One of the Buddhist 5 Vajra-rajas (wisdom kings). They are personified by peacocks because of their habit of preying on snakes (nagas) and symbolize the resistance of terror and disaster. In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is thought to be one of the avatars of Gautama Buddha. In Japan, he is known as Kujaku Myo-O (Peacock Wisdom King) and is also revered as a god of rain prayed to in times of drought, poisoning and disaster.