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About Byodoji

Vaiśravaṇa at Byodoji

The Bishamonten (Vaiśravaṇa) of Byodoji is a standing statue said to date from the Edo period. On the 1st of each month, the temple performs the Bishamonten goma to pray for good fortune and success.

Byodoji and Vaiśravaṇa

The Bishamonten of Byodoji is a standing statue in the yosegi-zukuri (joined-wood) technique, said to date from the Edo period. Clad in armor, he holds a halberd in his right hand and raises a jeweled stupa in his left.

The jeweled stupa is a stupa that holds relics of the Buddha (busshari). Holding it aloft shows Bishamonten's role as a protector of the Buddha's teaching. The halberd and armor show his power as a warrior deity.

On the 1st of each month, Byodoji performs the Bishamonten goma, praying at the start of the month for good fortune and safety. The goma and how to apply are explained on a separate page.

Standing statue of Vaiśravaṇa at Byodoji
Vaiśravaṇa at Byodoji（Collection of Byodoji）

About the Statue

PeriodEdo period (estimated)
ConstructionJoined-woodblock (yosegi-zukuri)
FormStanding; halberd in the right hand, jeweled stupa in the left

What Is Vaiśravaṇa

Bishamonten is the same deity as Tamonten, guardian of the north among the Four Heavenly Kings, and he presides over treasure and good fortune.

He is known for his armored figure holding a jeweled stupa aloft in one hand. Venerated on his own, he is cherished as a guardian of fortune in battle and success, and as a deity who brings good fortune. He is also counted among the Seven Gods of Good Fortune.

In the Sutra of King Vaiśravaṇa, Bishamonten asks the Buddha to let him teach his own mantra for the sake of people in the future. He gives the reasons as "benefit and ease," "abundant treasure," and "protection of the realm": to bring people benefit and ease, to make their treasure abundant, and to protect the realm.

Read more about Bishamonten's vow, form, and veneration

The Vaiśravaṇa Goma on the 1st of Each Month

The 1st, called sakujitsu, is the first day of a new month. On the night of the 1st of each month, Byodoji performs a goma before Bishamonten, praying for good fortune and safety.

In the goma, the wisdom-fire (chika), which represents the Buddha's wisdom, is kindled, and wishes such as certain victory, financial fortune, and prosperity in business are entrusted to it. The date and time, the prayers offered, the offering amount, and how to apply are on the goma page.

See the Bishamonten goma on the 1st of each month and how to apply

The Mantra We Recite

When we join our palms before Bishamonten, we recite the following mantra.

The Mantra of Vaiśravaṇa

on baishiramandaya sowaka

oṃ vaiśravaṇāya svāhā

A mantra that takes refuge in him, saying "O Vaiśravaṇa," and prays for the fulfillment of his protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Choose a Goma by your wish

Byodoji accepts online applications for five monthly Goma rites. Choose the deity closest to your wish, then review the details on the application screen.

Choose from five Goma rites by your wish
References

References and sources

This page lists sources directly related to Byodoji's statue and monthly prayers. Fuller references on the scriptures, form, and history of devotion to Bishamonten are listed in the article "What Is Vaiśravaṇa."

See the full references in "What Is Vaiśravaṇa"

Holdings of Byodoji

Standing image of Bishamonten, collection of Byodoji. Said to date from the Edo period, it is made in joined-woodblock construction (yosegi-zukuri) and holds a halberd in the right hand and a jeweled stupa in the left.

Scriptures and ritual texts

Sutra of King Vaiśravaṇa (Bishamon tennō kyō), trans. Amoghavajra (Taishō No. 1244). It teaches Vaiśravaṇa's fundamental vow.
Sutra of Golden Light (Konkōmyō saishōō kyō), fascicle 6, "The Four Heavenly Kings Protect the Nation," trans. Yijing (Taishō No. 665). It teaches the Four Heavenly Kings' vow to protect the realm.
Hishō, fascicle 16, "Bishamon," teachings of Shōken (Taishō No. 2489). It contains the visualization of the ritual space in the Vaiśravaṇa rite and the oral teaching on the jeweled stupa.
Gyōrinshō, chapter 65, "Bishamon Rite," compiled by Jōnen (Taishō No. 2409, vol. 76). It records the Vaiśravaṇa rite.

Research and introductory works

Komoro Junko, "Bishamonten reigentan no seiritsu ni tsuite: Fukū to Bishamonten no kankei o chūshin ni" (On the Formation of the Vaiśravaṇa Miracle Tales, Focusing on the Relationship between Amoghavajra and Vaiśravaṇa), Indogaku Bukkyōgaku kenkyū 53, no. 1, 2004. Read on J-STAGE
Ishii Masatoshi, "Fukū yaku Bishamon giki ni tsuite" (On the Bishamon giki Translated by Amoghavajra), Indogaku Bukkyōgaku kenkyū 68, no. 1, 2019. Read on J-STAGE
Satō Yukiko, Bishamonten-zō no seiritsu to tenkai (The Formation and Development of Vaiśravaṇa Images), Chūōkōron Bijutsu Shuppan, 2022.Amazonで見る ↗

Further Reading

An explanation of Bishamonten, and a guide to the goma.

  • What Is Vaiśravaṇa

    An article on Bishamonten, also called Tamonten, the deity of good fortune and success, explaining his vow, his form, and his veneration in Japan with quotations from the original texts.

    Read→

  • The Vaiśravaṇa Goma on the 1st of Each Month

    An explanation of this goma for averting calamities, offered with prayers for fortune and victory, and how to apply online.

    Read→

  • The Eleven-Faced Kannon of the Jibutsudo

    An introduction to the Eleven-Faced Kannon, the principal image of the jibutsudō, and the goma on the 18th of each month.

    Read→

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