Fudo Myo-o

Fudo Myo-o is a venerable figure at the center of the five great wisdom-kings of Esoteric Buddhism. The name is the Chinese rendering of Acalanatha, the immovable protector. As an emanation of Dainichi Nyorai in his teaching aspect, he takes a wrathful form to release beings from delusion, and from the Heian period he was deeply rooted in both Japanese Buddhism and Shinto syncretic practice. He has source citations in the Mahavairocana Sutra and the Vajrasekhara Sutra; the Achala Messenger Dharani Sutra brought back by Kukai in 804 CE stands as the origin of his spread in Japan. In the Two-Realm Mandala that Kukai imported he is placed at the center of the Hall of Vidya-rajas in the Womb Realm. Shugendo placed him as the chief object of mountain practice in the Honzan and Tozan branches. As Dainichi Nyorai's teaching emanation he heads the five great wisdom-kings (Fudo, Gozanze, Gundari, Daiitoku and Kongoyasha), attended by the boys Kongara-doji and Seitaka-doji and the eight great boys. Through Shugendo he fuses with Zao Gongen and the Kumano Gongen. The principal seats include Narita-san Shinsho-ji in Chiba, Takahata Fudoson Kongo-ji in Tokyo and Takidani Fudo Myo-o-ji in Osaka.