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Buddhist Guardians of Zodiac
Eight Buddhist Patrons of 12 Zodiac Signs. There are eight Buddhist deities who protect the 12 Zodiac signs, with each deity protecting one (or two) Zodiac symbols. This grouping of eight probably originated in China. It gained great popularity in Japan during the Edo Era (1603 - 1867 AD), and is based in part on the four compass directions and four semi-directions Find your Guardian Deities based on your Year of birth.. Please view the below for details;
TIBETAN NAMES/ Budhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Direction Guardian Year of Birth
Rat/N Chenrezig 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
OX/ NE Namkainying po 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger/ NE Namkainying po 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit/ E Jampel-yang 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon/ SE Kun tu zang po 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake/ SE Kun tu zang po 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse/ S Unknown 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep/ SW Nampar Nangze 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey/ SW Nampar Nangze 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster/ W Mi yo wa 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog/ NW O-pa-me 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar/ NW O-pa-me 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
SANSKRIT NAMES/ Budhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Zodiac Sign BuddhistDirection Guardian Year of Birth
Rat/N Avalokitesvhara 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
OX/ NE Akashgarba 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger/ NE Akashgarba 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit/ E Manjushree 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon/ SE Samantabhadra 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake/ SE Samantabhadra 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse/ S Mahasthamprapta 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep/ SW Mahavairocana 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey/ SW Mahavairocana 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster/ W Achala Vidyaraja 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog/ NW Amitabha 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar/ NW Amitabha 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
JAPANESE NAMES/ Budhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Zodiac Sign BuddhistDirection Guardian Year of Birth
Rat/N Kannon Bodhisattva 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
OX/ NE Kokuzo Bodhisattva 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger/ NE Kokuzo Bodhisattva 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit/ E Monju Bodhisattva 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon/ SE Fugen Bodhisattva 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake/ SE Fugen Bodhisattva 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse/ S Seishi Bodhisattva 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep/ SW Dainichi Buddha 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey/ SW Dainichi Buddha 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster/ W Fudo Myo-o 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog/ NW Amida Buddha 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar/ NW Amida Buddha 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
OX/ NE Kokuzo Bodhisattva 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger/ NE Kokuzo Bodhisattva 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit/ E Monju Bodhisattva 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon/ SE Fugen Bodhisattva 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake/ SE Fugen Bodhisattva 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse/ S Seishi Bodhisattva 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep/ SW Dainichi Buddha 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey/ SW Dainichi Buddha 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster/ W Fudo Myo-o 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog/ NW Amida Buddha 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar/ NW Amida Buddha 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
CHINESE NAME/Budhist Guardian Based on Zodiac Year of Birth
Zodiac Sign Buddhist
Direction Guardian Year of Birth
Rat/N Kuan Yin 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
OX/ NE Zukongzang 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
Tiger/ NE Zukongzang 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Rabbit/ E Wenshu 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Dragon/ SE Puxian 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Snake/ SE Puxian 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse/ S Shih Chih, Da 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep/ SW Dari 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey/ SW Dari 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster/ W Bu Dong 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog/ NW Amituo 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Boar/ NW Amituo 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
Refrence: Mark Schumacher/ MA Japanese Studies/. Buddhist-Artwork
Guide created: 08/20/08 (updated 09/09/08)
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