Ranking – The relative importance of the various Buddhist Deities

jûni-ten – Twelve Heavenly Beings

shi-tennô – Four Heavenly Kings (who protect Buddhism from evil)

ai (love, affection, favourite)
zen | sen (dye, color, paint, stain, print)
aizen (being drawn to something one loves, amorous passion)
myô (wisdom, bright, light)
ô (king, ruler)

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❖ Buddhist deity
❖ Embodies the idea that earthly desires can be an aspiration to enlightenment; they are not necessarily illusion or cause suffering
❖ Also called aizen-ô

ai (love, affection, favourite)
zen | sen (dye, color, paint, stain, print)
aizen (being drawn to something one loves, amorous passion)
ô (king, ruler)

a (shadow, shade, corner, nook, recess / ateji)
mi (all the more, increasingly / ateji)
da (steep / ateji)
amida (Skt: Amitabha)
butsu (Skt: Buddha)

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❖ Whoever calls his name with faith shall be reborn in a paradise called the Pure Land"
❖ A Mahayana philosophy that represents the "quick path" to enlightenment
❖ For the coming life in paradise
❖ Also called amida, amida nyorai

a (shadow, shade, corner, nook, recess / ateji)
mi (all the more, increasingly / ateji)
da (steep / ateji)
amida (Skt: Amitabha)

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a (shadow, shade, corner, nook, recess / ateji)
mi (all the more, increasingly / ateji)
da (steep / ateji)
amida (Skt: Amitabha)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, as if, better, best, equal)
rai (come, due, next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

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❖ Associated with: the west, element – water, sense – taste, color – red
❖ Converts desire, lust and passion to wisdom of discriminating awareness
❖ One of the godai nyorai

a (flatter, fawn upon, corner, nook, recess / ateji)
shuku (crowd / ateji)
ashuku (Skt: Aksobhya)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, better, best)
rai (next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

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❖ Associated with: the east, element – earth, sense – sound, color – blue
❖ Converts anger and aggression to mirror-like wisdom
❖ One of the godai nyorai

bat | batsu (epilogue, postscript / ateji)
ta (steep / ateji)
ba (old woman, grandma, wet nurse / ateji)
ra (gauze, thin silk / ateji)
battabara (Skt: Bhadrapâla)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ Patron of the bath in zen monastaries

dai (great, large, big)
gen (authority, power, rights)
daigen (great protector)
shu (discipline, conduct oneself well, study, master)
ri (logic, arrangement, reason, justice, truth)
shuri (repairing; mending; servicing)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ zen protector of monasteries and Buddhist law

dai (great, large, big)
nichi (sun, day)
dainichi (great sun)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, better, best)
rai (next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

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❖ Buddha represented as the sun
❖ Associated with: the center, element – space, sense – sight, color – white
❖ Converts ignorance and bewilderment to wisdom of universal lawfulness
❖ One of the godai nyorai
❖ Also called daihenjô

dai (great, large, big)
hen (everywhere, times, widely, generally)
jô | shô (illuminate, shine)

dai (great, large, big)
i (intimidate, dignity, majesty, menace, threaten)
toku (benevolence, virtue, goodness, commanding respect)
myô (wisdom, bright, light)
ô (king, ruler)

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❖ Defier of death
❖ Symbolic of perseverence against resistance
❖ Also called daîtoku bosatsu

dai (great, large, big)
i (intimidate, dignity, majesty, menace, threaten)
toku (benevolence, virtue, goodness, commanding respect)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

da (a weed / ateji)
ki (trifoliate orange tree, thorny tree used for hedges / ateji)
ni (nun / ateji)
ten (heavens, sky)

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❖ A female or androgynous bosatsu riding a flying white fox
❖ Patoness of magic spells
❖ Frequently conflated with inari
❖ Also called shinko-ô bosatsu, kiko tennô

shin (sign of the dragon)
ko (fox)
ô (ruler, king)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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ki (precious, value, prize, esteem, honor)
ko (fox)
ten (heavens, sky)
nô (ruler, king)

datsu (rob, take by force, snatch away, dispossess, plunder)
e (garment, clothes)
ba (old woman, grandma)

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datsu (undress, removing, get rid of, take off)
e (garment, clothes)
ba (old woman, grandma)

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❖ Skeletal figure who strips the dead of clothing, as they cross the sanzu-no-kawa (river) or shozukawa at the entrance to the land of the dead
❖ She then hangs the clothing in a leafless tree
❖ Has a male companion/counterpart (See ken'eo)
❖ Also called sanzu no baba, shôzuka no baba, jigoku no baba

san (three)
zu | to (route, way, road)
no (possessive particle)
baba (old woman, grandma)

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shûzuka (a reference to the shozukawa?)
no (possessive particle)
baba (old woman, grandma)

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ji (ground, earth)
goku (prison, jail)
no (possessive particle)
baba (old woman, grandma)

em | en (town)
ma (witch, demon, evil spirit)
ô (ruler, king)
emma-ô (Skt: Yama)

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❖ Judge of the dead
❖ Ruler of Buddhist hell(s)
❖ (See enma-ten)
❖ Also pronounced enma-ô

fu (tutor)
dai (great, large, big)
shi (gentleman, samurai)

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❖ Protector of libraries and collections
❖ Also called waraibotoke

wara.i (laughing)
botoke | hotoke (Buddha)

fu (universal, wide(ly), generally)
ken (build)

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❖ Son of fu daishi

fu (universal, wide(ly), generally)
jô (turn into, become, get, grow, reach)

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❖ Son of fu daishi

fu (negative, non-)
dô (move, motion, change, shift)
myô (wisdom, bright, light)
ô (king, ruler)

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❖ Deity who controls unclean oni
❖ Also called fudô (fudo), jôjû kongô

fu (negative, non-)
dô (move, motion, change, shift)

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jô (usual, ordinary, normal, regular)
jû (dwell, reside, live, inhabit)
jôjû (permanent residence)
kon (gold, metal)
gô (sturdy, strength)
kongô (Skt: Vajra / indestructible substance, diamond, adamantine)

fu (universal, widely, generally)
gen | ken (intelligent, wise, wisdom, cleverness)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ bosatsu of good practice
❖ Appears to those meditating on kyô (Buddhist sutras)
❖ Also called henkitsu

hen (everywhere, times, widely, generally)
kitsu (good luck, joy)

fu (negative, bad, ugly, clumsy)
kû (empty, sky, void, vacant, vacuum)
jô (turn into, become, get, grow, elapse, reach)
ju (concerning, settle, take position, depart, study, per)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, better, best)
rai (next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

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❖ Associated with: the north, element – air, sense – touch, color – green
❖ Converts jealousy and envy to wisdom required by karma for its completion
❖ One of the godai nyorai

ge | getsu (moon, month)
ka (below, down)
ô (venerable old man)
gekka-ô (literally: old man under the moon)

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❖ Buddhist deity of marriage
❖ (See enmusubi-no-kami)
❖ Also called gekka rôjin

ge | getsu (moon, month)
ka (below, down)
rô (old man, old age)
jin (person)

go (five)
dai (great, large, big)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, as if, better, best, equal)
rai (come, due, next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

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❖ Five Buddha of wisdom or meditation
❖ (See dainichi nyorai, ashuku nyorai, hôshô nyorai, amida nyorai, fukûjôju nyorai)
❖ Also called gochi nyorai

go (five)
chi (wisdom, intellect, reason)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, as if, better, best, equal)
rai (come, due, next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

go (ox, cow)
zu (head)
gozu (ox-head – sandalwood incense?)
ten (heavens, sky)
nô (ruler, king)
tennô (heavenly king)

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❖ Deity of disease and plague
❖ (See yakubyôgami)
❖ Deity of the underworld
❖ Conflated with susano-o-no-mikoto
❖ Also called butô, gion tenjin, tennô

bu (warrior, military, chivalry, arms)
tô (pagoda, tower, steeple)

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gi (national or local god, peaceful, great)
on (park, garden, yard, farm)
ten (heavens, sky)
jin (kami)

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ten (heavens, sky)
nô (ruler, king)
tennô (heavenly king)

hachi (eight)
dai (great, large, big)
ryû (dragon)
ô (ruler, king)

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hachi (eight)
dai (great, large, big)
ryû (dragon)
ô (ruler, king)

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❖ Eight great dragon kings
❖ (See ryûjin)

hô (treasure, wealth, valuables)
shô (life, genuine, birth)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, as if, better, best, equal)
rai (come, due, next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

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❖ Associated with: the south, element – fire, sense – smell, color – yellow
❖ Converts pride and greed to wisdom of ultimate equality of all living creatures
❖ One of the godai nyorai

hotoke (Skt: Buddha)

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❖ hotoke – a general term for a Buddha
❖ (See hotoke – ancestors)

i (tanned leather)
da (burdensome, pack horse, horse load, send by horse)
ten (heavens, sky)

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i (difference, differ)
da (burdensome, pack horse, horse load, send by horse)
ten (heavens, sky)

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❖ Protecting deity of kitchens, meals, and nourishment in some zen sects
❖ Protects monks and monasteries

ji (ground, earth)
zô (storehouse, hide, own, have, possess)
Jizô (Skt: Ksitigarbha)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ A friend to all, never frightening even to children
❖ For salvation from hell
❖ Especially helps children trying to escape from jigoku
❖ Also called jizô (jizo), daigan jizô, shôgun jizô

ji (ground, earth)
zô (storehouse, hide, own, have, possess)
Jizô (Skt: Ksitigarbha)

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dai (great, large, big)
gan (hope, petition, request, vow, wish)
ji (ground, earth)
zô (storehouse, hide, own, have, possess)
Jizô (Skt: Ksitigarbha)

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shô (victory, win, prevail, excel)
gun (army, force, troops, war, battle)
shôgun (general)
ji (ground, earth)
zô (storehouse, hide, own, have, possess)
Jizô (Skt: Ksitigarbha)

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❖ Martial aspect of jizô

jû (ten)
roku (six)
ra (gauze, thin silk)
kan (China)
rakan (Skt: Arhats, Jap: arakan – achiever of Nirvana)

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❖ The sixteen Buddhist saints
❖ Perfect examples of the monastic way of life

kan (outlook, look, appearance, condition, view)
non (sound, noise)
kannon (Buddhist deity of mercy; Goddess of Mercy)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ Skt: Avalokitasvara translated to Chin: Guan Yin / Quan Yin
❖ Originally male
❖ She personifies compassion
❖ Symbol of the divine feminine, the divine mother
❖ For salvation in earthly life
❖ The number 33 is sacred to her
❖ Also called kannon, kanjizai, kanzeon, kôzeon

kan (outlook, look, appearance, condition, view)
non (sound, noise)
kannon (Buddhist deity of mercy; Goddess of Mercy)

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kan (outlook, look, appearance, condition, view)
ji (oneself)
zai (exist)

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kan (outlook, look, appearance, condition, view)
ze | se (generation, world, society, public)
on (sound, noise)

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kô (light, ray)
ze | se (generation, world, society, public)
on (sound, noise)

jû (ten)
ichci (one)
jûichi (eleven)
men (mask, face, features, surface)
jûichimen (eleven-faced)
kan (outlook, look, appearance, condition, view)
non (sound, noise)
kannon (Buddhist deity of mercy; Goddess of Mercy)

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❖ Skt: Ekadasamukha (eleven-faced Avalokitesvara)
❖ Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy
❖ Also called jûichimen kanzeon

jû (ten)
ichci (one)
jûichi (eleven)
men (mask, face, features, surface)
jûichimen (eleven-faced)
kan (outlook, look, appearance, condition, view)
ze | se (generation, world, society, public)
on (sound, noise)

ken (suspend, hang, install)
e (garment, clothes, dressing)
o or ô (venerable old man)

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❖ Skeletal figure who strips the dead of clothing, as they cross the sanzu-no-kawa (river) or shozukawa at the entrance to the land of the dead
❖ He then hangs the clothing in a leafless tree
❖ Has a female companion/counterpart (See datsueba)
❖ Also pronounced Ken'eô

ki (ghost, devil)
shi (child)
mo | bo (mama, mother)
jin (kami)

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❖ Goddess of childbirth and children
❖ Also pronounced kishibojin
❖ Also called kangimo

kan (delight, joy)
gi | ki (rejoice, take pleasure in)
mo (mama, mother)

ko (void, emptiness)
kû (empty, sky, void, vacant, vacuum)
zô (storehouse, own, have, possess)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ bosatsu of space and potential, memory, and wisdom
❖ Also called kokûyô bosatsu

ko (void, emptiness)
kû (empty, sky, void, vacant, vacuum)
yô (become pregnant)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

ku | kô (very, great, exceedingly)
jaku (sparrow)
kujaku (peacock)
myô (wisdom, bright, light)
ô (king, ruler)

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❖ Technically being female, a myô-hi (wisdom queen)
❖ Wards off evil from poisoning or calamity
❖ Prayed to in times of drought, poisoning, and disaster
❖ Rides a peacock
❖ Also called kujaku myôhi, kujaku butsumo bosatsu

ku | kô (very, great, exceedingly)
jaku (sparrow)
kujaku (peacock)
myô (wisdom, bright, light)
hi (queen, princess)

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ku | kô (very, great, exceedingly)
jaku (sparrow)
kujaku (peacock)
butsu (Skt: Buddha)
mo (mother)
butsumo (mother of buddhas)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

ma (rub, polish, grind / ateji)
ri (profit, advantage, benefit / ateji)
shi (branch, support, sustain / ateji)
ten (heavens, sky)

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❖ Transliteration of (Skt: Marîci)
❖ Protects against all violence and peril
❖ Deity of wealth and prosperity
❖ Also called marishi

ma (rub, polish, grind / ateji)
ri (profit, advantage, benefit / ateji)
shi (branch, support, sustain / ateji)

mi (all the more, increasingly)
roku (halter and bit)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ The future bosatsu
❖ Also called jishi

ji (mercy)
shi (family name, surname, clan)
jishi (compassionate one)

mon (sentence, literature, style, art, decoration, figures, plan)
ju | shu (particularly, especially, exceptionally)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ bosatsu of Wisdom
❖ The Voice of Buddhist Law

ni (virtue, benevolence)
ô (ruler, king)

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❖ A pair of protectors who guard against evil outside the temple gate at Japanese Buddhist temples
❖ Similar to the koma inu at the entrance to a shintô shrine
❖ Also called ninô

ni (two)
nô (ruler, king)

a (flatter, fawn / ateji)
gyô (shape, form, style)

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❖ Located on the left side of the entrance with mouth open
❖ Also called kongô rikishi

kon (gold, metal)
gô (sturdy, strength)
kongô (Skt: Vajra – indestructible substance, diamond, adamantine, thunderbolt, Indra's weapon, Buddhist symbol of the indestructible truth)
riki (power, strong, strain, bear up, exert)
shi (gentleman, samurai)
rikishi (sumo wrestler, strong man)

un (bark, growl / ateji)
gyô (shape, form, style)

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❖ Located on the right side of the entrance with mouth closed
❖ Also called misshaku rikishi

mis | mitsu (secrecy, minuteness, carefulness)
shaku | sha (intercept, interrupt, obstruct)
riki (power, strong, strain, bear up, exert)
shi (gentleman, samurai)
rikishi (sumo wrestler, strong man)

(orge, demon, ghost)

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❖ They serve in jigoku under emma-ô to punish sentenced wrongdoers to expiate their sins
❖ (See oni – yôkai)

roku (six)
ji (syllable)
myô (wisdom, bright, light)
ô (king, ruler)

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❖ Guardian of the foundation of Buddhist law

roku (six)
ji (syllable)
dai (great, large, big)
myô (wisdom, bright, light)
ju (spell, charm)

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❖ The six syllables of the Buddhist creed – om ma-ni pad-me hum

sei (forces, energy, military strength)
shi (climax, arrive, proceed, reach, attain, result in)
bo (sacred tree)
satsu (Skt: Buddha)
bosatsu (Skt: Bodhisattva)

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❖ bosatsu of Strength and Vigor

sha (explanation / ateji)
ka (ateji)
shaka (Skt: Sakyamuni – sage of the Sakyas)

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sha | shaku (explain / ateji)
ka (ateji)
shaka (Skt: Sakyamuni – sage of the Sakyas)

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❖ The historical Buddha — Gautama Siddhartha
❖ Also called shaka nyorai, shakamon, shakamoni, shakamuni, shakukamuni butsu, kudon shittatta

sha (explanation / ateji)
ka (ateji)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, better, best)
rai (next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

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sha (explanation / ateji)
ka (ateji)
mon (sentence, literature / ateji)

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sha | shaku (explain / ateji)
ka (attending, entertainer / ateji)
mon (sentence, literature / ateji)

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sha | shaku (explain / ateji)
ka (ateji)
mon (sentence, literature / ateji)
ni (nun / ateji)

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sha (explanation / ateji)
ka (ateji)
mun (pupil (eye) / ateji)
ni (nun / ateji)

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sha | shaku (explain / ateji)
ka (ateji)
mun (pupil (eye) / ateji)
ni (nun / ateji)
butsu (France / ateji)

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ku (surname)
don (cloudy weather, cloud up / ateji)
kudon (Gautama – the family name of Buddha)
shit | shitsu (all, completely / ateji)
tat | tatsu (accomplished, attain / ateji)
ta (many, frequent, much / ateji)
shittatta (Shiddaruta / Siddhartha)

shô (holy, saint, sage, master, priest)
ten (heavens, sky)
shôten (Skt. Ganesha)

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❖ Deity of wealth
❖ Also called kangi-ten

kan (delight, joy)
gi | ki (rejoice, take pleasure in)
ten (heavens, sky)

u (crow, raven)
sû (hinge, pivot, door)
sa (sand)
ma (chafe, rub, polish, grind, scrape)
myô (wisdom, bright, light)
ô (king, ruler)

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❖ Heavenly king responsible for purifiction from material pollution, especially those associated with child birth
❖ Guardian of the benjo (toilet)
❖ (See benjo-gami)
❖ Also called usûshima

u (crow, raven)
sû (grass cutting, hay)
shi | shibu (astringent, have diarrhea)
ma (chafe, rub, polish, grind, scrape)

yaku (medicine, chemical)
shi (expert, teacher, master)
nyo (likeness, like, such as, as if, better, best, equal)
rai (come, due, next, cause, become)
nyorai (Skt: Tathagata – perfected one / suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities)

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❖ Master of remedies / medicine