Benten

Benzaiten, also known as Benten, is an East Asian Buddhist goddess classified among the heavenly protector deities known as tenbu. She traces her origins to the Hindu goddess Saraswati, who presided over speech, the arts, and learning, and was absorbed into Buddhist tradition as a powerful dharmapāla.

Her veneration reached Japan between the sixth and eighth centuries, primarily through Chinese translations of the Golden Light Sutra, which contains a dedicated section on her worship. Over time she was drawn into the syncretic merging of Buddhism and Shinto, and several Shinto shrines came to enshrine her alongside Buddhist temples. She is also counted among the Seven Lucky Gods, a beloved grouping of deities associated with happiness and good fortune.

Through this long process of religious synthesis, Benzaiten's sphere of influence expanded well beyond her original associations. She came to be linked with dragons and serpents, local tutelary deities, wealth, protection from illness and misfortune, and the safeguarding of the nation. She is frequently depicted holding a biwa lute, embodying her enduring connection to music and the arts.