Toshogu shrine - Sculptures of monkeys

The sculpture on the right expresses the wisdom of the three monkeys : "not hear what I should not hear" "not say that I should not say" "not see what I should not see". Their names are: Kikazaru, Iwazaru and Mizaru. Thus they represent the three most important principles of the Japanese Tendai Buddhist sect, found here by syncretism. Note : the Indian Gandhi always carried with him an engraving of this three monkeys...