This Buddhist painting shows the bodhisattva of benevolence Samantabhadra, called Fugen in Japanese. As described in the Buddhist scripture the Lotus Sutra, Fugen is mounted on a six-tusked elephant. He makes the gesture of prayer with both hands before his chest. In the Japanese tradition Fugen personifies the active aspects of the Buddha's teachings: meditation and practice. He is paired with his counterpart, Manjushri (Japanese: Monju), as an attendant of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha. While Fugen is often depicted on an elephant, Monju is shown riding on a lion. Worship of Fugen reached its height late in the Heian period (794–1185), a pessimistic time during which people feared an imminent decline in the power of the Buddha's teachings. Many believed that Fugen would protect those teachings with all his power; he was also seen as an effective protector of women.