Fugen Enmei Bosatsu (普賢延命菩薩)
Fugen Enmei Bosatsu is one of Bosatsu worshiped in Buddhism. It corresponds to Vajramoghasamayasattva in Sanskrit.
Summary
Fugen Enmei Bosatsu is an image of Bosatsu of Esoteric Buddhism that is derived from Fugen Bosatsu (kyoji (attendant figure) of Shaka Nyorai (Buddha Shakamuni), often worshiped independently) and its statue was constructed as honzon (principal image of Buddha) of Shuho (an esoteric ritual) 'Fugen Enmei ho' (prayer and austerities of Fugen Enmei (Samantabhadra)) that prays for removal of disasters and for longevity.
There are two types of Fugen Enmei Bosatsu image: one with 20 arms of Shingon sect and one with two arms of Tendai Sect.
The lotus pedestal on which Bosatsu is seated is supported by four white elephants in the Shingon sect Bosatsu image with 20 arms and it is supported by one elephant with three heads in the Tendai Sect Bosatsu image with two arms.
Pictures and statues
There are masterpieces of Bosatsu pictures, such as the one with two arms in Matsunoo-dera Temple (Maizuru City) in Kyoto Prefecture (National Treasure), and the one with 20 arms in Jiko-ji Temple in Hiroshima Prefecture (National Treasure).
There is a statue of Fugen Enmei Bosatsu of the twelfth century in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, of the United States of America, which is a Bosatsu of Taimitsu (esoteric Buddhism of the Japanese Tendai sect) because it is supported by an elephant with three heads.
There are only a few Bosatsu statues that still exist today, including the one with 20 arms in Daihozoden (Treasure House) of Horyu-ji Temple, Nara Prefecture.
Jokaku-ji Temple in Gojo City, Nara Prefecture, is one of rare cases of worshipping Fugen Enmei Bosatsu as its honzon (principal image of Buddha).