Buddhist Guardians of the Zodiac

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ZODIAC LISTS Japanese List Chinese List Sanskrit List Korean List Tibetan List

Eight Buddhist Patrons of 12 Zodiac Signs. There are eight Buddhist deities who protect the 12 Zodiac signs, with each deity protecting one (sometimes two) Zodiac symbols. This grouping of eight probably originated in China. It gained great popularity in Japan during the Edo Era (1603 - 1867 AD), and is based in part on the four compass directions and four semi-directions (see lists below; click here to continue with story). This estore offers various Zodiac Amulets for each of the Buddhist Zodiac patrons.

JAPANESE NAMES Buddhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Zodiac Sign & Direction	Buddhist Patron / Guardian	Year of Birth
Rat, N	Kannon Bodhisattva	1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
Ox, NE	Kokūzō Bodhisattva	1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger, NE	Kokūzō Bodhisattva	1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit, E	Monju Bodhisattva	1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon, SE	Fugen Bodhisattva	1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake, SE	Fugen Bodhisattva	1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse, S	Seishi Bodhisattva	1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep, SW	Dainichi Buddha	1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey, SW	Dainichi Buddha	1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster, W	Fudō Myō-ō	1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog, NW	Amida Buddha	1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar, NW	Amida Buddha	1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

CHINESE NAMES Buddhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Zodiac Sign & Direction	Buddhist Patron / Guardian	Year of Birth
Rat, N	Guānyīn	1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
Ox, NE	Xūkōng zàng	1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger, NE	Xūkōng zàng	1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit, E	Wén shū	1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon, SE	Pǔxián	1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake, SE	Pǔxián	1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse, S	Shìzhì	1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep, SW	Dàrì Rúlái	1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey, SW	Dàrì Rúlái	1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster, W	Bù Dòng	1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog, NW	Āmítuó Fó	1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar, NW	Āmítuó Fó	1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

SANSKRIT NAMES Buddhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Zodiac Sign & Direction	Buddhist Patron / Guardian	Year of Birth
Rat, N	Avalokitêśvara	1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
Ox, NE	Akasagarbha	1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger, NE	Akasagarbha	1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit, E	Manjusri	1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon, SE	Samantabhadra	1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake, SE	Samantabhadra	1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse, S	Mahasthamaprapta	1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep, SW	Mahāvairocana	1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey, SW	Mahāvairocana	1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster, W	Acala Vidyaraja	1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog, NW	Amitābha अमिताभ	1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar, NW	Amitābha अमिताभ	1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

KOREAN NAMES Buddhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Zodiac Sign & Direction	Buddhist Patron / Guardian	Year of Birth
Rat, N	Kwanŭm 관음	1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
Ox, NE	Hŏkong chang 허공장	1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger, NE	Hŏkong chang 허공장	1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit, E	Munsu 문수	1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon, SE	Bohyeon / Pohyŏn / 보현	1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake, SE	Bohyeon / Pohyŏn / 보현	1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse, S	Seji 세지	1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep, SW	Daeil / Taeil / 대일	1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey, SW	Daeil / Taeil / 대일	1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster, W	Budong / Pudong / 부동	1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog, NW	Amita / Amit'a / 아미타	1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar, NW	Amita / Amit'a / 아미타	1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

TIBETAN NAMES Buddhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Zodiac Sign & Direction	Buddhist Patron / Guardian	Year of Birth
Rat, N	Chen re zi, Chenresig	1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
Ox, NE	Nam kai nying po	1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger, NE	Nam kai nying po	1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit, E	Jam pal, Jam-dpal	1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon, SE	Kun tu zang po	1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake, SE	Kun tu zang po	1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse, S	Unknown	1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep, SW	Nang par nang dze	1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey, SW	Nang par nang dze	1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster, W	Mi yo wa, lha khro bo	1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog, NW	Ö-pa-me, Od dpag med	1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar, NW	Ö-pa-me, Od dpag med	1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

Eight Buddhist Patrons of 12 Zodiac Signs. There are eight Buddhist deities who protect the 12 Zodiac signs, with each deity protecting one (sometimes two) Zodiac symbols. This grouping of eight probably originated in China. It gained great popularity in Japan during the Edo Era (1603 - 1867 AD), and is based in part on the four compass directions and four semi-directions (see lists below). Click here for more details. Each Zodiac animal also represents one year in a 12-year cycle, a day in a twelve-day cycle, and a two-hour period in each day. The day, for example, starts at twelve midnight, and corresponds to the Rat. Every two hours, it moves to the next zodiac animal, with twelve noon associated with the Horse. When it comes to compass directions, the Rat signifies due north, and every 30 degrees clockwise it moves to the next zodiac animal.

ZODIAC ORIGINS. The Zodiac originated in China centuries before the birth of Buddhism. Based on Chinese cosmology and divination, the Zodiac grew more elaborate over time. It was used to count years, months, days and hours, to forecast the future, to tell fortunes, and to determine personality types based on one's animal birth year. Its importance in China ensured its acceptance elsewhere, and for many centuries the Zodiac served as the preeminent calendar of Asia. Many Buddhist traditions in China and Japan were influenced by Zodiac concepts -- e.g., notions about auspicious or inauspicious times. Even now, in modern China and Japan, temples and shrines perform many of their services and festivals on specific Zodiac days. This estore offers numerous zodiac amulets.

OTHER RESOURCES ON THE ZODIAC

• Guide to the Zodiac in China and Japan (outside link; A-to-Z Photo Dictionary)
• Eight Buddhist Protectors of the Zodiac (outside link; A-to-Z Photo Dictionary)

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