Ksitigarbha

Ksitigarbha is a bodhisattva who is most commonly represented as a Buddhist monk in East Asian Buddhism. "Earth Treasury," "Earth Store," "Earth Matrix," or "Earth Womb" are all possible translations of his name. K?itigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya, as well as his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied. He is therefore often regarded as the bodhisattva of hell-beings, as well as the guardian of children and patron deity of deceased children and aborted fetuses in Japanese culture, where he is known as Jiz? or Ojiz?-sama. He is usually represented as a shaved-headed monk with a halo around his head, wielding a staff to open the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling diamond to light up the darkness.

In East Asian Mahayana Buddhism, Kitigarbha is one of the four main bodhisattvas. Samantabhadra, Manjusri, and Avalokitevara are the others.

He is represented in a classical bodhisattva form in pre-Tang dynasty grottos in Dunhuang and Longmen. He was increasingly represented as a monk carrying Buddhist prayer beads and a staff after the Tang.

Dayuan Dizang Pusa, or "Kitigarbha Bodhisattva of the Great Vow," is his Chinese name, which is pronounced Daigan Jiz Bosatsu in Japanese and Jijang Bosal in Korean. This term refers to his promise to accept responsibility for the education of all creatures in the six worlds in the age between the Buddha's parinirvana and the rising of Maitreya, as stated in the sutras. Because of its significance, shrines to Kitigarbha are frequently seen in temples, particularly in memorial halls or mausoleums.