Kongōyasha Myōō

Kongōyasha Myōō (金剛夜叉明王), the Diamond Yaksha, is the wisdom king of the north in the Shingon arrangement of the Godai Myōō. Once a devouring spirit, he became a protector who swallows impurity and evil, leaving only the indestructible clarity of the vajra.

Japanese 金剛夜叉明王, Kongōyasha Myōō
Sanskrit Vajrayakṣa
Rank Wisdom king
Recognise by Three faces, the main face with five eyes; six arms holding vajra, bell, bow and arrows
Direction North, emanation of Fukūjōju Nyorai

Identifying Kongōyasha

Kongōyasha stands on lotus pads with three faces and six arms. The most distinctive feature is the principal face, which has five eyes. His hands hold a five-pronged vajra and a bell, a bow and arrows, a sword and a wheel. In the Tendai school the northern place is taken by Ususama Myōō, so a set of five kings may include either.

Meaning

The yaksha were nature spirits who could devour the living. As a wisdom king, Kongōyasha turns that appetite against evil, consuming impurity, desire and harmful forces. He protects practice from interference and purifies the place of ritual.

In Japanese art

The Kongōyasha of the Tōji lecture hall, of the ninth century, is the defining image. He appears in painted sets of the five kings and in the Diamond Realm of the Two Realms Mandala.

Collecting notes

  • Count the eyes on the main face: five eyes identify Kongōyasha even when attributes are lost.
  • He is the rarest of the five kings outside temples. Paintings are more often found than sculpture.

In the collection

Browse wisdom kings. Our collector concierge can search Japan for a Kongōyasha image.

See also

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