Thanks for the post. I don't think I was being clear. I do know that nearly all Tibetan and Chinese temples have these gods in the grounds, but they are very late in style.
What I was looking for is ancient Indian iconography, say from Ajanta or Sanchi. Don't know if you can help.
Dear Bodhi, I know of several images of Kuvera from ancient India (put Kuvera in your image search and see what comes up) but I know of no representation of all four of the directional gods. Of course there may be some; I don’t know everything. Almost everything but not everything. Consider also that artists simply made them what they thought they looked like and whoever decorates your proposed temple could do the same.
I am not the 5th or 9th reincarnation of a great lama, I have not recived any empowerments or initiations, I am not the holder of any lineage, I am yet to attain any of the jhanas, I am not a widely respected teacher, I am not a stream enterer (at least I don't feel like one)and I do not have many disciples. Nontheless, you may find some of my observations and musings interesting. I have been a Buddhist monk for 32 years and am the spiritual advisor to the Buddha Dhamma Mandala Society in Singapore.
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Dear Venerable,
Thanks for the post. I don't think I was being clear. I do know that nearly all Tibetan and Chinese temples have these gods in the grounds, but they are very late in style.
What I was looking for is ancient Indian iconography, say from Ajanta or Sanchi. Don't know if you can help.
For Bodhi:
Could you elaborate? Ancient Indian iconography of...?
Ancient Indian iconography of... the four great kings
Dear Bodhi,
I know of several images of Kuvera from ancient India (put Kuvera in your image search and see what comes up) but I know of no representation of all four of the directional gods. Of course there may be some; I don’t know everything. Almost everything but not everything. Consider also that artists simply made them what they thought they looked like and whoever decorates your proposed temple could do the same.
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