Page 21 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols

C I

 ypical hinese onastery

e Chinese Buddhist monastery or temple is fashioned after

the palaces and bears very little resemblance to that of temples in

India or any other Buddhist countries. Generally there are three

groups of buildings separated by courtyards. e monastery, like

other Chinese structures, normally faces south.

Entering the front hall, one is confronted by four huge images,

usually made of wood, two on each side. ese are the Four

Heavenly Kings or Devas, the Guardians of the four Directions,

and the hall is named after them as the ‘S T W T’.

In this hall too, one is greeted at the entrance, by the lovable and

kindly Buddha-to-be, Maitreya Buddha, known to the Chinese

as the ‘Laughing Buddha’ or ‘Ta-pao Mi-Lei-Fwo’, who has a fat

paunch, looking joyously towards the entrance. Directly behind

Mi-Lei-Fwo, often separated by a wall, is the great Deva Wei-

to, the Protector of Buddhist temples and Faith. He is depicted

clad in full armour and holding either a gnarled staff or a sceptre-

shaped weapon of assault resting on the ground. Wei-To, who is

a general under the Four Heavenly Kings, is also accorded the

title of ‘Protector of Buddhist Books’. He is always facing the

Great Hall known as the ‘T-H-P-T’ which is sepa-

rated from the front hall by a wall or a courtyard.

In the Great Hall the main altar is found along with the images

of Sakyamuni Buddha and his two foremost disciples Maha-

 