Fudo

Fudō Myōō, often simply called Fudō, is a wrathful deity in Japanese Esoteric Buddhism. In Sanskrit he is Acala, meaning “the immovable,” and he is one of the Five Wisdom Kings. He protects the Buddhist law and aids practitioners by destroying obstacles and delusions.

Originating in Indian tantric traditions and adopted into Chinese Esoteric Buddhism, Fudō is especially associated with the Shingon and Tendai schools of Japan. He is viewed as a guardian of the Dharma and a personification of unwavering resolve in the face of ignorance.

Iconography typically shows a fierce, armored figure surrounded by flames, with a short sword in his right hand to cut through delusion and a rope in his left to bind evil. He may stand on a demon or be seated on a lotus, emphasizing the subjugation of negative forces.

In practice, Fudō is invoked in rituals, mantras, and mandalas to protect pilgrims and aid meditation, purification, and courage. He is widely honored in temples, at domestic altars, and within esoteric rites of Shingon and Tendai.

Culturally, the image of Fudō Myōō is a common subject in Japanese sculpture and painting, from classical to contemporary artworks. His depictions remain a canonical element of Japanese Buddhist iconography.