I had earlier posted that Shiva , as Nataraja,is considered one of the Protectors of Buddhism.
Skanda is considered as a General who protects and defends the Chinese Buddhism.
The difference between Buddhism and Santana Dharma(Vedic Hinduism) is so great that Buddhism is regarded as Nastika System since Buddhism does not accept the authority of the Vedas as a Pramana, source of Knowledge .
However excepting this point and Sunya Vada,many similar and in some areas identical views concurring with the Vedas are found in the Buddhism.
And Buddhism is profoundly influenced by Hindu Purana.
Wei Tuo Pú-sà (bodhisattva Skanda)is recognized as one of the eight divine protectors in Chinese Buddhism. Iconographically, he appears as a majestic general in his armor.
Before entering Nirvana, Buddha ordered the general, who remained in this world, to protect the Buddha Dharma. After the death of Buddha, the relics were robbed by evil demons. The bodhisattva Wei Tuo managed to overcome the demons and recovered the relics of Buddha.
Wei Tuo Pú Sà is regarded as a devoted guardian of Buddhist monasteries who guards faithfully the Buddhist treasures and the objects of the Dharma.
Baima (White Horse Monastery in Luoyang, Henan province) is the earliest monastery established in China with a long history of more than 1,000 years. According to legend a white horse carried Buddhist scripture here, and so it got the name.
Followers of Buddhism have always acknowledged Baima Monastery as their ‘ancestral temple’ and the ‘source of Buddhism’ in China. Two life-sized statues of Wei Tuo Pú sà (Bodhisattva Skanda, at left) are also among the deities represented at Baima Monastery.
Citation.
Related articles
Leave a Reply