Twelve heavenly generals

The twelve generals in the Tokyo National Museum

The Twelve Heavenly Generals ( Jūni shinshō ( 十二 神 将 ), also Jūni yasha shinshō ( 十二 夜叉 神 将 ), Jūni shin'ō ( 十二 神 王 ), Jūni yakusha daiō ( 十二 薬 叉 大将 )) are the twelve protectors of the Yakushi Buddha . They are preserved in a number of temples, especially in Japan.

Overview

The twelve generals
in Shin-Yakushi-ji

According to the "Yakushi hongan kudoku" Sutra ( 薬 師 本 願 功 徳 経 ), the twelve generals are the chiefs of the 84,000 protectors of the Yakushi. Their names and their order are specified in the text mentioned. The respective body color and its attributes (swords, lances, gestures) can be found in the Shichibutsu hongan-kyō gikiku yōhō ( 七 仏 本 願 経 儀軌 供養 法 ).

There is no direct reference to the twelve branches of the earth in the text , but since the generals protect the yakushi continuously day and night, there is a relationship to them that is reflected in the list. Basically, the twelve can be divided into those without direct reference to them as "old type" figures ( 古 様 , koyō ) and those with reference as "new type" figures ( 新 様 , shin'yō ).

The names of the generals

General 1 and General 2

General 3 and General 4

General 5 and General 6

General 7 and General 8

General 9 and General 10

General 11 and General 12

#	Branch of earth	Sanskrit	Kanji	Japanese	Pinyin
01	子	Kumbhīra	宮 毘羅	Kubira	Guānpíluò
02	丑	Vajra	伐 折 羅	Basara	Fázhéluò
03	寅	Mihira	迷 企 羅	Meikira	Míqǐluò
04th	卯	Aṇḍīra	安 底 羅	Antera	Āndǐluò
05	辰	Anila	頞 儞 羅	Manira	Ènǐluò
06th	巳	Śāṇḍilya	珊 底 羅	Santera	Shāndìluò
07th	午	Indra	因達羅	Indara	Yīndàluò
08th	未	Pajra	波夷羅	Haira	Bōyìluò
09	申	Mahoraga	摩 虎 羅	Makora	Mòhǔluò
10	酉	Kinnara	真 達羅	Shindara	Zhēndàluò
11	戌	Catura	招 杜羅	Shōtora	Zhāodùluò
12	亥	Vikarāla	毘 羯 羅	Bikara	Píjiéluò

Representations of the Twelve Heavenly Generals in Japan

Pictorial representation

• Drawings kept in the Daigo-ji
• Images Yakushi and the twelve generals in the Yōchi-in of the Kōzan-ji

Plastic representations

The following are registered as national treasures:

• The twelve in Shin-Yakushi-ji , early Nara period , the oldest in Japan, made as clay figures. One figure added later.
• The twelve in Kōryū-ji , wood, later Heian period ,
• The twelve in Kofuku-ji , wood, Kamakura period .

The following are registered as important cultural assets :

• The twelve in Tōdai-ji , wood, Heian period,
• The twelve in Tōzan-ji , Hyōgo prefecture , wood, Heian period,
• The Twelve in Gankō-ji , Gifu Prefecture , wood, Heian period,
• The twelve in the Fukuoka City Art Museum , wood, nine preserved, Heian period,
• The Twelve in Yokokura-ji Gifu Prefecture , wood, Heian period,
• The twelve in Murō-ji , wood, Kamakura time,
• The twelve in Ryōsen-ji , Nara prefecture , wood, Kamakura period,
• The Twelve in Hōkai-ji , Kyōto Prefecture , wood, Kamakura period,
• The Twelve in Jōmyō-ji , Wakayama Prefecture , wood, Kamakura period,
• The twelve in Ryūō-ji , Shiga prefecture , wood, Kamakura period,
• The Twelve in Hōjō-bō , Kanagawa Prefecture , wood, Kamakura period,
• The twelve in Ikaruga-dera , Hyōgo prefecture , 8 made of wood, Kamakura period,
• The twelve in Sekkei-ji , Kōchi prefecture , 10 made of wood, Kamakura period,
• The twelve in the Saiendō of Hōryū-ji , 10 made of wood, Kamakura period and later,
• The twelve in the Fukuoka Municipal Museum , wood, Namboku period
• The Twelve in Eisan-ji , Nara Prefecture, wood, Muromachi period ,
• The twelve in Tō-ji , wood, Momoyama time .

Without predicate:

• The Twelve in Yakuō-in , Ibaraki Prefecture , wood, Kamakura period,
• The Twelve in Kokuseki-ji , Iwate Prefecture , wood, Kamakura period,
• The Twelve in Ryūgan-ji , Ōita Prefecture , wood, Muromachi period,
• The Twelve in Kokubun-ji , Tōkyō Prefecture , wood, Edo period ,
• The twelve in the Kaizō-in , Kanagawa Prefecture, wood, Edo period,
• The Twelve in Seitoku-ji , Tōkyō Prefecture, wood, Edo period,
• The Twelve in Raigo-in , Tōkyō Prefecture, Wood, Edo Period.

Remarks

1. ↑ The group is said to have originally stood in Joruri-ji .

literature

• Nakano, Akio: June shinsho zo . Nihon no Bijutsu, No. 381, 1998. ISBN 4-7843-3381-9 .
• Suzuki, Toshihiko (Ed.): June shinsho. In: Nihon daihyakka zensho (Denshibukku-han), Shogakukan, 1996.

Web links

Commons : Twelve Heavenly Generals  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files