Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin)

Vaiśravaṇa

Today for the Holidays I wanted to write about Vaiśravaṇa, also called Bishamonten, a Buddhist war deity. Vaiśravaṇa is one of the Four Heavenly Kings and one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. Vaiśravaṇa was known to regularly descend to earth to protect Siddhārtha Gautama. His earliest sites of veneration were trees, however now heContinue reading “Vaiśravaṇa”

Daikokuten

Today for the Holidays I wanted to write about Daikokuten, a genderfluid Japanese deity of wealth. Daikokuten is a syncretic figure between Mahakala (Shiva) and Ōkuninushi. They were later conflated with Parvati as they became more of an ambiguously gendered deity. The yang wood rat and rats in general are sacred to Daikokuten. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daikokuten?wprov=sfla1

Kisshōten

Today for the Holidays I wanted to write about Kisshōten, a Japanese goddess of beauty and happiness. Kisshōten is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. She is also part of a trinity with Benzaiten and Daikokuten. Worship of Kisshōten originally came to Japan from India as a Buddhist form of Lakshmi. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kissh%C5%8Dten?wprov=sfla1

Jurōjin

Today for the Holidays I wanted to write about Jurōjin, a Japanese god of longevity and wisdom. Jurōjin is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. Jurōjin is sometimes said to exist in the same body as Fukurokuju. He was brought to Japan from China originally as the Old Man of the South Pole. TheContinue reading “Jurōjin”

Fukurokuju

Today I wanted to write about Fukurokuju, on of the Seven [Japanese] Gods of Fortune. Fukurokuju is specifically a god of wisdom and longevity. Fukurokuju is the grandfather of Jurōjin, both of them were hermits living in China during their mortal lives. He’s often synchronized with the Taoist god Xuanwu, and Old Man of theContinue reading “Fukurokuju”

Ebisu

Today I wanted to write about Ebisu, a shinto god of fishermen, driftwood, deaths in water, and luck. He’s a child of Izanami and Izanagi, when he was born he was very weak lacking legs and arms. He’s one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. Whales, sharks, and fish are sacred to him. It’s commonContinue reading “Ebisu”

Benzaiten

Today I wanted to write about Benzaiten, a goddess in Shinbutsu of wisdom, water, time, language, knowledge, music, money, and other things. She’s a daughter of the dragon-king of Munetsuchi. She is part of a trinity with Kisshōten and Daikokuten. She’s very closely associated with Saraswati. She’s one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. She’sContinue reading “Benzaiten”