Japanese, Chinese and Vedic/Hindu deities in Mahayana?

[StarryNightshade]

I know it's more prevalent in Vajrayana, but which of the aforementioned gods, if any, have been assimilated into the various Mahayana schools? Specifically the Japanese and Chinese schools?

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Hotei, aka Budai, aka Maitreya.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

The Surangama mantra lists several Hindu deities. Brahma and Indra also play a large part of many Mahayana sutras.

 

[Andal]

As Dyanaprajna mention, Brahma and Indra are big players. In the Shurangama Dharani there is also the mention of Narayana if I remember correctly. Chundi Bodhisattva is Vedic. Avalokiteshvara also has a connection. In the Nilakantha Dharani he is linked to both Shiva and Vishnu by being called Nilakantha, Yogeshvara, Maheshvara, Padmanabha, Varaha, etc.

Skanda Bodhisattva (Wei Tu) is the son of Lord Shiva. He is known as Skanda or Karttikeya.

 

[Benst]

I've been studying this for a bit, and there are tons of Indian and/or Hindu deities transformed and spread through Asia as Buddhist Dharma protectors, Devas or transformed in Bodhisattvas. Buddhism is one of those amazing forces which, when entering a region, did not destroy the original deities but kep't them and subverted them to useful spirits or devas.

The Four Heavenly Kings as an example (Kubera (India) > Vaisravana)

Sarasvati (India) > Biencaiten (China) and the more known Benzaiten (Japan)

Ganesha (India) > Tsoggi Daggpo (Tibetan, one name for various emanations), Kengi-ten (Shingon Buddhism), and in South East Asia as a beneficial Deva.

Krishna appears in one of the Jatakas.

Shiva appears most prominently as Mahakala in Tibet.

Ofcourse, as mentioned Indra appears as Sakka in various forms throughout the Buddhist world, both Mahayana and Therevada.

There's also Hariti, who appeared as an asura in Hinduism and became a Dharma Protector in Buddhism in various names and forms.

 

[Breathe]

Hayagriva can be found in both some schools of Buddhism. In Hinduism, he is a manifestation of Vishnu, and in Buddhism, he is a wrathful manifestation of Avalokiteshvara. The Wiki says that he is worshipped by Tibetans with who have horses.

This Wikipedia article is worth a look.
I still kick myself in that I had a friend who was a Shingon Buddhist who was wishing to tell me all about it, but at the time I was an atheist and I had no time for such things.
Typical, eh?

 

[Jainarayan]

Krishna appears in one of the Jatakas.

Rama does too. Krishna is said to be Sariputra. The story of Rama and Sita in the Jatakas is much different than that of the Ramayana.

 

[Jainarayan]

Ofcourse, as mentioned Indra appears as Sakka in various forms throughout the Buddhist world, both Mahayana and Therevada.

Btw, Shakra (Sakka) is also the Taoist Jade Emperor.

 

[crossfire]

You will find the Hindu deities more in the Theravada (southern) parts of eastern Asia, as that is where that culture spread to before Buddhism came.

 

[von bek]

Benzaiten

Nevermind. Was going to post a picture of Benzaiten. I always mess up when I try to post an image.

 

[Jainarayan]

Benzaiten

Nevermind. Was going to post a picture of Benzaiten. I always mess up when I try to post an image.

 

[crossfire]

Benzaiten

Nevermind. Was going to post a picture of Benzaiten. I always mess up when I try to post an image.

You basically right click on the image you want, copy image location, paste in the post, and put the [img]url[/img] tags around it.

Here's the coding for the image Jainarayan posted:

[IMG]http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrx7su3WnO1r2bl1yo1_1280.png[/IMG]

 

[von bek]

:namaste

Thank you, kind sir!

 

[Jainarayan]

:namaste

Thank you, kind sir!

You're welcome.

 

[Poeticus]

I know it's more prevalent in Vajrayana, but which of the aforementioned gods, if any, have been assimilated into the various Mahayana schools? Specifically the Japanese and Chinese schools?

This may be unrelated, however...​

The following is a link that you
may find very interesting as it
pertains to your OP: click me.​

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I became interested in how Shiva was viewed in Buddhism, and followed him to two different paths that I found interesting: in Tibetan Buddhism, he's equated with Mahakala, but in Shingon, Shiva and Mahakala are two different deities. The Tibetan view equates more with the idea, going back to the Tripitaka, that Hindu deities basically became dharma protectors in Buddhism.

 

[StarryNightshade]

So I was going to start another thread on this subject, but decided to revive this one. Considering it's about the same subject, really.

Branching from this other thread of mine (http://www.religiousforums.com/foru...uld-buddha-appalled-state-buddhism-today.html), I'm still trying to figure out the relationship between Buddha-Dahrma and the reverence for deities that eastern Buddhists generally have.

The various Devas and Boddhisattvas mentioned in this thread: would you say that it is true that they are regularly prayed to by Buddhists around the world? That they are mentioned in various sutras found within the Buddhist cannon and that it is "kosher" for a Buddhist to revere them? Just as long as A.) they don't view them as a "creator" or "supreme" deity or B.) don't think that they alone can help one attain nirvana?

Because it only seems to be Western Buddhists, as well as Buddhists who put most or all emphasis on mediation, who seem to disregard that Buddhism generally does have a plethora of divine beings and that people regularly pray to them. Even in Thailand, a Theravadin country and the only official Buddhist country in the world, people still perform puja for Hindu deities. Are they somehow less Buddhist than a middle class American who practices a more secular form of Buddhism?

 

[Jainarayan]

Tibetan (Vajrayana) is heavily deity oriented. In Amitabha Pure Land, it is indeed Amitabha Buddha who helps one attain nirvana, and is prayed to regularly via japa on his name (nianfo/nembutsu). The answer imo is that yes, it is kosher, and that these deities are regularly prayed to by those who belong to those schools. Those are the two I dabbled in and learned about. There may be other schools that are deity oriented; but I think it's not at all uncommon. Though I don't think any accept the creator god concept.

 

[Aupmanyav]

The following is a link that you may find very interesting as it pertains to your OP: click me.

I think they are Hindu/Budhist. Cannot find much difference (Just like so many of us are Hindu/Buddhists).

 

[Yeshe Dondrub]

Keep in mind they are not literal beings, but reflections of aspects that trigger mind. Mahakala is a protector, but do not expect him to come for tea.