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The Diamond-rod wielding Shukongoshin (Agyo), Asakusa Temple, Japan.

Shukongōshin (Japanese: 執金剛神) is one of the two Niō (仁王, lit. Two kings) protective deities, the wrath-filled and muscular guardians of the Buddha, standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in Japan under the appearance of frightening wrestler-like statues. According to Japanese tradition, these guardians travelled with the historical Buddha to protect him.

Shukongōshin, also called Agyo (阿形), is a symbol of overt violence: he wields a thunderbolt stick and bares his teeth. His mouth is depicted as being in the shape necessary to form the "ah" sound, leading to his alternate name. He is a manifestation of the Bodhisattva Vajrapani, protector deity of the Buddha.

Shukongoshin is an interesting case of transmission of the image of the famous Greek god Herakles to the Far-East along the Silk Road. Herakles was used in Greco-Buddhist art to represent Vajrapani, the protector of the Buddha (See also [1]), and his representation was then used in China and Japan to depict the protector gods of Budhist temples. This transmission is part of the wider Greco-Buddhist syncretic phenomenon, where Buddhism interacted with the Hellenistic culture of Central Asia from the 4th century BC to the 4th century AD.

Iconographical evolution from the Greek Herakles to Shukongōshin. From left to right:
1) Herakles (Louvre Museum).
2) Herakles on coin of Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius I.
3-4) Vajrapani, the protector of the Buddha, depicted as Herakles in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara.
5) Shukongōshin, manisfestation of Vajrapani as protector deity of Buddhist temples in Japan.

References

"Religions and the Silk Road" by Richard C. Foltz (St. Martin's Press, 1999) ISBN 0312233388
"The Diffusion of Classical Art in Antiquity" by John Boardman (Princeton University Press, 1994) ISBN 0691036802
"Old World Encounters. Cross-cultural contacts and exchanges in pre-modern times" by Jerry H.Bentley (Oxford University Press, 1993) ISBN 0195076397
"Alexander the Great: East-West Cultural contacts from Greece to Japan" (NHK and Tokyo National Museum, 2003)

External links

Nio Protectors, the benevolent kings

Template:Buddhism2

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 Shukong&#333;shin, also called '''Agyo''' (&#38463;&#24418;), is a symbol of overt violence: he wields a thunderbolt stick and bares his teeth. His mouth is depicted as being in the shape necessary to form the "ah" sound, leading to his alternate name. He is a manifestation of the [[Bodhisattva]] [[Vajrapani]], protector deity of the Buddha.
-Shukongoshin is an interesting case of transmission of the image of the famous Greek god [[Herakles]] to the Far-East along the [[Silk Road]]. [[Herakles]] was used in Greco-Buddhist art to represent [[Vajrapani]], the protector of the Buddha (See also [http://www.exoticindiaart.com/artimages/BuddhaImage/greece_sm.jpg]), and his representation was then used in China and Japan to depict the protector gods of Budhist temples. This transmission is part of the wider [[Greco-Buddhist]] syncretic phenomenon, were [[Buddhism]] interacted with the [[Hellenistic]] culture of Central Asia from the [[4th century BC]] to the [[4th century|4th century AD]].
+Shukongoshin is an interesting case of transmission of the image of the famous Greek god [[Herakles]] to the Far-East along the [[Silk Road]]. [[Herakles]] was used in Greco-Buddhist art to represent [[Vajrapani]], the protector of the Buddha (See also [http://www.exoticindiaart.com/artimages/BuddhaImage/greece_sm.jpg]), and his representation was then used in China and Japan to depict the protector gods of Budhist temples. This transmission is part of the wider [[Greco-Buddhist]] syncretic phenomenon, where [[Buddhism]] interacted with the [[Hellenistic]] culture of Central Asia from the [[4th century BC]] to the [[4th century|4th century AD]].
 [[Image:Heracles-Shukongoshin.JPG|center|thumb|600px|Iconographical evolution from the Greek [[Herakles]] to Shukong&#333;shin. From left to right:<br />1) [[Herakles]] (Louvre Museum).<br />2) [[Herakles]] on coin of [[Greco-Bactrian]] king [[Demetrius I of Bactria|Demetrius I]].<br />3-4) [[Vajrapani]], the protector of the [[Buddha]], depicted as Herakles in the [[Greco-Buddhist art]] of [[Gandhara]].<br />5) Shukong&#333;shin, manisfestation of [[Vajrapani]] as protector deity of Buddhist temples in Japan.]]