Relief Medallions

Kiyomizu Magaibutsu
Kawabe (Minamikyushu), Kagoshima

Three Kamakura-era medallions on the cliff face represent (left to right) Fudo, Comet, and Yakushi. Fudo is a protector deity, Comet is astronomical, and Yakushi is the Buddha of Healing. The symbols inside the medallions are Sanskrit characters. The use of symbols and ideas from India, the country of Buddhism's origin, is frequent in Japanese Buddhism. Many instances can be found on this website, for example the Ashura in Kofuku-ji.