Twelve Heavenly Generals


In East Asian Buddhism, the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals are the protective deities, or yaksha, of Bhaisajyaguru, the buddha of healing. They are introduced in the Medicine Buddha Sutra or Bhaiṣajyaguruvaidūryaprabharāja Sūtra.
They are collectively named as follows:

Names of generals

The precise names of the generals seem to vary depending on tradition. Those listed below are from an available Sanskrit transcription of the Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhārāja Sūtra:
SanskritHanziPinyinRōmajiVietnameseTagalogTibetan Zodiac Zodiac Honji
Kiṃbhīra宮毘羅Guānpíluò
Jīnpíluò
Kubira
Kompira
Cung Tỳ LaKimbhilaJi 'jigsBoarRatMaitreya
Vajra伐折羅FázhéluòBasara, BazaraPhạt Chiết LaVajlaRdo rjeDogOxMahāsthāmaprāpta
Mekhila迷企羅MíqǐluòMekiraMê Súy LaMekhilaRgyan 'dzinRoosterTigerAmitābha
Antila安底羅ĀndǐluòAnchira, AnteiraAn Để LaAntilaGza' 'dzinMonkeyRabbitAvalokiteśvara
Anila頞儞羅ÈnǐluòAniraÁt Nể LaAnilaRlung 'dzinSheepDragonMārīcī
Saṇṭhila珊底羅ShāndìluòSanchira, SanteiraSan Để LaSanthilaGnas bcasHorseSnakeĀkāśagarbha
Indala因達羅YīndàluòIndaraNhân Đạt LaIndalaDbang 'dzinSnakeHorseKṣitigarbha
Pāyila波夷羅BōyìluòHairaDi LaPayilaGtun 'dzinDragonSheepMañjuśrī
Mahāla摩虎羅MòhǔluòMakoraMa Hổ LaMahalaSgra 'dzinRabbitMonkeyYamantaka
Cidāla真達羅ZhēndàluòShindaraChân Đạt LaSidalaBsam 'dzinTigerRoosterSamantabhadra
Caundhula招杜羅ZhāodùluòShōtoraChiêu Đổ LaSaundhula'dzinOxDogVajrapāṇi
Vikala毘羯羅PíjiéluòBikara
Bigyara
Tỳ Yết LaBikalaRdzogs byedMouseBoarŚākyamuni

Descriptions of each Heavenly General

Zhaoduluo (招杜羅)

While the Honji and zodiac correspondences listed above are the standard in Japanese sources, there is variation among texts and regional traditions.