan. Made sometime in the early Meiji Period (1868 - 1912), this set of eight stands unprotected from the elements in the outdoor garden of a private Kamakura home. The eight are listed in their customary order. Click any image to see larger photo. Each stone statue is approximately three feet in height.
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Animal
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Patron Deity
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Year of Birth
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Rat
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Senju Kannon
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1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996
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Ox
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Kokuzo Bosatsu
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1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997
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Tiger
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Kokuzo Bosatsu
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1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998
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Rabbit
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Monju Bosatsu
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1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999
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Dragon
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Fugen Bosatsu
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1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000
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Snake
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Fugen Bosatsu
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1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001
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Horse
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Seishi Bosatsu
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1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002
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Sheep
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Dainichi Nyorai
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1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003
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Monkey
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Dainichi Nyorai
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1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
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Rooster/Hen
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Fudo Myo-o
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1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005
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Dog
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Amida Nyorai
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1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006
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Boar/Pig
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Amida Nyorai
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1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
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PHOTO OF DEITY
Click for larger image
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Sanskrit Character
of Buddhist Deity
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Buddhist Protector
Direction & Animal
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Kiriiku
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Amida Nyorai, Amida Buddha
Northwest
Zodiac Associations
Year of Boar (Pig)
Year of Dog
Click here for more
on Amida Nyorai
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Kaan
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Fudō Myō-ō (Fudo Myo-o)
West
Zodiac Associations
Year of Rooster (Chicken)
Click here for more
on Fudo Myo
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Ban
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Dainichi Nyorai, Dainichi Buddha
Southwest
Zodiac Associations
Year of Monkey
Year of Ram (Sheep)
Click here for more
on Dainichi Nyorai
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Saku
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Seishi Bosatsu / Bodhisattva
South
Zodiac Associations
Year of Horse
Click here for more
on Seishi Bosatsu
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An
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Fugen Bosatsu / Bodhisattva
Southeast
Zodiac Associations
Year of Snake
Year of Dragon
Click here for more
on Fugen Bosatsu
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Man
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Monju Bosatsu / Bodhisattva
East
Zodiac Associations
Year of Rabbit
Click here for more
on Monju Bosatsu
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Taraaku
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Kokūzō (Kokuzo) Bosatsu / Bodhisattva
Northeast
Zodiac Associations
Year of Ox
Year of Tiger
Click here for more
on Kokuzo Bosatsu
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Kiriiku
Among some Shingon groups, Senju Kannon shares the same Siddham seed syllable as Amida Buddha. Indeed, Kannon is one of Amida's main attendants, and in some texts was born from the tears of Amida when the latter was observing the sufferings of the word.
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Senju Kannon Bosatsu / Bodhisattva
North
Zodiac Associations
Year of Rat
Click here for more
on Kannon Bosatsu
The same Siddham seed syllable is used for Amida and Senju Kannon, but not for other forms of Kannon. Sometimes a variant is used for Senju Kannon to differentiate the deity from Amida.
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Senju Kannon
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Amida Buddha
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Photos by Mark Schumacher. Sanskrit characters courtesy:
www.syogando.net/shop/power/bon.htm (Japanese language)
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(L) Dainichi Nyorai; (M) Fugen Bosatsu; (R) Amida Nyorai
Vanishing Japan - Stone statues being consumed by nature
From the same set of eight statues featured above
Modern Wood Carvings of the Eight
http://butsuzou.cool.ne.jp/art1/index.html
Available for online purchase (Japanese language site)
Above chart courtesy of Japanese-language site:
www.tctv.ne.jp/members/tobifudo/onyo/eto12/etoHyo.html
Above chart courtesy of Japanese-language site:
www.tctv.ne.jp/members/tobifudo/onyo/eto12/etoHyo.html
Above chart includes Japanese words (e.g., Ox = Ushi)
Chinese Listing of the Zodiac Animals
courtesy of www.uchicago.edu
Amulets of Each Zodiac Patron
Available for Online Purchase
LEARN MORE
JUNI SHI - ZODIAC ANIMALS
12 Astrological Zodia Animals
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Return to Main Story on 12 Zodiac Animals
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