Buddhist deities

Buddhism includes a wide array of divine beings that are venerated in various ritual and popular contexts.

Mahayana Buddhists venerate numerous Buddhas, more so than the Theravada tradition, including Maitreya and Amitābha, who are seen as beings of great wisdom and power who preside over pure lands that one can travel to after death.

Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions also recognize five primary Buddhas: Each is associated with a different consort, direction, aggregate (or aspect of the personality), emotion, element, color, symbol, and mount.

Variously named as Vajradhara, Samantabhadra, Shiva, and Mahavairocana, the first Buddha is also associated with the concept of Dharmakaya and the Ground of all phenomena.

It is also commonly believed that the future Buddha, Maitreya (Pali: Metteya) currently resides in Tushita Heaven, and this figure is one of the few bodhisattvas who have a prominent place in Theravada.

[4][5] In Mahayana Buddhism, a bodhisattva is any being that has aroused bodhicitta (mind of awakening) and is thus working towards full Buddhahood.

[9] Other male bodhisattvas appearing in Indian sources include Candraprabha, Suryaprabha, Bhaiṣajyasamudgata, Bhaiṣajyarāja, Akṣayamati, and Vajrasattva.

Followers of Tibetan Buddhism consider reborn tulkus such as the Dalai Lamas and the Karmapas to be emanations of bodhisattvas.

East Asian Buddhist traditions may venerate certain historical figures as bodhisattvas, such as Kukai in the Shingon school.

In Buddhism, there is a class of deities whose main role is to act as guardians, protectors or general removers of evil.

[10] The former includes numerous devas such Brahmā and Indra, as well as local spirits and gods that have been adopted by Buddhism.

The latter type include popular wrathful deities like: Yamantaka, Ekajaṭī, Mahākāla, Palden Lhamo, and Hayagrīva.

These are mostly mundane dharmapalas:[16] The term deva (Sanskrit; Pāli: deva; Tibetan: lha; Chinese: tian 天; Japanese: ten; Korean: cheon) literally means "radiant one" or "shining one" and is commonly translated as "divinity," "heavenly being," or "god."

Rebirth as a deva is considered a favorable outcome resulting from virtuous deeds (karman) performed in previous lifetimes.

For example, Chinese Buddhism venerates the Twenty-Four Protective Devas, which include both originally Indian deities, such as Mahesvara (Shiva), Sakra (Indra), Brahma, Sarasvati, Laksmi, Marici and Hariti, as well as a few deities integrated from Taoism, such as the Emperor Zi Wei and Leigong.

The unrelated Tibetan version of the term, possibly of entirely native origin, is yi-dam[19] is said to be a contraction of Tib.

[21] In Buddhism, a yidam is a manifestation of enlightenment and may take the form of Sambhogakāya Buddhas, tantric deities such as Dakinis, bodhisattvas, Dharma protectors (Dharmapalas) or other historical figures such as past gurus or religious leaders.

One important class of beings are the yakṣas, nature-spirits, usually benevolent, who are caretakers of the natural treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots.