Twenty-Four Protective Deities

Surya ( ; , ) is the Sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realise Brahman. Throughout Indian literature, Surya has been given multiple epitaphs such as Ravi, Vaivasvat, Bhāskara, etc. Furthermore, Surya has been described through aspects of itself which are identified as the Ādityas; including Savitr, Pushan, Mārtanda, Bhaga, etc.

or simply Benten is an East Asian Buddhist goddess who originated from the Hindu Saraswati, the patroness of speech, the arts, and learning.

' (Sanskrit: वैश्रवण) or ' (Pali; , , ) is one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and is considered an important figure in Buddhism. He is the god of warfare and usually portrayed as a warrior-king. Vaiśravana is based on Kubera, the Hindu deity of wealth.

deva and heavenly king in Buddhism; lord of the heavenly realm Trāyastriṃśa; regarded as king of the gods and wielder of the thunderbolt

deva and heavenly king in Buddhism; lord of the heavenly realm Brahmaloka; not regarded as a creator deity (unlike the deity of the same name in Hinduism)

a Buddhist dharmapala (wrathful god) said to judge the dead, preside over the Narakas (Hells) and the cycle of afterlife saṃsāra

Buddhist god

Hārītī (Sanskrit), also known as , , is a female rākṣasī or yakṣinī (nature spirit) in Buddhism. She appears as a character in all Buddhist traditions and she is revered as a fierce Dharma Protector and a fertility goddess in Mahayana Buddhism. Hārītī appears in various Mahayana sutras, including in the Lotus Sutra, where she vows to protect those who uphold the sutra. She is also mentioned as a protector in the Candragarbhasūtra.

two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing at the entrance of Buddhist temples in East Asian Buddhism

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Sanskrit: धृतराष्ट्र; Pali: Dhataraṭṭha) is one of the Four Heavenly Kings in Buddhism, the King of the Gandhabbas, known as the guardian of the eastern direction and a protector of the Dharma. He is also widely revered in East Asian Buddhist traditions.

Mahayana bodhisattva regarded as a devoted guardian of Buddhist monasteries who protects the teachings of Buddhism

thumb|Leigong as depicted in a 1542 painting from the Ming dynasty Leigong () or Leishen (), is the god of thunder in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology and Taoism. In Taoism, when so ordered by heaven, Leigong punishes both earthly mortals guilty of secret crimes and evil spirits who have used their knowledge of Taoism to harm human beings. He carries a drum and mallet to produce thunder, and a chisel to punish evildoers. Leigong rides a chariot driven by a young boy named A Xiang.

Śrīmahādevī, (Chinese: 吉祥天, pinyin: Jíxiángtiān, romaji: Kichijōten or Kisshōten, lit: "Auspicious Devi"), also known as Lakshmi (Chinese: 功德天, pinyin: Gōngdétiān, romaji: Kudokuten, lit: "Meritorious Devi"), is a devi in Mahayana Buddhism. She is particularly respected in East Asian Buddhist traditions as a protector deity due to her appearance in the Golden Light Sutra where she introduced her mantra and made vows to protect any bhikṣu who will uphold and teach the sutra.

Virūpākṣa (Sanskrit; Pali: Virūpakkha; traditional Chinese: 廣目天王; simplified Chinese: 广目天王; pinyin: Guǎngmù Tiānwáng; Japanese: 広目天 Kōmokuten) is a major deity in Buddhism. He is one of the Four Heavenly Kings and a dharmapala.

Sūryaprabha (literally "Sunlight", Chinese: 日光菩薩; pinyin: Rìguāng Púsà; Rōmaji: Nikkō Bosatsu) is a bodhisattva whose specialty is sunlight and good health. Sūryaprabha is often seen with Candraprabha, as the two siblings serve Bhaiṣajyaguru. Statues of the two closely resemble each other and are commonly found together, sometimes flanking temple doors. They are also recognized in mainland Asia as devas.

major deity in Buddhism, one of the Four Heavenly Kings and a dharmapala

Vasudhārā whose name means "stream of gems" in Sanskrit, also known as "Gold Tara", is the Buddhist goddess of wealth, prosperity, and abundance. Her popularity peaks in Nepal where she has a strong following among the Buddhist Newars of the Kathmandu Valley and is thus a central figure in Newar Buddhism. She is one of the most popular goddesses worshipped in many Buddhist countries and is a subject of Buddhist legends and art.

thumb|right|Gakkō Bosatsu, Nara period, [[Tōdai-ji, Nara]]

thumb|right|200px|Pañcika and Hariti

figure in Buddhist Mythology

group of deities in Chinese Buddhism

deity