Aizen Myō-ō
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In Japanese Buddhism, Aizen Myō-ō (愛染明王 or 愛染妙王) is the god of love and lust. Originally a Hindu deity, Rāgarāja, Aizen Myō-ō became part of Buddhism, and Kōbō Daishi transmitted the teaching of him to Japan.
He is portrayed as a red-skinned, frowning man, his appearance representing suppressed lust and passion. He variously has two, four or six arms; in the latter form, his hands bear a bell, a stick, a thunderbolt, a lotus, a bow and an arrow. Similarly, he sometimes has two heads, with a lion's head in his wild hair. According to legend, he represents the state at which sexual excitement or agitation becomes enlightenment and passionate love becomes compassion for all living things. In Buddhism, he manifests as a vajrasattva.
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