Twelve Heavenly Generals
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Template:Short description In East Asian Buddhism, the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals are the protective deities, or yaksha, of Bhaisajyaguru, the buddha of healing. They are introduced in the Medicine Buddha Sutra or Bhaiṣajyaguruvaidūryaprabharāja Sūtra.[1] They are collectively named as follows:
- Template:Zh
- Japanese: Script error: No such module "Nihongo". or Script error: No such module "Nihongo". or Script error: No such module "Nihongo".[2]
Names of generals
The precise names of the generals seem to vary depending on tradition. Those listed below are from an available Sanskrit transcription of the Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhārāja Sūtra:[3]
| Sanskrit | Hanzi | Pinyin | Rōmaji | Vietnamese | Tagalog | Tibetan (Wly.) | Zodiac (Chinese) | Zodiac (Japanese) [4] | Honji |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 宮毘羅 | Guānpíluò Jīnpíluò |
Kubira Kompira (Shinto) |
Cung Tỳ La | Kimbhila | Ji 'jigs | Boar | Rat | Maitreya |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 伐折羅 | Fázhéluò | Basara, Bazara | Phạt Chiết La | Vajla | Rdo rje | Dog | Ox | Mahāsthāmaprāpta |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 迷企羅 | Míqǐluò | Mekira | Mê Súy La | Mekhila | Rgyan 'dzin | Rooster | Tiger | Amitābha |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 安底羅 | Āndǐluò | Anchira, Anteira | An Để La | Antila | Gza' 'dzin | Monkey | Rabbit | Avalokiteśvara |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 頞儞羅 | Ènǐluò | Anira | Át Nể La | Anila | Rlung 'dzin | Sheep | Dragon | Mārīcī |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 珊底羅 | Shāndìluò | Sanchira, Santeira | San Để La | Santhila | Gnas bcas | Horse | Snake | Ākāśagarbha |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 因達羅 | Yīndàluò | Indara | Nhân Đạt La | Indala | Dbang 'dzin | Snake | Horse | Kṣitigarbha |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 波夷羅 | Bōyìluò | Haira | Bà Di La | Payila | Gtun 'dzin | Dragon | Sheep | Mañjuśrī |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 摩虎羅 | Mòhǔluò | Makora | Ma Hổ La | Mahala | Sgra 'dzin | Rabbit | Monkey | Yamantaka[5] |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 真達羅 | Zhēndàluò | Shindara | Chân Đạt La | Sidala | Bsam 'dzin | Tiger | Rooster | Samantabhadra |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 招杜羅 | Zhāodùluò | Shōtora | Chiêu Đổ La | Saundhula | 'dzin | Ox | Dog | Vajrapāṇi |
| Script error: No such module "Lang". | 毘羯羅 | Píjiéluò | Bikara Bigyara |
Tỳ Yết La | Bikala | Rdzogs byed | Mouse | Boar | Śākyamuni |
Descriptions of each Heavenly General
Zhendaluo (真達羅)
| Short description about Zhendaluo |
Zhaoduluo (招杜羅)
| Short description about Zhaoduluo |
_-_Shinshin_(Dragon_General),_Kamakura_period,_13th_century,_wood_with_polychromy,_cut_gold_leaf,_and_inlaid_crystal_eyes_-_Tokyo_National_Museum_-_DSC05366.JPG){kind=link}
_-_Shishin_(Snake_General),_Kamakura_period,_13th_century,_wood_with_polychromy,_cut_gold_leaf,_and_inlaid_crystal_eyes_-_Tokyo_National_Museum_-_DSC05362.JPG){kind=link}
While the Honji and zodiac correspondences listed above are the standard in Japanese sources, there is variation among texts and regional traditions.[6]
Popular culture
- Statues of the Twelve Heavenly Generals stand in Ngong Ping, Hong Kong.
- The Heavenly Generals all appear as boss characters in 1994 video game Shin Megami Tensei II. They are depicted as servants of Āṭavaka, and share the unique classification "Shinshou".
- The Heavenly Generals and their names were used as character material for the powerful digital monster characters who serve the "Four Holy Beasts" (Digimon Sovereigns in the English Dub) in the Digital World, from the 2001 series Digimon Tamers, albeit with the names mismatched, due to being based on the Japanese zodiac classification.
- Granblue Fantasy started to release series of playable units in 2015 which called "The 12 Divine Generals". Each of these units are named after the corresponding zodiac they represent. The Japanese version use adapted Hepburn romanization, while the English version adapted from Sanskrit.
- Jujutsu Kaisen introduced Mahāla as a summon for one of the Ten Shadows technique, dubbing it the "Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sīla Divine General Makora," which was mistranslated as "Mahoraga," despite the furigana for the both of them being distinct. A golden cursed tool with the power of lightning, and shaped similarly to adornments of the electric-themed Vajra named “Kamutoke” also makes an appearance.
- In the Seventh Touhou game, Perfect Cherry Blossom, the boss of the Extra Stage uses a spellcard called "Feast of the Twelve General Gods".