Sculpture Fudō Myō

Sculpture of the deity Fudō Myō Ō, Edo period (1603 - 1868)

 Wood with remains of polychromy and inserted glass eyes.

The body was composed of several parts, which prevented the wood from cracking when drying, glass eyes appear in Japanese sculpture as early as in the Kamakura period (1185 - 1333).

The statue depicts the protective deity of the "Great Immobile King" Fudō in conventional stylization with an angry expression on his face, a muscular body adorned with jewels in a threatening pose with his usual attributes - a hōken sword with a handle in the form of a thunderbolt vajra (sankotsuka ken) to cut the evil and illusions,  kensaku cord for  binding desires, illusions and unbridled emotions or to pull the believer to salvation.

The pedestal in the form of a rock, on which  is Fudo sometimes depicted, and the flame  aureole are in this case absenting .

Fudō is associated with wajarayana Buddhism of the Shingon school, but is also worshipped by the Tendai schools or Zen sects.

In the esoteric interpretation of the Shingon school, he is perceived as an angry form of the cosmic Buddha Vairocana, whose body represents the universe.

He was often popular among mountain ascetics yamabushi or as a protective deity of samurai class.

88 cm