CIVILIZATION DOSSIER
Eight Vajra Warriors八大金刚
Dharma-protecting generals under Tathagata Buddha, who were ordered to escort Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
- DIRECT FIGURES
- 3
- RELATION RECORDS
- 3
- SOURCE WORKS
- 1
RELATIONSHIP COMPASS
Eight Vajra Warriors, and the people around them.
Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.
01ALLEGIANCEAllegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
2 figures · 2 records＋
Allegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
Tathagata Buddha→Eight Vajra Warriorsdispatch
Five Directional Guardians→Eight Vajra Warriorstransmit order
02THE UNSEENMythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
1 figure · 1 record＋
Mythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
Eight Vajra Warriors→Tang Sanzang (Tripitaka)take away
3 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.
In fiction · Journey to the West
The Eight Vajra Warriors are dharma-protecting generals under Tathagata Buddha, often attending at Thunderclap Monastery to listen to the Buddha's teachings. When the false and true Monkey Kings caused a disturbance at Lingshan, they were ordered to block the two. After Tang Sanzang and his disciples achieved success, they were ordered by Tathagata to escort Tang Sanzang back to the Eastern Land. On the way, they received a message from Jiedi to add one more tribulation, and then brought Tang Sanzang back. Finally, they escorted Tang Sanzang and his disciples back to the Eastern Land, and then guided them back to Lingshan.
History vs. fiction
The Eight Vajras become divine generals escorting Tang Sanzang in the novel
Buddhism indeed has the Eight Vajra Guardian Deities, but in Chapter 098 of "Journey to the West", they are dispatched by the Tathagata Buddha to carry out the concrete task of escorting Tang Sanzang and his disciples back to the East, with their divine roles serving more for the plot of the novel. (Original text: 「即叫八大金刚分付道：“汝等快使神威，驾送圣僧回东，把真经传留，即引圣僧西回。须在八日之内，以完一藏之数，勿得迟违。”」 Source: data/raw/xiyouji/第098回.txt)
Relationship network
Original text (1)
只听得半空中有八大金刚叫道：“逃走的，跟我来。”那长老闻得香风荡荡，起在空中。
Original text (1)
即叫八大金刚分付道……汝等快使神威，驾送圣僧回东
Original text (1)
附耳低言道：“……如此如此，谨遵菩萨法旨，不得违误。”