Describes a fierce, awe-inspiring, and intimidating glare or a formidable appearance, much like that of a wrathful Buddhist guardian deity.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the Sui Dynasty, Xue Daoheng, an assistant minister in the Ministry of Personnel, was fond of traveling to famous historical sites. While visiting Kai Shan Temple on Zhongshan Mountain, he observed that the various Vajra statues and Bodhisattva figures in the temple had distinctly different expressions. Curious, he asked a young monk why the Vajras had fierce glares (金刚怒目) while the Bodhisattvas had lowered brows (菩萨低眉).
The young monk explained that the Vajras' fierce glares were for subduing evil spirits and demons, whereas the Bodhisattvas' lowered brows were to show compassion to all sentient beings in the world.