Lokapalas are Hindu deities of the 9th century. They are called ‘guardians of the four cardinal directions’ or ‘guardians of the world’ and can be seen on the walls of Shiva temple in Indonesia at Prambanan, Java. Depending upon on whether they are found in Buddhist or Hindu context, Lokpalas have various uses. Association of these ‘guardians of the directions’ in Hinduism, are seen with eight, nine and ten cardinal directions.
In China, each of the Lokapalas are related with Four Heraldic Animals of astrology or astronomy and with ah particular direction. A secular role is played by Lokapalas in Chinese rural communities ensuring that peace prevails all throughout the land and weather is more favorable for crops. Boots and armor of the Lokapalas help in identifying them and each of them is known to have his own magic associations and weapon. Names of the directions are Vaishravana (North), Virudhaka (South), Dhrtarastra (East) and Virupaksa (West).
According to Buddhism in Tibet, a number of these Lokapalas are indigenous Tibetan spirits, deities, ghosts, demons or mountain deities which have been conquered by Padmasambhava and are bound by oaths to safeguard a particular tradition, geographic region, monastery or are protections of Buddhism, in general.
Lokapalas have reference to the ‘Four Heavenly Kings’ and various other protector spirits, in Buddhism. In Buddhismm ‘the guardians of the directions’ have reference as the ‘dikpalas’. The two broad categories of lokapala in Buddhism are ‘protectors of the Buddhist religion’ – called Dharmapala and ‘Wisdom Protectors’ is the other category.
