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Tennin (天人; lit. "Heaven(ly) Person"), which may includeTenshi (天使; lit. "Heaven(ly) Messenger"),Ten no-Tsukai (天の使い; lit. "Messenger(s) of Heaven"),Hiten (飛天; lit. "Flying Heaven") and the specifically female version, theTennyo (天女; lit. "Heaven(ly) Woman/Women"), are a divine kind of spiritual beings found inJapanese Buddhism, the equivalent ofangels. They were seemingly imported fromChinese Buddhism, which was itself influenced by the concepts of heavenly beings found inIndian Buddhism and ChineseTaoism.[1][2]
They originated inHinduism as "Apsara" (Sanskrit:अप्सरा, romanized:apsaras orapsarā); a member of a class of celestial beings in Hindu and Buddhist culture. They are originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, who later plays the role of a "nymph" or "fairy". They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, literature and painting of many Indian and Southeast Asian cultures. See alsoDevi,Deva (Hinduism) (a divine being or god in Hinduism),Deva (Buddhism) (a higher being in Buddhism) andDeva (Jainism) (a term used for heavenly beings in Jainism).
Apsara are known asChinese andJapanese: 天使; pinyin:Tiānshǐ; rōmaji:Tenshi orChinese andJapanese: 天人; pinyin:Tiānrén; rōmaji:Tennin. Female Tennin areChinese andJapanese: 天女; pinyin:Tiānnǚ; rōmaji:Tennyo and male Tiānnán areChinese andJapanese: 天男; pinyin:Tiānnán; rōmaji:Tennan.
Tennin are mentioned in Buddhistsutras,[citation needed] and these descriptions form the basis for depictions of the beings inJapanese art,sculpture, andtheater. They are usually pictured as unnaturally beautiful women either topless or dressed in ornate, colourfulkimono (traditionally in five colours), exquisitejewelry, and stole-like, feathered, flowing scarves – called bothChányī /Tenne (衣, lit. a "Wrapping Raiment" or "Heavenly Raiment") andYǔyī /Hagoromo (羽衣, lit. 'Feather[ed] Raiment') – that wrap loosely around their bodies (a parallel to the ChristianHalo), as-well-asGokō (後光, lit. 'back[ground] light' or 'aureole'; an actual halo) – theHúntiānlíng/Adaitenayao (simplified Chinese:浑天绫;traditional Chinese:渾天綾, lit. "Armillary Sash"), worn byNezha, from Chinese mythology, is also a kind ofChányī /Yǔyī. They usually carrylotus blossoms as a symbol ofenlightenment or play musical instruments such as thebiwa, orflute.[3][4]
Tennin (Devatās in Buddhist mythology) are believed to live in theBuddhist heaven as the companions to theBuddhas andBodhisattvas. Devatās, or spirit beings, often have homes in nature, like trees, river bends, or stones. People believe their power can be captured in amulets, such as clothing or jewelry, to bring good luck and well-being. From the start, local Buddhist practices welcomed the worship of these spirits, which helped Buddhism spread throughout Asia.[5]
Tennin canfly, a fact generally indicated in art by their coloured or feathered kimono, called bothTenne (纏衣, lit. a "Wrapping Raiment" or "Heavenly Raiment") andHagoromo (羽衣, lit. 'Feather[ed] Raiment').[citation needed] In some legends,tennin are unable to fly without these kimono (and thus cannot return to heaven).[6] More rarely, they are shown with feathered wings.[3] In aNoh playHagoromo, which bears a number of similarities to theWesternswan maiden legends,[7]tennyo come to the earth and take off theirhagoromo. A fisherman spies them and hides their clothes in order to force one to marry him. After some years he tells his wife what he did, and she finds her clothes and returns to heaven.[6] The legend says it occurred on the beach ofMiho no Matsubara, now a part of the city ofShizuoka.
Both Buddhist & Shinto deities
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The dictionary definition oftennin at Wiktionary The dictionary definition oftennyo at Wiktionary The dictionary definition oftenshi at Wiktionary| Mythic texts |   | |
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| Takamagahara mythology | ||
| Izumo mythology | ||
| Hyūga mythology | ||
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| Major Buddhist figures | ||
| Seven Lucky Gods | ||
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