Tamonten　多聞天

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Also *Bishamonten 毘沙門天. Sk: Vaisravana. A fierce guardian deity believed to protect the north of Buddha's realm. Known as Tamonten when represented as part of a group of Four Guardian Kings *shitennou 四天王; known as Bishamonten when worshipped as an independent deity or as one of a group of ten deities *juuniten 十二天. Usually wears armour yoroi 鎧, holds a stupa and a halberd hoko 戟, or houbou 宝棒 in his hands, and stands on a demon *jaki 邪鬼. The independent deity Bishamonten is frequently flanked by attendants *kyouji 脇侍 called *Kichijouten 吉祥天 and Zennishi douji 善膩師童子. Japan's oldest Tamonten statue, holding a stupa and spear, forms part of the mid-7c shitennou group in Houryuuji *Kondou 法隆寺金堂, Nara. A good example of an independent Bishamonten statue is the 10-11c painted wood statue in Kegonji 華厳寺, Gifu prefecture, and a Bishamonten figure flanked by two attendants can be seen in Sekkeiji 雪蹊寺 (13-14c), Kouchi prefecture.

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