CELESTIAL GENERALS

The Sixteen Guardian Deities of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra

The Sixteen Guardian Deities of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra

Deity
Celestial Generals
Painting Type
Scroll Painting
Dynasty
Kamakura period
Date / Period
Kamakura period, 13th century
Institution
Tokyo National Museum
Collection
The TNM Collection
Medium / Material
Color on silk
Accession Number
A-224
Source
ColBase: Integrated Collections Database of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan, Tokyo National Museum, A-224.

Description

Buddhist stories feature guardian gods who defend the faith and ward off evil. These two paintings show guardians who appear in a sacred writing titled [Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra]. Monks probably displayed an image of the Buddha between these paintings. In this arrangement, the guardians would have appeared as protectors of the Buddha, looking toward their spiritual master.