Four Heavenly Kings

The Kings are collectively named as follows:

Individually, they have different names and features.

File:Guardian of Phra Meru Mas of Bhumibol Adulyadej - Vessavana (right side).jpg|Vaiśravaṇa of the north direction, king of yakṣas.

File:Guardian of Phra Meru Mas of Bhumibol Adulyadej - Virulhaka (right side).jpg|Virūḍhaka of the south direction, king of kumbhāṇḍas.

File:Guardian of Phra Meru Mas of Bhumibol Adulyadej - Dhatarattha (left side).jpg|Dhṛtarāṣṭra of the east direction, king of gandharvas.

File:Guardian of Phra Meru Mas of Bhumibol Adulyadej - Virupakkha (left side).jpg|Virūpākṣa of the west direction, king of nāgas.

All four Kings serve Śakra (Buddhism), the lord of the devas of {{IAST|Trāyastriṃśa}}. On the 8th, 14th and 15th days of each lunar month, the Kings either send out emissaries or go themselves to inspect the state of virtue and morality in the world of men. Then they report their findings to the assembly of the {{IAST|Trāyastriṃśa}} devas.

On the orders of Śakra, the Kings and their retinues stand guard to protect {{IAST|Trāyastriṃśa}} from another attack by the Asuras, which once threatened to destroy the realm of the devas. They also vowed to protect the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Buddha's followers from danger. In Chinese Buddhism, all four of the heavenly kings are regarded as four of the Twenty Devas (二十諸天 Èrshí Zhūtiān) or the Twenty-Four Devas (二十四諸天 Èrshísì zhūtiān), a group of Buddhist dharmapalas who manifest to protect the Dharma.{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/275253538|title=A dictionary of Chinese Buddhist terms : with Sanskrit and English equivalents and a Sanskrit-Pali index|date=2004|publisher=RoutledgeCurzon|others=Lewis Hodous, William Edward Soothill|isbn=0-203-64186-8|location=London|oclc=275253538}}

File:Fourheavenlykings4096x1360.jpg in Beijing, China.]]

According to Vasubandhu, devas born in the Cāturmahārājika heaven are 1/4 of a krośa in height (about 750 feet tall). They have a five-hundred-year lifespan, of which each day is equivalent to 50 years in our world; thus their total lifespan amounts to about nine million years (other sources say 90,000 years).

File:Chomyo Komokuten.jpg

The attributes borne by each King also link them to their followers; for instance, the nāgas, magical creatures who can change form between human and serpent, are led by {{IAST|Virūpākṣa}}, represented by a snake; the gandharvas are celestial musicians, led by {{IAST|Dhṛtarāṣṭra}}, represented with a lute. The umbrella was a symbol of regal sovereignty in ancient India, and the sword is a symbol of martial prowess. {{IAST|Vaiśravaṇa}}'s mongoose, which ejects jewels from its mouth, is said to represent generosity in opposition to greed.

File:Lingyin temple 06.jpg|Duōwén Tiānwáng (north)

File:Hangzhou-Lingyin-Tempel-04-Waechter-2012-gje.jpg|Zēngzhǎng Tiānwáng (south)

File:Lingyin temple 04.jpg|Chíguó Tiānwáng (east)

File:Lingyin temple 07.jpg|Guǎngmù Tiānwáng (west)

Image:Jikoji jikokuten.JPG|Jikoku-ten (east)

Image:Jikoji zochoten.JPG|Zōjō-ten (south)

Image:Jikoji komokuten.JPG|Kōmoku-ten (west)

Image:Jikoji tamonten.JPG|Tamon-ten (north)

• In Japanese professional wrestling, the group of Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Toshiaki Kawada, and Akira Taue of All Japan Pro-Wrestling are commonly referred to as the Four Heavenly Kings of Pro Wrestling (プロレスの四天王, Puroresu no shiten'nō).
• In the Hong Kong entertainment industry, Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Leon Lai, Aaron Kwok are known as the Four Heavenly Kings.
• In the first season of Sailor Moon, and Sailor Moon Crystal, the Four Heavenly Kings were the four loyal and faithfully devoted generals and bodyguards of Prince Endymion.
• In MegaBeast Investigator Juspion, starting in episode 13, the main villain Mad Gallant employs a quartet of assassins called the Four Evil Heavenly Kings (悪の四天王, Aku no Shitennō).
• The third movie of Detective Dee, by Tsui Hark, is named Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings (2018) (traditional Chinese: 狄仁傑之四大天王; simplified Chinese: 狄仁杰之四大天王).
• In Pokémon, the group of Pokémon trainers known as the Elite Four in English are called the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王) in Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
• In Street Fighter, the leading members of Shadaloo known as the Grand Masters in English are known as the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王) in Japanese. They consist of M. Bison (Vega in Japanese), Vega (Balrog in Japanese), Balrog (M. Bison in Japanese), Sagat (formerly), and F.A.N.G.
• In Mega Man Zero, the group of Reploids known as the Four Guardians in English are called the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王) in Japanese. In the crossover game Rockman Xover, there is another group also called the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王).
• In Black Myth Wukong, the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王) are featured as a boss fight.

{{Portal|Religion}}

• Anemoi
• Bacab
• Four Dwarves (Norse mythology)
• Four Holy Beasts
• Four Living Creatures
• Four sons of Horus
• Four Stags (Norse mythology)
• Four Symbols
• Four temperaments
• Guardians of the directions
• Lokapala
• Royal stars
• Svetovid
• Tetramorph
• Watchtower

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• Chaudhuri, Saroj Kumar. Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Japan. New Delhi: Vedams eBooks (P) Ltd., 2003. {{ISBN|81-7936-009-1}}.
• Nakamura, Hajime. Japan and Indian Asia: Their Cultural Relations in the Past and Present. Calcutta: Firma K.L. Mukhopadhyay, 1961. Pp. 1–31.
• Potter, Karl H., ed. The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies, volume 9. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1970–. {{ISBN|81-208-1968-3}}, {{ISBN|81-208-0307-8}} (set).
• Thakur, Upendra. India and Japan: A Study in Interaction During 5th cent.–14th cent. A.D.. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications, 1992. {{ISBN|81-7017-289-6}}. Pp. 27–41.

{{refend}}

{{Commons category|Four Heavenly Kings}}

• Schumacher, Mark. [http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shitenno.shtml "Shitenno - Four Heavenly Kings (Deva) of Buddhism, Guarding Four Cardinal Directions"]. Digital Dictionary of Buddhism in Japan.

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