Page 60 - The Buddhist Pantheon as Seen Through Postage Stamps
P. 60
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The Eight Deva-Dragon
⼋部众
Dharma protectors (dharmapalas, ⼜称天⻰⼋部、指的是佛教护
hufashen) are beings who protect 法队伍中以天、⻰为⾸的⼋个
or guard the dharma and its 种族护法神。⼋部众分别是：
adherents from all negative 1. 天，
forces. If holy dharma protectors 2. ⻰，
are properly evoked by one who 3. 夜叉，
practices the correct dharma, 4. 乾闼婆，
they can also bestow blessings 5. 阿修罗，
and empowerment that will 6. 迦楼罗， 敦 煌 壁 画 ， 北 魏 ， 天 宫 技 乐
enable one to quickly become an 7. 紧那罗， Heavely Musicians
in the Dunhuang Grottoes,
enlightened holy being. They may 8. 摩睺罗伽。 Southern Wei
be either holy “vajra beings” or (China: 1987)
unenlightened supernatural
beings from the heavenly (devic),
asura, ghost, or animal realms 敦 煌 第220 窟 壁 画
who are “oath bound” to protect “ 东 ⽅ 药 师 净 ⼟ 变”
the dharma and those who follow Orchestra depicted in the
⾥ 的 乐 队
the dharma. Bhaisajyaguru Sutra,
Mogao Cave 220 (China: 1992)
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
