NI-O

(Japanese: Two Kings), in Japanese Buddhist mythology, protector of the Buddhist faith, who makes a dual appearance as the guardian on either side of temple gateways. The guardian on the right side is called Kongo (Thunderbolt), or Kongo-rikishi; he holds a thunderbolt, with which he destroys evil, and is associated with the bodhisattva (Buddha-to-be) Vajrapani. The guardian on the left side of the gateway is called Misshaku, or Misshaku-rikishi. The two are depicted as gigantic figures, either heavily armoured or with naked chests and flowing scarves, as seen in the superbly spirited 13th-century guardians of the Todai Temple at Nara, Japan.