Deva (ten) or guardian deity
Shōtora Taishō
招杜羅大将
Shōtora Taishō is listed as one of the Twelve Divine Generals (Jūni Shinshō) of Yakushi. The Twelve Divine Generals are twelve generals who protect Yakushi Nyorai and the people who believe in his teachings.
This introduction is based on materials from Shōhōin (Tobi Fudō). It is summarized within the scope of the beliefs and traditions those materials convey, and does not present explanations or customs common to all schools, shrines, and temples.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
The name and role of Shōtora Taishō
Shōtora Taishō is listed as one of the Twelve Divine Generals of Yakushi. He is described as also being called 昭頭羅, as being assigned to the ox among the twelve zodiac signs (jūnishi), and as having Kongōshu as his original buddha.
Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院・飛不動尊 正宝院・飛不動尊 正宝院
Tracing the form and traditions
The attribute is said to be a sword (tachi), and the body color blue.
Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院・飛不動尊 正宝院・飛不動尊 正宝院
Protecting Yakushi Nyorai and those who believe in his teachings
The Twelve Divine Generals are twelve generals who protect the world of Yakushi Nyorai and those who have faith in him. Shin-Yakushiji explains that each of them leads seven thousand attendants. Their fearsome faces and weapons are handed down not as a means of threatening people, but as forms showing their strong work of protecting the Buddhist teachings.
Source: 新薬師寺
The peace prayed for in faith in Yakushi
In faith in Yakushi, which seeks salvation from illness and disaster, the Twelve Divine Generals carry out that protection. There is also faith that links them with the twelve zodiac signs, but their names and their assignment to the signs differ by source and by temple. The individual assignments and attributes on this page are one example from the Butsuzō Zui tradition introduced by Shōhōin, and are not a table of correspondences shared by all temples.
Source: 新薬師寺・飛不動尊 正宝院・奈良薬師寺
Mantra (in Japanese, as written in the sources)
おん しょとら そわか。
Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院
Shown as written in the Japanese sources. This site does not set how or how many times to recite it.
Related kami and buddhas
Sources (in Japanese)
- 飛不動尊 正宝院「仏様の世界：招杜羅大将」（2026-10-14 確認）
- 飛不動尊 正宝院「仏様の世界：目次」（2026-10-14 確認）
- 飛不動尊 正宝院「仏様の世界：薬師十二神将」（2026-10-14 確認）
- 新薬師寺「十二神将」（2026-10-15 確認）
- 奈良薬師寺「金堂」（2026-10-14 確認）
- 国立台湾大学図書館／CBETA「薬師琉璃光如来本願功徳経（玄奘訳・大正蔵 T0450）」（2026-10-16 確認）