Thirteen Buddhas

The Thirteen Buddhas (十三仏, Jūsanbutsu) is a Japanese grouping of Buddhist deities, particularly in the Shingon and Tendai sects of Buddhism.

[1] In Shingon services, lay followers recite a devotional mantra to each figure, though in Shingon practice, disciples will typically devote themselves to only one, depending on what the teacher assigns.

[2] The names of the thirteen figures are given below in Japanese and Sanskrit and the corresponding date of their service after the death: While the thirteen figures have several mantras associated to each respectively, those listed below pertain to the standard formula used in Japanese ritual.

The Shingon[3] and Tendai[4] schools each use a different method of transliteration of the original Sanskrit.

Eight of the thirteen figures are traditionally assigned as guardians of the twelve Earthly Branches of the Chinese zodiac.