Thirteen Buddhas

TheThirteen Buddhas(Mười ba phật,Jūsanbutsu)is a Japanese grouping ofBuddhistdeities, particularly in theShingonandTendaisects of Buddhism. The deities are, in fact, not onlyBuddhas,but also includebodhisattvas.In Shingon services, lay followers 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 chanting of the mantras of the Thirteen Buddhas is a basic practice followed by Shingon andTendailay followers. They are also important in funeral andapotropaic/ protective rituals.

Thirteen Buddhist Deities, Japan, Nambokucho-Muromachi period, c. 1336-1568

Funeral rituals

The Thirteen Buddhas are also an important part of a traditional Japanese Buddhistfuneralservice, with each deity having a corresponding memorial service for the deceased.The names of the thirteen figures are given below in Japanese andSanskritand the corresponding date of their service after the death:

1. Fudō(Acala), 7th day
2. Shaka(Sakyamuni), 14th day
3. Monju(Manjushri), 21st day
4. Fugen(Samantabhadra), 28th day
5. Jizō(Ksitigarbha), 35th day
6. Miroku(Maitreya), 42nd day
7. Yakushi(Bhaisajyaguru), 49th day
8. Kannon(Avalokitesvara), 100th day
9. Seishi(Mahasthamaprapta), 1st anniversary
10. Amida(Amitabha), 2nd anniversary
11. Ashuku(Akshobhya), 6th anniversary
12. Dainichi(Vairocana), 12th anniversary
13. Kokūzō(Akasagarbha), 32nd anniversary

Mantras

A modern depiction of the thirteen Buddhas in a Japanese hanging scroll (kakejiku)

While the thirteen figures have several mantras associated to each respectively, those listed below pertain to the standard formula used in Japanese ritual. TheShingonandTendaischools each use a different method of transliteration of the original Sanskrit.Bhaisajyaguruis the only figure whose mantra fundamentally differs between traditions.

1. Fudōmyōō(Bất động minh vương,Acala):

   (Sanskrit) namaḥ samanta vajrāṇāṃ caṇḍa mahāroṣaṇa sphoṭaya hūṃ traṭ hāṃ māṃ

   (Shingon) nōmaku sanmanda bazara dan senda makaroshada sowataya un tarata kanman

   (ノウマク・サンマンダ・バザラダン・センダマカロシャダ・ソワタヤ・ウン・タラタ・カン・マン)

   (Tendai) namaku samanda bazaranan senda makaroshana sowataya un tarata kanman

   (ナマク・サマンダ・バサラナン・センダ・マカロシャナ・ソワタヤ・ウン・タラタ・カンマン)

2. Shaka nyorai(釈 già như tới,Sakyamuni):

   (Sanskrit) namaḥ samanta buddhānāṃ bhaḥ

   (Shingon) nōmaku sanmanda bodanan baku (ノウマク・サンマンダ・ボダナン・バク)

   (Tendai) namaku samanda bodanan ba (ナマク・サマンダ・ボダナン・バ)

3. Monju bosatsu(Văn Thù Bồ Tát,Manjushri):

   (Sanskrit) oṃ a ra pa ca na

   (Shingon) on arahashanō (オン・アラハシャノウ)

   (Tendai) on a ra ha sha na (オン・ア・ラ・ハ・シャ・ナ)

4. Fugen bosatsu(Phổ Hiền Bồ Tát,Samantabhadra):

   (Sanskrit) oṃ samayas tvaṃ

   (Shingon) on sanmaya satoban (オン・サンマヤ・サトバン)

   (Tendai) on samaya sataban (オン・サマヤ・サタバン)

5. Jizō bosatsu(Mà tàng Bồ Tát,Ksitigarbha):

   (Sanskrit) oṃ ha ha ha vismaye svāhā

   (Shingon) on kakaka bisanmaei sowaka (オン・カカカ・ビサンマエイ・ソワカ)

   (Tendai) on kakakabi samaei sowaka (オン・カカカビ・サマエイ・ソワカ)

6. Miroku bosatsu(Phật Di Lặc Bồ Tát,Maitreya):

   (Sanskrit) oṃ maitreya svāhā

   (Shingon) on maitareiya sowaka (オン・マイタレイヤ・ソワカ)

   (Tendai) on maitariya sowaka (オン・マイタリヤ・ソワカ)

7. Yakushi nyorai(Dược sư như tới,Bhaisajyaguru):

   (Sanskrit) oṃ huru huru caṇḍāli mātangi svāhā

   (Shingon) on korokoro sendari matōgi sowaka (オン・コロコロ・センダリ・マトウギ・ソワカ)

   (Sanskrit) oṃ bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajya samudgate svāhā

   (Tendai) on baiseizeibaiseizei baiseijasanborgyatei sowaka (オン・バイセイゼイバイセイゼイ・バイセイジャサンボリギャテイ・ソワカ

8. Kanzeon bosatsu(Quan thế âm Bồ Tát,Avalokitesvara):

   (Sanskrit) oṃ ārolik svāhā

   (Shingon) on arorikya sowaka (オン・アロリキャ・ソワカ)

   (Tendai) on arorikya sowaka (オン・アロリキャ・ソワカ)

9. Seishi bosatsu(Thế đến Bồ Tát,Mahasthamaprapta):

   (Sanskrit) oṃ saṃ jaṃ jaṃ saḥ svāhā

   (Shingon) on san zan saku sowaka (オン・サン・ザン・サク・ソワカ)

   (Tendai) on sanzen zensaku sowaka (オン・サンゼン・ゼンサク・ソワカ)

10. Amida nyorai(A di đà như tới,Amitabha):

    (Sanskrit) oṃ amṛta teje hara hūṃ

    (Shingon) on amirita teisei kara un (オン・アミリタ・テイセイ・カラ・ウン)

    (Tendai) on amirita teisei kara un (オン・アミリタ・テイセイ・カラ・ウン)

11. Ashuku nyorai(A súc như tới,Akshobhya):

    (Sanskrit) oṃ akṣobhya hūṃ

    (Shingon) on akishubiya un (オン・アキシュビヤ・ウン)

    (Tendai) on akishubiya un (オン・アキシュビヤ・ウン)

12. Dainichi nyorai(Đại Nhật Như Lai,Vairocana):

    (Sanskrit) oṃ a vi ra hūṃ khaṃ vajradhātu vaṃ

    (Shingon) on abiraunken basara datoban (オン・アビラウンケン・バサラ・ダトバン)

    (Tendai) on abiraunken basara datoban (オン・アビラウンケン・バサラ・ダトバン)

13. Kokūzō bosatsu(Hư không tàng Bồ Tát,Akashagarbha):

    (Sanskrit) namo ākāśagarbhāya oṃ ārya kāmāri mauli svāhā

    (Shingon) nōbō akyashakyarabaya on arikya mari bori sowaka (ノウボウ・アキャシャキャラバヤ・オン・アリキャ・マリ・ボリ・ソワカ)

    (Tendai) namo akyashagerubaya onarikya maribori sowaka (ナモ・アキャシャゲルバヤ・オンアリキャ・マリボリ・ソワカ)

Zodiac

Eightof the thirteen figures are traditionally assigned as guardians of the twelveEarthly Branchesof theChinese zodiac.

Earthly branch	Guardian
Rat	Kannon(Avalokitesvara)
Ox	Kokuzo(Akasagarbha)
Tiger	Kokuzo(Akasagarbha)
Rabbit	Monju(Manjushri)
Dragon	Fugen(Samantabhadra)
Snake	Fugen(Samantabhadra)
Horse	Seishi(Mahasthamaprapta)
Goat	Dainichi(Vairocana)
Monkey	Dainichi(Vairocana)
Rooster	Fudo(Acala)
Dog	Amida(Amitabha)
Pig	Amida(Amitabha)

See also

• Thirteen Buddhas of Anan
• Thirteen Buddhas of Awaji Island
• Thirteen Buddhas of Chichibu
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Dewa
• Thirteen Buddhas of Hokkaido
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Iyo
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Izumo
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Kamakura
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Kobe
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Kyoto
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Musashi
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Osaka
• Thirteen Buddhas of Tama
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Yamagata
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Yamato