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Kṣitigarbha

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Kṣitigarbha, known in Japan as Jizō (地蔵), or respectfully Ojizo-sama, is a bodhisattva worshipped in Buddhism. He is revered for having incarnated on Earth as a bhikkhu, or Buddhist monk, and vowing not to achieve Buddhahood until the spiritual domain of Naraka was emptied of unenlightened souls.[1] He is said to save people from the torment of hell.[2] As Shōgun-Jizō ("bodhisattva of the victorious army"), he was worshipped as the main Buddha of the Hakuun-ji Temple at the summit of Mount Atago by warriors who sought victory in upcoming battles.[3]

Legacy[edit | edit source]

A Jizō statue during the Sengoku period

In 1582, the Igan kunoichi Fujibayashi Naoe and samurai Yasuke encountered many statues of Jizō during their travels in the Kansai region. They would often stop by to make food offerings to the bodhisattva.[4] In Yamato, Naoe encountered a widow named Mayu who, having lost her husband in the war, embarked on a pilgrimage to honor every Jizō statue in Japan. The woman asked Naoe to assist her by visiting the statues whenever she could.[5]

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Appearances[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]