He has a name you could only dream of: Daiitoku Myōō, Wisdom King of Awe-inspiring Power. He has the body to back it up—six heads, arms, and legs—and a great ride: a water buffalo bull. Looks real enough, too, especially the bull—wood sculptures in the Kamakura period were known for their remarkable realism. In the Buddhist pantheon, the Wisdom King is a god to reckon with, one of the wrathful, ferocious Myōō deities whose mythical knowledge can help overcome earthly passions. These gods came from India along with Esoteric Buddhism (Daiitoku being derived from the Hindu death god Yamantaka), though it’s not known in which temple this Daiitoku was originally housed.
The main figure is carved out of Japanese cypress in the multiple joined-block technique, rather than from a single piece of wood. The hollow body is formed from two separate pieces joined vertically down the middle.
Guardian kings often carry a trident, or three-pronged weapon, suggesting their ability to annihilate demons and protect the Buddhist doctrine.
One of his hands is empty now. But judging by its shape, it may have held a rope (kensaku), a symbol of the strong love of the Buddha for all sentient beings—and useful for tying up demons.
The Wisdom King’s eyes are rock crystal, the clearest form of quartz. Two rock crystal eyes would be special enough, but the largest head has a third rock crystal eye, indicating that he has perception beyond ordinary sight.
An inscription inside his head, on the back of the main face, indicates that restoration work was done in the Hōei era (1704–11). Parts of the arms and heads were probably also replaced at this time. The face on the left was kept in its original state.
The bull’s hocks, on the back of the leg, don’t touch the ground, realistically showing the moment he raises his haunches as he stands up and demonstrating the artist’s extraordinary attention to detail.