niten　二天

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

A pair of devas *ten 天 or Buddhist guardian gods, such as *Bonten 梵天 and *Taishakuten 帝釈天, or Nitten 日天 and Gatten 月天 . The term also refers to the nitennou 二天王 or two of the Four Guardians Kings *shitennou 四天王 who protect the four directions, usually *Tamonten 多聞天 (north) paired with *Jikokuten 持国天 (east), but sometimes Jikokuten with *Zouchouten 増長天 (south). The term is sometimes synonymous with *Niou 仁王 (two temple gate guardians).

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