Skanda (Buddhism)

Skanda Bodhisattva (Ch. 韋馱菩薩; Wei Tuo Pu Sa), Wei Tuo, and sometimes called Veda, or Idaten (韋駄天) in Japan, is regarded in Chinese Buddhism as a devoted guardian and an honored Bodhisattva of Buddhist monasteries who guards the Dharma and the objects of the Dharma. He is also sometimes called "Wei Tuo Zun Tian Pu Sa" (meaning Honored Bodhisattva Wei Tuo) because he is one of the twenty-four guardian bodhisattvas. He is the General-in-Chief of the thirty-two heavenly generals who serve under the Four Heavenly Kings. In most temples, his image traditionally faces the statue of the Buddha in the main shrine. In others, he is on the far right of the main shrine, whereas on the left is his counterpart, Guan Yu, known as Sangharama in Buddhism. In Chinese sutras, his image is found at the end of the sutra, a reminder of his vow to protect and preserve the teachings of the Buddha. According to the teaching, Skanda was the son of a virtuous king who had complete faith in Buddha's teachings. When the Buddha entered nirvana, the Buddha instructed Skanda to guard the Dharma. It was his job to protect members of the Sangha when they are disturbed by Mara, the tempter. A few days after the Buddha's passing and cremation, evil demons robbed his relics. Skanda's vow of protecting the faith and Dharma was proven when he managed to defeat the evil demons and return the relics.

Skanda in Chinese legends

There are no official stories about how Skanda was accepted into the Chinese Buddhist pantheon, or how he was given the present form of a Chinese general. Some suggest that Skanda might have come from Hinduism as the deity Kartikeya, who bears the title Skanda. Others point out that Skanda is a manifestation of Vajrapani, a Vajrayana bodhisattva who bears some relations to Skanda because they both wield vajras as weapons and are portrayed with flaming halos. Another theory would be his connection to Greco-Buddhism, as Wei Tuo's image is reminiscent of the Heracles depiction of Vajrapani.

Wei Tuo as a general and Miao Shan's lover and admirer

When the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was reincarnated as the princess Miao Shan, Skanda (known as Wei Tuo in this story) was one of her cruel father's generals. He loved Miao Shan but realized he could not possibly be a proper partner to her, since she was a pure person. However, Wei Tuo was inspired by Miao Shan's kindness so he decided to stay faithful and devoted to Miao Shan, even if she wasn't his wife. The two escaped Miao Shan's father, and the general-suitor helped build Miao Shan a temple and a kingdom of her own. Soon however, the cruel king found them and killed them both. The general, because of his devotion to Guan Yin, transformed into a bodhisattva himself, who vowed to always serve and protect Guan Yin. His appearance as a Chinese general is the direct forbear to his connection with Miao Shan.

Wei Tuo as a warrior

Another story says that Miao Shan was told to be killed by her grandmother. Her grandmother forced Miao Shan to commit suicide by leaping into the sea because she was thought to have been an incarnation of a demon, when in fact she was not. The emperor told a loyal soldier named Luo Ping to pretend to throw Miao Shan to the ocean. He brought her with Yin Ma, the mother of Wei Tuo to her village. Years passed, an evil fish demon came. A disloyal soldier named Huo Yi, was sent from the fish demon to kill Miao Shan. The fish demon wanted revenge on Miao Shan because she was the incarnation of Che Hang Da Shi, a Buddhist deva that put her in a lotus pond. Huo Yi and his troops went to the village where Miao Shan and Wei Tuo lived and fought. Huo Yi's son killed Wei Tuo. After Miao Shan became the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, she made Skanda a bodhisattva guardian. He became a bodhisattva because he took care of Miao Shan and loved her as a sister. According to the lunar calendar, his birthday is at the 3rd day of the 6th lunar month. His Western birthday in the year 2007 is on July 16.

Appearance

Skanda is described as a young man fully clad in the armor and headgear of a Chinese general, and is usually leaning on a vajra staff. Skanda can also be seen as Vajrapani, who bears some relation to him. Also, Skanda, though only a deva, is very often addressed as a Bodhisattva. This is attributed to the fact that Skanda will attain Bodhi in the very distant future.

Skanda in popular culture

• In the SNES Cho Aniki fighting game, Skanda appears as Idaten, a muscle-bound fighter.
• In Culture Brain's Hiryu no Ken II, one the item is named 'Idaten shoe' (イダテンのくつ).
• In JNetHack, 'speed boots' is translated to 'Idaten boots' (韋駄天の靴).
• TV series Idaten Jump contains many items carrying the Idaten name.
• In Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Alexis Rhodes owned a card named 'Cyber Angel Idaten', which can only be summoned by means of the rules of ritual in the card game.

See also

• Dharmapala