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Jizo Bodhisattva

A Bodhisattva is one who devotes his or her life to freeing others from suffering.

Bodhisattvas are not worshipped, but are an inspiration to awaken to the qualities of an enlightened being that are inherent in everyone.

Jizo is the bodhisattva who plunges fearlessly into any place or situation to help those in need.

Jizo specializes in helping women, children, and those who travel, on both physical and spiritual paths. Jizo embodies the qualities of benevolence, determination, and unflagging optimism.

Jizo Bodhisattva is usually portrayed as a child-monk, often carrying a pilgrim's staff with six rings that jingle to warn animals of his approach and prevent mutual harm.

Jizo also carries the bright jewel of Dharma truth whose light banishes all fear. Jizo travels to wherever there are people who are mired in the darkness of unhappiness and fear, unable to free themselves.

Jizo is the Japanese name of this Bodhisattva, who was also known in ancient India as Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva, the Earthstore Bodhisattva, guardian of the great earth.

Jizo Bodhisattva has a special affinity with infants and children. Jizo festivals in Japan are family celebrations. Jizo temples are decorated with red and white lanterns, and there are games and food especially for children. Images of Jizo Bodhisattva also are used during ceremonies of remembrance for children who have died.

 

 

Excerpt From Chozen Roshi's Book, Jizo Bodhisattva:


Chapter 12 continued...


Earth Store Bodhisattva has taken full responsibility for "carrying across" all beings who suffer. We are also fully responsible, for our own practice and for our eventual release from suffering. It is not the sangha's fault or the teacher's fault if we do not have equanimity, wisdom, and loving kindness.

We are fully responsible for creating our own hell, hot, sterile, futile, and endless source of suffering. We are responsible for freeing ourselves and others from it, and entering that place that is cool, quenched, fertile, gentle, an endless source of renewal. We have to be very careful, however, not to become confused about what responsibility means. It does not mean that if bad or difficult things occur such as catching a cold or having someone we love become ill and die, that we are at fault and should feel guilty. It means that we are responsible for how we react to these circumstances that cause and effect brings to us.Yatsutani Roshi gave the example of someone who is put in prison and can choose to use the time there either to become a more cunning criminal or to begin a serious spiritual practice. Our place of choice and action is in the present. It is our responsibility, our privilege, and our joy to bring ourselves out of ignorance and reactivity, to dig into our own earth and uncover our own hidden potential.

 

 

Engaged in Life

In Japan Jizo Bodhisattva is found everywhere. This means that Jizo is never far from someone who needs help. Of all the bodhisattvas, Jizo is felt to be accessible, even interested in the problems of daily human life.

We are all engaged in life. We can't help it. We are alive. But how much more alive and happy we feel when our body and mind are fully engaged. A practice to cultivate this factor is to meditate with the flow of impermanence. With each breath we step into the next moment awake and curious. When resistance arises we ride the out breath and move through. For example, if there is resistance to get up in the morning, lie still and become aware of the movement of breath in and out. Ride the movement of the out breath up and out of bed.

We can surrender our life as Jizo has done and live it fully. It requires giving up our neurotic preoccupation with the collection of five elements and mind-events we call our life. When we are not the centre, then we are unhindered, free to be engaged to heal the human world in whatever way is appropriate. We could go on a medical relief mission. We could send money. We could help homeless people in our own city. We could intensify our practice to clarify what our place of assistance is and how to function better in it. All are needed. All our lives are the division bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva, given life for the purpose of healing the human world.

Unquenchable Optimism

Many people lose their initial joy and optimism in practice after a few years. They become depressed and worried because they cannot tell if they are making spiritual progress. This is because the changes due to practice are deep, below the level of operation of the conscious mind. The more objective observers of the fruit of practice are those on the outside, those impacted by how we speak, think, and act. The second reason you cannot measure progress is that it is actually anti-progress. It is not the process of gaining something the self can measure, compare, and feel proud of, but rather of letting go of that which relentlessly judges, criticizes, makes up ways to compete, and wants always to win.


Optimism can be cultivated if we meditate upon the qualities of enlightenment and know that they are already present within us, working their way out to full expression. We cannot know the time scale in which this will occur. We can only optimize the conditions for the birth of the baby Buddha within.

Koans About Jizo

Here are several koans about Jizo Bodhisattva that were used by Zen masters during the Kamakura era in Japan. They are from a collection called Warrior Koans, named for the fierce men and women of the samurai class for whose training the koans were devised. Zen students would ponder the koan night and day until they had a breakthrough. The master checked the authenticity and depth of their realization using testing questions, a few of which are included here.


Koans are studied under the guidance of a qualified Zen teacher. The essence of koan practice is to absorb yourself so thoroughly in the koan that you become it; it is an event in your own life. Then the realization that occurred in the koan also opens for you.

Jizo Stands Up

The image in the great hall at Kenchô-ji was a wooden Jizo seated on a lotus throne. The samurai Mamiya Munekatsu confined himself for the hall for 21 days, vowing to make Jizo stand up. He continuously recited the Jizo mantra," OM KA KA KABI SAN MAEI SOHA KA!" On the last night he was running the hall like a mad man, shouting, "Holy Jizo, stand up!"


At two o'clock in the morning the monk on night watch rounds struck a single blow on the sounding board in front of the hall. Munekatsu suddenly had a realization, and cried, "Holy Jizo, it's not he that stands up, and it's not he that sits down. He has a life that is neither standing nor sitting."

Testing question: What is the life of Jizo apart from standing or sitting?


The Very First Jizo

The samurai Koresada entered the main hall at Kenchô-ji and prayed to the Jizo of a Thousand Forms there. Then he asked the monk in charge of the hall, "Of these thousand forms of Jizo, which is the very first Jizo?" The monk said, "In the mind of the man before me are thousand thoughts and ten thousand fantasies. Which of these is the very first?"


The samurai was silent. The monk then said, "Of the thousand forms of Jizo, the very first Jizo is the Buddha-lord who is always using those thousand forms." The warrior asked, "Who is this Buddha-lord?" The monk suddenly caught him and twisted his nose. The samurai's mind immediately opened.


Testing question: Which is the very first Jizo out of the ten thousand forms of Jizo?

 

 

Honored Jizo

A general asked the priest of Jômyô-ji temple to borrow an ink drawing of Honored Jizo to use as protective charm with his battle armor. The priest exclaimed, "Honored General!" "Yes?" "Who is it that said, 'Yes?' Honored Jizo is there. Do not go seeking for another!" The general had a realization.


Testing question: When you paint a picture of Jizo, does it happen that you become Jizo or does Jizo become you?

 

 

 

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Updated: October 7, 2006