About Four Heavenly Kings

The Four Heavenly Kings are four Buddhist gods, which originates from the Indian version of Lokapalas, each of whom watches over one cardinal direction of the world. In Chinese mythology, they are known collectively as the "Fēng Tiáo Yǔ Shùn" or "Sì Dà Tiānwáng". In the ancient language Sanskrit they are called the "Chaturmahārāja" (चतुर्महाराज), or "Chaturmahārājikādeva": "Four Great Heavenly Kings". The Hall of the Heavenly Kings is a standard component of Chinese Buddhist temples.

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The Four Guardian Kings in Burmese depiction.

Lokapalas – The Heavenly Kings and protector spirits

Lokapāla means "guardian of the world" in Sanskrit and Pāli. The term has different uses depending on whether it is found in a Hindu or Buddhist context. In Hinduism, lokapāla refers to the Guardians of the Directions associated with the eight, nine and ten cardinal directions. In Buddhism, lokapāla refers to the , and to other protector spirits. Lokapāla is one of two broad categories of Dharmapāla (protectors of the Buddhist religion) -the other category .

Spiritual Objectives of the 4 Heavenly Kings

The have been a staple in for centuries, with two distinct visual : a royal representation in and Southeast and a warrior-like depiction in Central and East Asia. In Korea, the interpretation of these figures has been limited to their title, "," which translates to 'guardians of the world.' , also known as The Historical , has invoked the aid of the Four Heavenly in .
Tibetan (Citipati mask depicting Mahākāla

Dharmapalas – Defenders of the Justice

A dharmapāla is a type of wrathful god in Buddhism. The name means "dharma protector" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapālas are also known as the Defenders of the Justice (Dharma), or the Guardians of the Law. There are two kinds of , Worldly Guardians () and Wisdom Protectors (jnanapala). Only Wisdom Protectors are enlightened beings. In Vajrayana iconography and thangka depictions, dharmapala are fearsome beings, often with many heads, many hands, or many feet. Dharmapala .
The Five Wisdom Kings is the most important grouping of Wisdom Kings (Vidyaraja)

Buddhist deities – Conceptual and metaphoric refuge

Buddhism includes a wide array of divine beings that are venerated in various ritual and popular contexts. Initially they included mainly Indian figures such as devas, asuras and , but later came to include other Asian spirits and local gods. They range from enlightened Buddhas to regional spirits adopted by Buddhists or practiced on the margins of the religion. The Pali Canon and others suggest that the Buddha taught that belief in a Creator deity .