Binzuru Sonja at Todai-ji
Binzuru Sonja, the Japanese god of curing and good vision. "Because he himself is unable to escape pain, he helps others to do so".
From the inscription at the base of the statue it says:
"Binzuru (Pindola Bharadvaja) Wood, Edo period, 18th cent.
Pindola was one of the sixteen arahats, who were disciples of the
buddha,. Pindola is said to have excelled in the mastery of occult
powers. It is commonly believed in Japan that when a person rubs a
part of the image of Binzuru and then rubs the corresponding part of
his body, his ailment there will disappear. "
He is just out side the main hall of Todai-ji temple. He is the God of healing, and holds a medicine jar in his hand. If you are ill or injured, you can touch him and then place your hand on where you are ill or injured, and he is said to be able to heal you.
Comments and faves
Anna Overseas (82 months ago | reply)
His face looks very scary! I'm not sure I'd want to touch him if I were sick. *grin*
musicmuse_ca (82 months ago | reply)
Yeah well. This is a common aspect of the Buddha found in many temples in Japan. So they do not find him scary and they rub him for good luck.
Nevertheless, I did not touch him myself....
:)
Kalufunsui [deleted] (82 months ago | reply)
I've seen it in Kyoto in '96 and remember it gave me a strong feeling.
Moreover the statue is quite small, so I thought it was some sort of child spirit. Thanks for your description
musicmuse_ca (82 months ago | reply)
@Kalufunsui.
You are welcome. One of the things about sight-seeing in Japan is that there is usually not much material in English to describe and explain what it is you are seeing. So I make it a point to describe it here.
I am glad you appreciate the commentary.
Nemo's great uncle (81 months ago | reply)
From the thumbnail, I thought that it might be a mummy (ミイラ).
According to Wikipedia, 如来 is shorthand for a transliteration (多陀阿伽陀) from Sanskrit तथागत* (tathaagata), so the "coming" interpretation from your source is probably bogus.
* Alert readers will note the त (ta) at each end, indicating where the Japanese got the syllabary idea.
Journey: Japan
map
musicmuse_ca (81 months ago | reply)
@Nemo
Thanks again for all the great info.
Kumasan (72 months ago | reply)
If I'm not mistaken this is not Yakushi Nyourai. Yakushi Nyourai is a healing Buddha. This guy is definately not a buddha. He is an arhat (or louhan in Chinese), or desciple of the buddha.
The statue in this pic is of Binzuru Sonja. See the description for more info here:
musicmuse_ca (72 months ago | reply)
@kumasan: Thanks for the link and the info. Very informative. I appreciate it. :)
Cosoko (70 months ago | reply)
Ahh yes I remember that. Love, love, love Todai-ji and Nara!
musicmuse_ca (70 months ago | reply)
Me too. :)
LeszekZadlo (46 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called 100 + Viewed Best Archaeology, Old Art & Ruins (add 1, award 1), and we'd love to have this added to the group!
R. Alton [deleted] (15 months ago | reply)
Little red riding hood?
baidege125 (7 months ago | reply)
Correct
You are so correct.
He is an arhat (arahan, luohan, rakan, nahan), Sakyamuni Buddha's enlightened disciples. In China, a group of 18 is venerated. In Tibet & Japan, a group of only 16 is venerated.
Only in a dozen or so temples in China can you see a group of 500. During the Great Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976, many of these sets were destroyed, but since then, as the East Asian countries have accumulated wealth & learned the benefits of attracting tourists, new sets have been built. There are 3 groups of 500 in Korea. There may be a 6 or so groups of 500 in Japan. Sometimes they are life-sized.
In the U.S., there is a sculptured group of 500 in Mahayana Temple (Dachengsi) in Leeds (or South Cairo) just west of the town of Catskill 2 hours north of NYC just off the New York Thruway. They are half-life-sized copies of those in Biyunsi in Beijing. They also are large wall plaques in relief of the 500 lining the walls of the Shaolin Temple (Shaolinsi) in Flushing, Queens, in New York City. And they each have a name.
They represent a lighter side of Buddhism - the oddities & foibles of humanity that often accompany wisdom & special talent.