The statue of Niou, holding a weapon called Vajra, was glaring

If you see a muscular man with no clothes on, his mouth tied tightly in a knot and a weapon in his hand, it would be reasonable to run away at once. Even if you don't know if you can get away if you are being chased, I am sure that most people would not want to have anything to do with him. If you don't touch him, he won't hurt you. There are some people who are proud of their strength and might want to compete with him, but I do not recommend it.

The statue of Nio at the gate of Joren-ji Temple in Akatsuka, Itabashi, looked like something you would run away from if you saw it in town. It couldn't be helped. Nio is the guardian deity of Buddhism. With a weapon in his hand and a glare on his face, he prevents Buddhist enemies from entering the temple grounds.

Like the Four Heavenly Kings, Nio is a Brahmanic and Hindu deity that has been incorporated into Buddhism and is considered to be the protector of Buddhism. In Sanskrit, he is called Vajrapani or Vajradhara. Going back further, it is said that the model for Nio is Hercules, a hero in Greek mythology, which is hard to believe. It is said that Nio was born under the influence of Hellenistic culture, just like the production of Buddha statues in Gandhara.

When I heard such a story, the Nios standing at the entrances of temples here and there looked like mercenaries who came from faraway countries to protect Buddhist temples.

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