Shoten is esoteric Japanese Buddhism's version of the Indian elephant-headed god Gaṇeśa or Vināyaka.
Shoten is the patron of enterprise, who removes obstacles and vouchsafes wisdom...
As in India he came to be thought of as the son of Śiva, or Daijizaiten in Japan.
The cult of Shoten was brought to Japan from China and Tantric Buddhism by the founder of the Shingon sect early in the ninth century and was also taken up by the Tendai sect.
Shoten is depicted as a double figure: a powerful male god in an embrace with a gentle goddess or bodhisattva.
The connection between this dual image and the embracing Śiva and his śakti is obvious.
In both cases the embrace has symbolic importance, conveying wholeness.
Shoten also signifies the union of the individual with the Buddha...
With Enlightenment the two images become one...
It is said that the single-bodied version of Shoten may have two, four or six arms and is yellowish-red in colour...
Resources:
See Gaṇeśa:
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