Thirteen Buddhas
Encyclopedia
The Thirteen Buddhas is a purely Japan
ese grouping of important Buddhist
deities, particularly in the Shingon sect of Buddhism. The deities are, in fact, mostly not Buddhas
at all, but also include bodhisattvas and Wisdom King
s. In Shingon services, followers will recite a devotional mantra to each figure, though in Shingon practice, disciples will typically devote themselves to only one, depending on what the teacher assigns.
The Thirteen Buddhas are also an important part of a traditional Japanese Buddhist funeral
service, with each "Buddha" having a corresponding memorial service for the deceased. The thirteen in Japanese and Sanskrit
and the corresponding date of their service after the death are:
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese grouping of important Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
deities, particularly in the Shingon sect of Buddhism. The deities are, in fact, mostly not Buddhas
Buddhahood
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
at all, but also include bodhisattvas and Wisdom King
Wisdom King
In Vajrayana Buddhism, a Wisdom King is the third type of deity after Buddhas and bodhisattvas...
s. In Shingon services, followers will recite a devotional mantra to each figure, though in Shingon practice, disciples will typically devote themselves to only one, depending on what the teacher assigns.
The Thirteen Buddhas are also an important part of a traditional Japanese Buddhist funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
service, with each "Buddha" having a corresponding memorial service for the deceased. The thirteen in Japanese and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and the corresponding date of their service after the death are:
- Fudo (Acala), 7th day
- ShakaGautama BuddhaSiddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
(Sakyamuni), 14th day - MonjuManjusriMañjuśrī is a bodhisattva associated with transcendent wisdom in Mahāyāna Buddhism. In Esoteric Buddhism he is also taken as a meditational deity. The Sanskrit name Mañjuśrī can be translated as "Gentle Glory"...
(Manjushri), 21st day - FugenSamantabhadraSamantabhadra , is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with Buddhist practice and meditation. Together with Shakyamuni Buddha and fellow bodhisattva Manjusri he forms the Shakyamuni trinity in Buddhism...
(Samantabhadra), 28th day - JizoKsitigarbhaKsitigarbha is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism, usually depicted as a Buddhist monk in the Orient. The name may be translated as "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix", or "Earth Womb"...
(Ksitigarbha), 35th day - MirokuMaitreyaMaitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
(Maitreya), 42nd day - YakushiBhaisajyaguruBhaiṣajyaguru , formally Bhaiṣajyaguruvaidūryaprabharāja , is the buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Commonly referred to as the "Medicine Buddha", he is described as a doctor who cures suffering using the medicine of his teachings.-Origin:...
(Bhaisajyaguru), 49th day - Kannon (Avalokitesvara), 100th day
- Seishi (Mahasthamaprapta), 1st anniversary
- AmidaAmitabhaAmitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
(Amitabha), 2nd anniversary - AshukuAkshobhyaIn Vajrayana Buddhism, Akṣobhya is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, a product of the Adibuddha, who represents consciousness as an aspect of reality...
(Akshobhya) , 6th anniversary - DainichiVairocanaVairocana is a celestial Buddha who is often interpreted as the Bliss Body of the historical Gautama Buddha; he can also be referred to as the dharmakaya Buddha and the great solar Buddha. In Sino-Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of shunyata or...
(Vairocana), 12th anniversary - KokuzoAkasagarbhaĀkāśagarbha Bodhisattva is one of the eight great bodhisattvas. His name can be translated as "boundless space treasury" or "void store" as his wisdom is said to be boundless as space itself...
(Akasagarbha) , 32nd anniversary