摩睺羅 (Magora)

    Today we visited 三十三間堂 and it was amazing! This was my presentation topic so I was especially excited. It is a Buddhist temple and the longest wooden structure in Japan. It is famous for its statues of Kannon, a deity of mercy and compassion. I think most of the statues are made of wood and covered in gold leaf. I really liked the smell of wood and incense, which is really random but still.
    There were many guardian statues in front of Kannon's statues, 28 to be exact. I specifically remembered Magora or Mahoraga, depending on if you're speaking Japanese or Sanskrit. This statue stood out because it reminded me of a character in an anime I have seen. Magora has five crystal eyes and is playing some type of instrument. It also supposedly resembles a serpent.
    While thinking about how this all relates to mercy, I thought about how Magora is a terrifying deity, but is also playing an instrument. I think it's interesting how Magora and the other deities can be fierce protectors while also providing something beautiful like music. I like the idea that the protectors can be both terrifying and artistic, I guess. I don't know how accurate this is, but maybe the instruments are reminders of humanity's goodness and potential. The terrifying deities represent justice, while their instruments represent mercy. This might be a stretch, and if it is, I apologize. The instruments the guardians are playing probably also represent their devotion to Kannon.
    After 三十三間堂 we went to 清水寺 and 建仁寺! It was hot and I'm very tired now, but it was so worth it. Everything was so beautiful, even though the entire population of 京都 was at 清水寺💀
    I'm very happy we were able to visit 三十三間堂 and want to come back in the future!

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