Bon-ten (Brahman) (One of the Twelve Devas)

Bon-ten is one of the Twelve Devas, originally owned by Kyoogokoku-ji (To-ji) Temple, that were made in 1127 to be hung at the annual, New Year's ceremony of esoteric prayers, at Shingon-in in the Imperial Palace.

Of the twelve scrolls, Bon-ten and Fu-ten have a particularly elaborate and large-scale decorations. This has led some scholars to believe that these two were part of an earlier 1040 set of Twelve Devas and were somehow rescued from the fire that destroyed the others. A more probable explanation is that Bon-ten and Fu-ten were painted by a different artist than the other scrolls.

The twelve devas are the guardians of the four quarters and four semi-quarters, up and down, and the sun and moon. Bon-ten guards the upward direction.

Bishamon-ten　Ishana-ten　Taishaku-ten　Ka-ten　Enma-ten　Rasetsu-ten　Sui-ten　Fu-ten　Bon-ten　Ji-ten　Nitten　Gatten