外面如菩薩内心如夜叉
げめんにょぼさつないしんにょやしゃ
Meanings
- Expression looking gentle and beautiful like a bodhisattva on the outside but, being wicked and frightening like a demon on the inside (orig. in ref. to women distracting men from their ascetic pratices) See also: 外面似菩薩内心如夜叉 (げめんじぼさつないしんにょやしゃ).
Kanji
- 外 outside. Read as ゲ.
- 面 face. Read as メン.
- 如 as if. Read as ニョ.
- 菩 kind of grass; sacred tree
- 薩 salvation; Buddha. Read as サツ.
- 内 inside. Read as ナイ.
- 心 heart. Read as シン.
- 夜 night
- 叉 prong. Read as シャ.