Zen in Ten: Jizō Bodhisattva

The Earth Womb Bodhisattva

This beautiful illustration of Jizō Bodhisattva is by Seigaku Amato, a writer, illustrator and Soto Zen Buddhist priest. Seigaku graciously gave me permission to use his copyrighted image. To read more about him and purchase his art, please visit: www.seigakuamato.com.

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1. “Jizō Bodhisattva, or Ksitigarbha, is the only bodhisattva that is represented in the form of a priest. In Jizō’s right hand is the traveling staff of a Buddhist priest. The staff has six iron rings, one for each of the realms of being in the Buddhist universe: hell, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, asuras, and heaven. Jizō travels the six realms in order to relieve the suffering of all sentient beings in each realm. This is the reason that Jizō appears as a priest, as priests make the vow to save all sentient beings in all worlds.”¹

2. “His Sanskrit name is Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. In China, he is Dayuan Dizang Pusa (or Ti Tsang P'usa). In Tibet, he is Sa-E Nyingpo, and in Japan he is Jizō. He is the bodhisattva who vowed not to enter Nirvana until the Hell Realm is empty. His vow: ‘Not until the hells are emptied will I become a Buddha; not until all beings are saved will I certify to Bodhi.’²

3. “Although of India origin, Kshitigarbha (Jizō) is revered more widely in Japan, Korea, and China than in either India or Tibet. Most scholars generally consider Jizō-related texts to be products of China rather than India, followed later by Japanese renditions and additions. Jizō’s earliest association is with Prthvi (Prithvi), a Hindu goddess who personifies the earth and is associated with fertility. In the VEDAS, she is celebrated as the mother of all creatures and the consort of the sky.”³

4. “In Jizō’s left hand, is the mani hoju, or cintamani jewel. This jewel fulfills wishes, grants the wisdom of the buddhas, gives blessings, and removes suffering. Jizō is venerated particularly by travelers and by mothers and fathers who have lost children and is often associated with protecting pets.”⁴

5. “It is not uncommon to see statues of Jizō wearing children’s hats and bibs, as these are offerings from parents who are grieving the loss of a child.”⁵

6. “The Mizuko Ceremony, or Mizuko Kuyo, is a ceremony that centers on Mizuko Jizō. Mizuko means ‘water baby,’ and the ceremony primarily is performed on behalf of a miscarried or aborted fetus, stillborn, or very young infant. The Mizuko Ceremony dates to the post-World War II period in Japan, when abortion rates rose significantly, although it has some more ancient forerunners.”⁶

7. “Everywhere in Japan, at busy intersections, at roadsides, in graveyards, in temples, and along hiking trails, one will find statues of Jizō Bosatsu decked in clothing, wearing a red or white cap and bib, adorned with toys, protected by scarfs, or piled high with stones offered by sorrowing parents. According to Japanese folk belief, red is the color for expelling demons and illness. Rituals of spirit quelling were regularly undertaken by the Japanese court during the Asuka Period (522 - 645 AD) and centered on a red-colored fire deity.”⁷

8. “ Jizō appears in numerous Mahayana texts. One of the most widely known is the Sūtra of the Fundamental Vows of Jizō Bodhisattva (Jp. = Jizō Bosatsu Hongan Kyō 地藏菩薩本願経), in which Jizō vows to remain among us doing good works and to help and instruct all those spinning endlessly in the six realms of suffering, especially the souls of the departed who are undergoing judgment by the Ten Kings of Hell (thus explaining why Jizō statues are commonly found in Japanese graveyards). Jizō promises to unceasingly fulfill these tasks in the eons-long interval between the death of the Historical Buddha and the arrival of Miroku Buddha (the Future Buddha). Miroku is scheduled to arrive, according to Japan’s Shingon 真言 sect of Esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyō 密教), about 5.6 billion years from now, to bestow universal salvation on all beings.”⁸ 

9. “Like most of the transcendent bodhisattvas, Jizō may appear in many forms and is ready to help whenever and wherever he is needed. Nearly every community in Japan has its own beloved Jizō statue, and each one has its own name and unique characteristics. For example, Agonashi Jizō heals toothaches. Doroashi Jizō helps rice farmers with their crops. The Miso Jizō is a patron of scholars. The Koyasu Jizō assists women in labor. There is even a Shogun Jizō, dressed in armor, who protects soldiers in battle. There are easily a hundred or more special Jizōs throughout Japan.”⁹

10. Although in Japan, Jizo Bosatsu is depicted in male form, Jizo is gender fluid like Kannon Bodhisattva, and the earliest incarnation was in a female form: “The Chinese Ksitigarbha Sutra relates that, before becoming a Bodhisattva, Jizō was a young Indian girl of the Brahmin caste so horrified by the torment her late impious mother was suffering in hell that she vowed to save all beings from such torments.”¹⁰ 

1. Amato, Seigaku. The Complete Illustrated Guide to Zen. Somerville, MA, Wisdom Publications, 2021.

2. O’Brien, Barbara. https://www.learnreligions.com/jizo-bosatsu-449979

3. Schumacher, Mark. https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/jizo1.shtml

4. Amato, Seigaku.

5. Ibid.

6. O’Brien, Barbara.

7. Schumacher, Mark. https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/jizo1.shtml

8. Schumacher, Mark.

9. O’Brien, Barbara.

10. Frederic, Louis, qtd. in https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/jizo1.shtml