Category: Bodhisativa

Common name: Avalokitesvara

Other name: Noble Avalokiteśvara

Japanese name: Syoukannon Bosatsu

Japanese name in Kanji: 聖観音菩薩

Sanskrit/Hindi name: Āryāvalokiteśvara

Description: Avalokiteshvara is said to appear in various forms, but Aryavalokitesvara is the original, normal form of the Bodhisattva. It is common for the deity to hold a lotus in his left hand, but this is not always the case.

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Category:Budha

Common name: Vairocana

Other name:

Japanese name: Birusyana butsu

Japanese name in Kanji: 毘盧遮那仏

Sanskrit/Hindi name: Vairocana

Description: Vairocana is the name of the king of the Asuras (King Ashura) originating from India. It is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word “Vairochana”, which translates to “light all around” and means the sun. His Japanese name is Vairocana Buddha, or is also known as Rushana Buddha for short. He is the head of the Kegon sect of Buddhism, and the Great Buddha of Nara is a statue of this Buddha.

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Category: Buddha

Common name: Bhaisajyaguru

Other name: Medicine Buddha, Pure Lapis Lazuli

Japanese name: Yakushi nyorai

Japanese name in Kanji: 薬師如来

Sanskrit/Hindi name: Bhaiṣajyaguru

Description: Bhaiṣajyaguru is the Buddha of healing and medicine, commonly referred to as the “Medicine Buddha”, he is described as a doctor who cures suffering, using the medicine of his teachings.Bhaiṣajyaguru is considered to be a guardian of the East.

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Category: Buddha

Common name: Amida Buddha

Other name: Amitāyus

Japanese name: Amida nyorai

Japanese name in Kanji: 阿弥陀如来

Sanskrit/Hindi name: Amitābha

Description:A Buddha in the Pure Land and believed to save all living beings. In a past life, The Amida Buddha made 48 vows and completed a long period of training. Now, the Amida Buddha, the lord of the Pure Land, and embraces all living beings who wish to be reborn there. He is a central figure in Pure Land teachings, and symbolizes unconditional salvation and infinite mercy.

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Category: Buddha

Common name: Buddha Sakyamuni

Other name: Gautama Buddha

Japanese name: Syaka nyorai

Japanese name in Kanji: 釈迦如来

Sanskrit/Hindi name: Shakyamuni

Description:This statue is modeled after Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, and is the basis for all Tathagata statues. It represents Shakyamuni’s virtues of compassion and wisdom, and is said to lead people to enlightenment.　They represent the eight aspects of Shakyamuni Buddha corresponding to the eight turning points in his life. Among them, in Japan, majority of them representing the aspects of his birth and preaching, and in the aspect of preaching, many of them are in the abhaya mudra, gesture of fearlessness, and Yogan-in, wish-granting, mudra.

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