The Buddhist deity Trailokyavijaya (Gozanze Myoo)

The main figure in this painting, known in Japanese as Gozanze, is one of a special group of deities known as the Five Radiant Kings. While ferocious in appearance, these kings use their powers of magical knowledge to protect believers and help them overcome obstacles to their spiritual development. Gozanze means “conqueror of the Three Worlds”; these worlds are thought to be full of craving and suffering.

Here he is depicted trampling other deities associated with the Three Worlds. Showing influences from multi-headed, multi-armed forms of Hindu deities, this Gozanze has four faces, each with three eyes (the face in back is not visible here). The front face is said to signify fury, the right one anger, the left one disgust, and the back one heroism. Gozanze’s eight arms symbolize great power. His two middle hands make the gesture of anger; the three hands at his right hold a bell with a thunderbolt (vajra), an arrow, and a sword; the three hands at his left carry a trident, a bow, and a lasso.