Buddha and Diety Images

 

In Steven's wanderings down the lanes of the countryside, and through the elaborate gates of ancient temple courtyards,he encountered thousands of statues of deities and Buddhas. Often during those delightful meetings, the stone or wooden statues would be adorned in colorful cloth scarves, or bib-like aprons, or knitted caps. Some statues struck Steven as being a friend and a possible guide. Others, with their fierce fangs and intense eyes, portended danger from vile, evil spirits. The most common stone figure was one fondly known by most Japanese as a "jizo." The jizo, with its benign smile, bald head, and non-threatening posture was thought to assist the souls of the dead in their own wanderings in the spirit world. Supposedly the red that many of the jizo were decorated in helped to expell demons and various illnesses. Steven discovered a new jizo in early every mile of every road and foot path he explored. What follows are dozens of those deities and Buddhas who were kind enough to "pose" for Steven's camera--even if they did stick out their tongue at the snap of his camera's shutter.