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65-398: Though officially dedicated to the deity Acala (Fudō Myōō), the temple serves as a cult-center of the deity Kangiten (Shoten) and is also called 'Ikoma-Shōten' (生駒聖天). The area around Hōzan-ji was originally a place for the training of Buddhist monks. The name of the place at that time was Daishō-Mudō-ji (大聖無動寺). Mount Ikoma was originally an object of worship for the ancient people in

130-530: A "three-pronged vajra sword" ( 三鈷剣 , sanko-ken ) . In some cases, he is seen holding the "Kurikara sword" (倶利伽羅剣, Kurikara-ken ), a sword with the dragon ( nāga ) king Kurikara (倶利伽羅; Sanskrit: Kulikāla-rāja or Kṛkāla-rāja ) coiled around it. The flaming nimbus or halo behind Acala is commonly known in Japanese as the " Garuda flame" (迦楼羅炎, karura-en ) after the mythical fire-breathing bird from Indian mythology. There are two main variations in

195-521: A Padmasana is also a type of Hindu shrine , named for the posture. In Jainism , seated Tirthankaras are represented in Lotus posture. The scholar of religion Thomas Tweed wrote in 2008 that "the prevailing image of Buddhist practice has been the solitary meditator, eyes half closed, sitting in the lotus position." Ian Fleming 's 1964 novel You Only Live Twice has the action hero James Bond visiting Japan, where he "assiduously practised sitting in

260-466: A commentary on the Mahāvairocana Tantra by Yi Xing , he is said to have manifested in the world following Vairocana's vow to save all beings, and that his primary function is to remove obstacles to enlightenment. Indeed, the tantra instructs the ritual practitioner to recite Acala's mantras or to visualize himself as Acala in order to remove obstacles. From a humble acolyte, Acala evolved into

325-776: A different class of guardian deities. However, this interpretation, while common in Japan, is not necessarily universal: in Nichiren-shū , for instance, Acala and Rāgarāja (Aizen Myōō), the two vidyārājas who commonly feature in the mandalas inscribed by Nichiren , are seen as protective deities (外護神, gegoshin ) who respectively embody the two tenets of hongaku ("original enlightenment") doctrine: "life and death ( saṃsāra ) are precisely nirvana " (生死即涅槃, shōji soku nehan ) and "worldly passions ( kleśa ) are precisely enlightenment ( bodhi )" (煩悩即菩提, bonnō soku bodai ). The Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa Tantra 's description of Acala

390-516: A generic Śiva , but only in the sense that all Tantric deities can in one way or another be traced back to Śiva ." Faure compares Acala to Vajrapani in that both were originally minor deities who eventually came to occupy important places in the Buddhist pantheon. Acala is said to be a powerful deity who protects the faithful by burning away all impediments ( antarāya ) and defilements ( kleśa ), thus aiding them towards enlightenment. In

455-532: A manifestation of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī . He has a consort named Viśvavajrī in both the Nepalese and Tibetan traditions, with whom he is at times depicted in yab-yum union. By contrast, the sanrinjin (三輪身, "bodies of the three wheels") theory, based on Amoghavajra's writings and prevalent in Japanese esoteric Buddhism ( Mikkyō ), interprets Acala as an incarnation of Vairocana. In this system,

520-488: A noose or lasso ( pāśa ) and an upraised sword. Some depictions portray him trampling on the elephant-headed Vighnarāja (lit. "Ruler of Hindrances", a Buddhist equivalent god Vinyaka , albeit interpreted negatively as one who causes obstacles), signifying his role as the destroyer of impediments to enlightenment. He may also be shown wearing a tiger skin, with snakes coiled around his arms and body. By contrast, portrayals of Acala (Fudō) in Japan generally tend to conform to

585-503: A powerful demon-subduing deity. In later texts such as the Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa Tantra , Acala - under the name Caṇḍaroṣaṇa ("Violent Wrathful One") or Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa ("Violent One of Great Wrath") - is portrayed as the "frightener of gods, titans , and men, the destroyer of the strength of demons" who slays ghosts and evil spirits with his fierce anger. In Tibetan Buddhism , Acala or Miyowa (མི་གཡོ་བ་, Wylie : mi g.yo ba )

650-528: A red (赤不動, Aka-Fudō ) or yellow (黄不動, Ki-Fudō ) complexion. The most famous example of the Aka-Fudō portrayal is a painting kept at Myōō-in on Mount Kōya ( Wakayama Prefecture ) traditionally attributed to the Heian period Tendai monk Enchin . Legend claims that Enchin, inspired by a vision of Acala, painted the image using his own blood (thus explaining its red color), though recent analysis suggests that

715-439: A similar posture. The 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika states that the pose destroys all diseases, and that a yogin in the pose who retains the air breathed in through the nadi channels attains liberation . Sukhasana is from Sanskrit सुख sukha , meaning "pleasure" or "ease". The 19th century Sritattvanidhi describes and illustrates the pose. The name, and the more general name Yogasana ("Yoga pose") which may denote

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780-497: A support such as a cushion or blanket; by sitting on its forward edge, the pelvis is tilted forward. Sukhasana ( Sanskrit : सुखासन , romanized :  Sukhāsana ), Easy Pose, has the legs simply crossed in front of the body. In half lotus, अर्ध पद्मासन (Ardha Padmasana), one leg is bent and resting on the ground, the other leg is bent with the foot in lotus position. It is an easier meditation position than full lotus. In bound lotus, बद्ध पद्मासन (Baddha Padmasana),

845-464: A threatening gesture at Vasudhā [i.e. the earth], Kneeling on the cap of his left knee. He has Akṣobhya for his crest jewel; He is of blue color and wears a jewel diadem. "A princely youth, Wearing Five Braids of Hair, Adorned with all the ornaments, He appears to be sixteen years old, And his eyes are red—he, the powerful one." In Nepalese and Tibetan art, Acala is usually shown either kneeling on his left knee or standing astride, bearing

910-446: A variety of sitting poses, is found in much older documents as a meditation seat, such as in the 4th century Darshana Upanishad . From sitting cross-legged on the floor (Sukhasana), one foot is placed on top of the opposite thigh with its sole facing upward and heel close to the abdomen . The other foot is then placed on the opposite thigh as symmetrically as possible. The pose requires "very open hips". It can be modified using

975-542: Is a wrathful deity and dharmapala (protector of the Dharma ) prominent in Vajrayana Buddhism and East Asian Buddhism . Originally a minor deity described as a messenger or acolyte of the buddha Vairocana , Acala later rose to prominence as an object of veneration in his own right as a remover of obstacles and destroyer of evil, eventually becoming seen as the wrathful manifestation of either Vairocana,

1040-475: Is a good summary of the deity's depiction in South Asian Buddhist art. "His right hand is terrifying with a sword in it, His left is holding a noose; He is making a threatening gesture with his index finger, And bites his lower lip with his fangs. "Kicking with his right foot, He is smashing the four Māras . His left knee is on the ground. Squint eyed, he inspires fear. "He points

1105-457: Is an important observance, but perhaps not as much as the observance of "seven times seven days" (i.e. 49 days) signifying the end of the "intermediate state" ( bardo ). Literature on Shingon Buddhist ritual will explain that Sanskrit "seed syllables", mantras and mudras are attendant to each of the Buddhas for each observance period. But the scholarly consensus seems to be that invocation of

1170-450: Is ancient and is described, along with other asanas (sitting postures), in the 8th century book Patanjalayogashastravivarana . A figure seated in lotus position on a lotus flower is shown on dinar coins of Chandragupta II , who reigned c. 380–c. 415 AD. The first tantric text to discuss posture (asana), the 6th-10th century Nisvasattvasamhita Nayasutra (4.11-17, 4.104-106), directs the meditator and "user of mantras" to sit in lotus or

1235-685: Is classed among the Wisdom Kings ( Vidyārāja ) and is preeminent among the five Wisdom Kings of the Womb Realm . Accordingly, he occupies an important hierarchical position in the Mandala of the Two Realms . In China , he is known as Bùdòng Míngwáng (不動明王, "Immovable Wisdom King", the Chinese translation of Sanskrit Acala(nātha) Vidyārāja ), while in Japan, he is called Fudō Myōō ,

1300-502: Is commonly shown as having either black or blue skin (the Sādhanamālā describes his color as being "like that of the atasī ( flax ) flower," which may be either yellow or blue ), though he may be at times portrayed in other colors. In Tibet, for instance, a variant of the kneeling Acala depiction shows him as being white in hue "like sunrise on a snow mountain reflecting many rays of light". In Japan, some images may depict Acala sporting

1365-591: Is considered as belonging to the vajrakula ("vajra family", Tibetan: དོ་རྗེའི་རིགས་, dorjé rik ; Wylie: rdo rje'i rigs ), one of the Five Buddha Families presided over by the buddha Akṣobhya and may even be regarded, along with the other deities of the kula , as an aspect or emanation of the latter. He is thus sometimes depicted in South Asian art wearing a crown with an effigy of Akṣobhya. In Nepal , Acala may also be identified as

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1430-435: Is identified in one text as "the lord of the various categories [of gods ]." An iconographic depiction known as the "Two-Headed Rāgarāja " (両頭愛染, Ryōzu Aizen or Ryōtō Aizen ) shows Acala combined with the wisdom king Rāgarāja (Aizen). Acala is sometimes described as having a retinue of acolytes, the number of which vary between sources, usually two or eight but sometimes thirty-six or even forty-eight. These represent

1495-484: Is otherwise not shown to the public, though copies of it have been made. One such copy, made in the 12th century, is kept at Manshu-in in Kyoto . The deity is usually depicted with one head and two arms, though a few portrayals show him with multiple heads, arms or legs. In Japan, a depiction of Acala with four arms is employed in subjugation rituals and earth-placating rituals (安鎮法, anchin-hō ); this four-armed form

1560-435: Is red-skinned and holds a vajra in his left hand and a vajra staff in his right hand. The two are said to symbolize both Dharma-essence and ignorance, respectively, and is held to be in charge of good and evil. Kiṃkara and Ceṭaka are also sometimes interpreted as transformations or emanations of Acala himself. In a sense, they reflect Acala's original characterization as an attendant of Vairocana; indeed, their servile nature

1625-439: Is reflected in their names ( Ceṭaka for instance means "slave") and their topknots, the mark of banished people and slaves. In other texts, they are also described as manifestations of Avalokiteśvara ( Kannon ) and Vajrapāṇi or as transformations of the dragon Kurikara, who is himself sometimes seen as one of Acala's various incarnations. Two other notable dōji are Matijvala (恵光童子, Ekō-dōji ) and Matisādhu (恵喜童子, Eki-dōji ),

1690-720: Is the following passage from the Mahāvairocana Tantra (also known as the Mahāvairocanābhisaṃbodhi Tantra or the Vairocana Sūtra ) which refers to Acala as one of the deities of the Womb Realm Mandala : Below the mantra-lord (i.e., Vairocana), in the direction of Nairṛti (i.e., southwest), Is Acala, the Tathāgata's servant (不動如來使): he holds a wisdom sword and a noose ( pāśa ), The hair from

1755-681: Is the formless Dharmakāya identical with space , he has no fixed abode; his only dwelling is within the hearts of sentient beings. Although the minds and inclinations of sentient beings differ from each other, in accordance with each one's desires, he bestows blessings ( 利益 , riyaku ) and provides whatever is being sought. At that time, the great assembly, having heard this sūtra, rejoiced greatly, faithfully accepted it, and put it into practice. The bīja or seed syllables used to represent Acala in Japanese Buddhism are hāṃ ( हां / हाँ ) and hāmmāṃ ( हाम्मां / हाम्माँ ),

1820-472: Is widely used for meditation in Hindu , Tantra , Jain , and Buddhist traditions. Variations include easy pose ( Sukhasana ), half lotus, bound lotus, and psychic union pose. Advanced variations of several other asanas including yoga headstand have the legs in lotus or half lotus. The pose can be uncomfortable for people not used to sitting on the floor, and attempts to force the legs into position can injure

1885-511: The Amoghapāśakalparāja Sūtra (不空羂索神変真言經, pinyin : Bùkōng juànsuǒ shénbiàn zhēnyán jīng , translated by Bodhiruci circa 707-709 CE ), where he is described as a servant or messenger of the buddha Vairocana : The first from the west in the northern quadrant is the acolyte Acala (不動使者). In his left hand he grasps a noose and in his right hand he holds a sword. He is seated in the half-lotus position . More well-known, however,

1950-757: The on'yomi reading of his Chinese name. Acala (as Fudō) is one of the especially important and well-known divinities in Japanese Buddhism , being especially venerated in the Shingon , Tendai , Zen , and Nichiren sects, as well as in Shugendō . Acala has been worshiped throughout the Middle Ages and into modern times in Nepal, Tibet, China and Japan, where sculptural and pictorial representations of him are most often found. Acala first appears in

2015-622: The Amoghapāśakalparāja Sūtra and the Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra . As Caṇḍaroṣaṇa or Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa, he is the primary deity of the Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa Tantra and is described in the Sādhanamālā . The Japanese esoteric Buddhist tradition and Shugendō also make use of the following apocryphal sutras on Acala: At that time, in the great assembly [of Vairocana], there was a great wisdom king. This great wisdom king possesses great majestic power (大威力, daiiriki ). Having

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2080-566: The Fudō-hō ( 不動法 ) , or ritual service to enlist the deity's power of purification to benefit the faithful. This rite routinely involves the use of the Homa ritual ( 護摩 , goma ) as a purification tool. Lay persons or monks in yamabushi gear who go into rigorous training outdoors in the mountains often pray to small Acala statues or portable talismans that serve as his honzon . This element of yamabushi training, known as Shugendō , predates

2145-489: The Mahāvairocana Tantra and Yi Xing's commentary on the text ("with his lower [right] tooth he bites the upper-right side of his lip, and with his left [-upper tooth he bites] his lower lip which sticks out"), these attributes were mostly absent in Chinese and earlier Japanese icons. Acala's mismatched eyes and fangs were allegorically interpreted to signify both the duality and nonduality of his nature (and of all reality):

2210-470: The Sanskrit पद्म Padma , "lotus" and आसन, Āsana, "posture" or "seat". In Asian cultures, the sacred lotus is used as a symbol of growth towards perfection and enlightenment as it is rooted in the mud at the bottom of the pond, but rises and blooms above the water. In Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism , the pose is also called the " vajra position" (Skt. vajrāsana , Ch. 金剛座 jīngāngzuò ). The pose

2275-575: The main deity ( honzon ) at many temples and outdoor shrines. Acala, as a powerful vanquisher of evil, was regarded both as a protector of the imperial court and the nation as a whole (in which capacity he was invoked during state-sponsored rituals) and the personal guardian of ritual practitioners. Many eminent Buddhist priests like Kūkai, Kakuban , Ennin , Enchin, and Sōō worshiped Acala as their patron deity, and stories of how he miraculously rescued his devotees in times of danger were widely circulated. At temples dedicated to Acala, priests perform

2340-592: The "Thirteen Buddhas" had evolved later, around the 14th century and became widespread by the following century, so it is doubtful that this practice was part of Kūkai's original teachings. Bùdòng Míngwáng (Acala) worship in China was first introduced into China during the Tang dynasty after the translation of esoteric tantras associated with him by monks such as Amoghavajra and Vajrabodhi. Iconography of Acala has been depicted infrequently in some temples and grottoes from

2405-467: The Japanese Fudō sits or stands erect, suggesting motionlessness and rigidity. The sword he wields may or may not be flaming and is sometimes described generically as a "jeweled sword" ( 宝剣 , hōken ) or " vajra sword" ( 金剛剣 , kongō-ken ) , which is descriptive of the fact that the sword's pommel is in the shape of the talon-like vajra (金剛杵, kongō-sho ). It may also be referred to as

2470-685: The Tang through to contemporaneous times, usually as part of a set depicting the Eight Wisdom Kings or Ten Wisdom Kings , In modern times, he is revered as one of the eight Buddhist guardians of the Chinese zodiac and specifically considered to be the protector of those born in the year of the Rooster. He is also frequently invoked during Chinese Buddhist repentance ceremonies, such as the Liberation Rite of Water and Land , along with

2535-433: The buddha Akṣobhya , or the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī . In later texts, he is also called Caṇḍaroṣaṇa ( चण्डरोषण , "Violent Wrathful One", IPA: [t͜ɕɐɳɖɐˈroːʂɐɳɐ] ) or Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa ( चण्डमहारोषण , "Violent One of Great Wrath", IPA: [t͜ɕɐɳɖɐmɐɦaːˈroːʂɐɳɐ] ), the names by which he is more commonly known in countries like Nepal and Tibet . In East Asian esoteric Buddhism , Acala

2600-521: The deity is Oṃ caṇḍa-mahā­roṣaṇa hūṃ phaṭ , found in the Siddhaikavīra Tantra . The text describes it as the "king of mantras" that dispels all evil and grants "whatever the follower of Mantrayāna desires". Fudō Myōō (Acala), was never popular in Indian, Tibetan or even Chinese Buddhism, but in Japan it became the object of a flourishing cult with esoteric overtones. The cult of Acala

2665-536: The description given in the Amoghapāśakalparāja Sūtra and the Mahāvairocana Tantra : holding a lasso and a sword while sitting or standing on a rock (盤石座, banjakuza ) or a pile of hewn stones (瑟瑟座, shitsushitsuza ), with his braided hair hanging from the left of his head. He may also be depicted with a lotus flower - a symbol of enlightenment - on his head (頂蓮, chōren ). Unlike the South Asian Acala, whose striding posture conveys movement and dynamism,

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2730-505: The effects of yoga on specific organs, without adducing any evidence. Iyengar claimed that Padmasana encourages blood circulation in the abdomen and lumbar region, toning the spine and abdominal organs. In Buddhism , statues of the founder, Gautama Buddha , sometimes depict him seated in lotus position and enthroned on a lotus flower. In Hinduism , statues often depict gods, especially Shiva , meditating in Padmasana. In Bali ,

2795-444: The elemental, untamed forces of nature that the ritual practitioner seeks to harness. The two boy servants or dōji (童子) most commonly depicted in Japanese iconographic portrayals are Kiṃkara ( 矜羯羅童子 , Kongara-dōji ) and Ceṭaka ( 吒迦童子 , Seitaka-dōji ) , who also appear as the last two of the list of Acala's eight great dōji . Kiṃkara is depicted as white in color, with his hands joined in respect , while Ceṭaka

2860-528: The esoteric master Amoghavajra into Chinese are devoted entirely to him. Indeed, Acala's rise to a more prominent position in the Esoteric pantheon in East Asian Buddhism may be credited in part to the writings of Amoghavajra and his teacher Vajrabodhi . the guardian deity Vajrapani to be other, more likely prototypes for Acala. He notes: "one could theoretically locate Acala's origins in

2925-473: The first two of Acala's eight great acolytes. Matijvala is depicted as white in color and holds a three-pronged vajra in his right hand and a lotus topped with a moon disk on his left, while Matisādhu is red and holds a trident in his right hand and a wish-fulfilling jewel ( cintāmaṇi ) on his left. The eight acolytes as a whole symbolize the eight directions, with Matijvala and Matisādhu representing east and south, respectively. As noted above, Acala appears in

2990-561: The five chief vidyārājas or Wisdom Kings (明王, Myōō ), of which Acala is one, are interpreted as the wrathful manifestations (教令輪身, kyōryōrin-shin , lit. ""embodiments of the wheel of injunction") of the Five Great Buddhas , who appear both as gentle bodhisattvas to teach the Dharma and also as fierce wrathful deities to subdue and convert hardened nonbelievers. Under this conceptualization, vidyārājas are ranked superior to dharmapalas ( 護法善神 , gohō zenshin ) ,

3055-507: The iconography of Acala / Fudō in Japan. The first type (observable in the earliest extant Japanese images of the deity) shows him with wide open, glaring eyes, straight hair braided in rows and two fangs pointed in the same direction; a lotus flower rests above his head. The second type (which first appeared in the late 9th century and became increasingly common during the late Heian and Kamakura periods), by contrast, portrays Acala with curly hair, one eye wide open and/or looking upwards, with

3120-697: The image may have been actually created much later, during the Kamakura period . The most well-known image of the Ki-Fudō type, meanwhile, is enshrined in Mii-dera (Onjō-ji) at the foot of Mount Hiei in Shiga Prefecture and is said to have been based on another vision that Enchin saw while practicing austerities in 838. The original Mii-dera Ki-Fudō is traditionally only shown to esoteric masters ( ācārya ; 阿闍梨, ajari ) during initiation rites and

3185-435: The introduction of Acala to Japan. At this time, figures such as Zaō Gongen ( 蔵王権現 ) , who appeared before the sect's founder, En no Gyōja , or Vairocana, were commonly worshiped. Once Acala was added to list of deities typically enshrined by the yamabushi monks, his images were either portable, or installed in hokora (outdoor shrines). These statues would often be placed near waterfalls (a common training ground), deep in

3250-511: The knee joint sideways, risking injury. Rather than bending the knee, the thighs can be encouraged to rotate outwards (using hand pressure or a strap). The yoga guru B. K. S. Iyengar notes that people unused to sitting on the floor will initially feel "excruciating" pain in the knees, but that this subsides with practice, until the pose becomes relaxing, both restful and alert and hence ideal for pranayama . Twentieth century advocates of some schools of yoga, such as Iyengar, made claims for

3315-569: The knees. Shiva , the meditating ascetic God of Hinduism , Gautama Buddha , the founder of Buddhism , and the Tirthankaras in Jainism have been depicted in the lotus position, especially in statues. The pose is emblematic both of Buddhist meditation and of yoga, and as such has found a place in Western culture as a symbol of healthy living and well-being. The name Padmasana is from

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3380-463: The latter being a combination of the two final bīja in his mantra: hāṃ māṃ ( हां मां ). Hāṃ is sometimes confounded with the similar-looking hūṃ (हूं), prompting some writers to mistakenly identify Acala with other deities. The syllables are written using the Siddham script and is conventionally read as kān (カーン) and kānmān (カーンマーン). Three mantras of Acala are considered to be

3445-581: The legs in lotus. Asanas such as Vatayanasana (horse pose) and advanced forms of Ardha Matsyendrasana (half lord of the fishes pose) have one leg as in half lotus. Lotus is one of the yoga poses that most commonly causes injury. Attempts to force the legs into lotus pose can injure the knees by squeezing and damaging the medial meniscus cartilage; this is painful and takes a long time to heal. The hip joints must rotate outwards approximately 115 degrees to permit full lotus. Students who cannot achieve this much hip rotation may try to compensate by bending

3510-564: The lotus position." The critic Lisa M. Dresner notes that Bond is mirroring Fleming's own struggles with the pose. The BBC journalist Megan Lane commented in 2003 that since yoga as exercise had become mainstream, lotus position (like tree pose ) had been used by advertisers to sell "all manner of goods and services." She noted that both "healthy living" goods such as vitamins, fitness clubs, water filter and probiotic yogurt, and unrelated items such as cars, airlines, financial services "and even beer" have made use of images of yoga to convey

3575-415: The mountains and in caves. The daimyo Takeda Shingen is known to have taken Fudō Myōō as his patron (particularly when he transitioned to being a lay monk in his later years), and has commissioned a statue of Fudō that is supposedly modelled after his face. Acala also tops the list of Thirteen Buddhas . Thus Shingon Buddhist mourners assign Fudō to the first seven days of service. The first week

3640-419: The other Wisdom Kings where they are given offerings and intreated to expel evil from the ritual platform. Lotus position Lotus position or Padmasana ( Sanskrit : पद्मासन , romanized :  padmāsana ) is a cross-legged sitting meditation pose from ancient India , in which each foot is placed on the opposite thigh. It is an ancient asana in yoga , predating hatha yoga , and

3705-420: The other narrowed and/or looking downwards, an iconographic trait known as the tenchigan (天地眼), "heaven-and-earth eyes". Similarly, one of his fangs is now shown as pointing up, with the other pointing down. In place of the lotus flower, images of this type may sport seven topknots. Although the squinting left eye and inverted fangs of the second type ultimately derives from the description of Acala given in

3770-545: The practitioner sits in full lotus, and each hand reaches around the back to grasp the opposite foot. For psychic union pose, यओगमुद्रासन (Yogamudrasana), the practitioner bends forward in full lotus, bringing the forehead as close to the floor as possible. The pose is both an asana and a mudra ; easier variants begin from Ardha Padmasana. Variations of several other asanas such as Sirsasana (yoga headstand), Sarvangasana (shoulderstand), Simhasana (lion pose), Matsyasana (fish pose), and Gorakshasana (cowherd pose) have

3835-405: The region, and so this area was selected as a place for religious training. The training area is said to have opened in 655 by En no Gyōja . Many Buddhist monks, including Kūkai (空海), are said to have trained in here. Hozan-ji started when Tankai (湛海) re-opened this training area in the 17th century. Tankai set up a statue of Kangiten (Shoten) at this place in 1678, the official year Hozan-ji

3900-464: The standard in Japan. The most widely known one, derived from the Mahāvairocana Tantra and popularly known as the "Mantra of Compassionate Help" (慈救呪, jikushu or jikuju ), goes as follows: The "Short Mantra" (小呪, shōshu ) of Acala - also found in the Mahāvairocana Tantra - is as follows: The longest of the three is the "Great Mantra" of Acala, also known as the "Fire Realm Mantra" (火界呪, kakaishu / kakaiju ): Another mantra associated with

3965-528: The top of his head hangs down on his left shoulder, and with one eye he looks fixedly; Awesomely wrathful, his body [is enveloped in] fierce flames, and he rests on a rock; His face is marked with [a frown like] waves on water, and he has the figure of a stout young boy. The deity was apparently popular in India during the 8th-9th centuries as evident by the fact that six of the Sanskrit texts translated by

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4030-432: The upward fang for instance was interpreted as symbolizing the process of elevation towards enlightenment, with the downward fang symbolizing the descent of enlightened beings into the world to teach sentient beings. The two fangs also symbolize the realms of buddhas and sentient beings, yin and yang , and male and female, with the nonduality of these two polar opposites being expressed by Acala's tightly closed lips. Acala

4095-409: The virtue of great compassion (大悲徳, daihi toku ), he appears in a blue-black form. Having the virtue of great stillness (大定徳, daijō toku ), he sits in an adamantine rock. Having great wisdom (大智慧, daichie ), he manifests great flames. He wields the great sword of wisdom to destroy greed, ignorance and hatred . He holds the snare of samādhi to bind those who are hard to tame. Because he

4160-481: Was established. In the Edo period , this temple was one of the most popular Buddhist temples in this region. This temple has Important Cultural Properties selected by the Japanese government. Acala Acala or Achala ( Sanskrit : अचल , "The Immovable", IPA: [ˈɐt͜ɕɐlɐ] ), also known as Acalanātha ( अचलनाथ , "Immovable Lord") or Āryācalanātha ( आर्याचलनाथ , "Noble Immovable Lord"),

4225-553: Was first brought to Japan by the esoteric master Kūkai , the founder of the Shingon school, and his successors, where it developed as part of the growing popularity of rituals for the protection of the state. While Acala was at first simply regarded as the primus inter pares among the five wisdom kings, he gradually became a focus of worship in his own right, subsuming characteristics of the other four vidyarāja s (who came to be perceived as emanating from him), and became installed as

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