Angels, Tennin, Tennyo

Attributes: Enlightenment, Celestial Beings, Dance, Music

Tennin include Flying Aspara (Hiten), The Celestial Maidens (Tennyo) and Bosatsu on the Clouds.

They are celestial beings though not subjects of prayer or deities to worship they are merely servants. Mostly, they are dancers and musicians. They usually wear light or feathered garments embellished with scarves.

When flying (Hiten) they are said to be invisible to the human eye as they possess superhuman speed and power. Buddhist representations usually show them flying over the Buddha's pure land scattering flowers, playing music and burning incense.

(Tennyo) are a female only sub-group of Tennin. Tennyo are extraordinarily beautiful beings who look like human women. Apart from their unrivaled grace and elegance, supernaturally attractive faces and figures, there is little difference from them and earthly women. They wear extraordinary gowns called hagoromo (literally “feather cloth”), which allow them to fly. They are also pictured with wings much like western depictions of angels. Their job mostly, is to entertain the inhabitants of heaven.