Vaisravana at the Great Temple, Nara, (Near Kyoto) Japan

Vaisravana at the Great Temple, Nara, (Near Kyoto) Japan:

The exact Japanese equivalent of Kubera is Ebisu. Just as Yama (South) is Enma Daio. However, Vaisravana it is in Padma Sambhava's (Koushika's) Vajrayana which is the oldest strain of Budhism brought to Japan by Potala Bharadhwaja whose statue still sits outside the great temple at Nara constructed by Prince Shotoku close to the ancient Shinto Kiyo Mizu (Old Cold Water) Shrine.

Budhism was accepted by his mother Empress Komyo (Bright Light) as her (and therefore Japan's) second religion along side Shinto which is of Jomon descent with strong Mongol (Aryan) and Polynesian infuence.

Many of the Shinto rituals are breathtakingly similar to ancient Indian ones such as Achamaneya (three sips of water) and prokshanai (sprinkling water on oneself) for purification before entering a Shinto shrine. Tori (equivalent to Torana) gates, tying of torana above the shrine (sanctum) entrance comprising of paper or tree bark cut into lightning representing Indira and Varuna (instead of mango leaves) and pine trees cut and tied to pillars on either side of the entrance (instead of plantain trees).

Courtesy: S Suchindranath Aiyer