The Hall of Kṣitigarbha or Kṣitigarbha Hall () is one of the most important annexed halls in Chinese Buddhist temples. It is named after its primary function of enshrining the
bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
Kṣitigarbha
Kṣitigarbha ( sa, क्षितिगर्भ, , bo, ས་ཡི་སྙིང་པོ་ Wylie: ''sa yi snying po'') is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism and usually depicted as a Buddhist monk. His name may be tr ...
.
Origin
As his name occurs in Chinese texts such as the ''
Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Pūrvapraṇidhāna Sūtra
The ''Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Pūrvapraṇidhāna Sūtra'' (Sanskrit, ''Sutra of the Fundamental Vows of the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha;'' ) or ''Kṣitigarbhasūtra'' is a Mahāyāna sūtras, Mahāyāna sūtra teaching about the bodhisattva Ksi ...
'' (), the Chinese name of Kṣitigarbha is "Dìzàng" (地藏; ).
The ''
Daśacakra Kṣitigarbha Sūtra'' () elaborates:
::"Kṣitigarbha is patient and immovable like the great earth; his meditation is deep and profound like a secret
storehouse."
::()
Due to
Shakyamuni Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
's exhortations, Kṣitigarbha has to cultivate all the living creatures in adherence to the Dharma and eliminate all suffering in the period spanning from Shakyamuni's
Parinirvana
In Buddhism, ''parinirvana'' (Sanskrit: '; Pali: ') is commonly used to refer to nirvana-after-death, which occurs upon the death of someone who has attained ''nirvana'' during their lifetime. It implies a release from '' '', karma and rebirth a ...
to
Maitreya
Maitreya (Sanskrit: ) or Metteyya (Pali: ), also Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha, is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. As the 5th and final Buddha of the current kalpa, Maitreya's teachings will be aimed at ...
's final birth. Kṣitigarbha has made the vow:
::"Until the hells are empty (of suffering beings), I will not become a Buddha."
::()
::"Once all sentient beings are saved, I will attain Buddhahood."
::()
::"If I do not descend into hell, who will?"
::()
It is through this gesture of selflessness that he became recognized as "foremost in compassion and vows" and has been worshiped by people since ancient times.
Enshrined image
In Chinese Buddhism, Kṣitigarbha's image is usually in the form of a Buddhist monk; complete with a robe, shaved head or in a ''vishnu lou cap''. He sits in the lotus posture and wields a
khakkhara
A khakkhara ( sa, khakkhara; ; , sometimes referred to in English as a pewter staff, is a staff topped with metal rings traditionally carried by Buddhist monks, particularly in East Asian Buddhism.
Originally used as a noisemaker to announce a m ...
in his left hand, symbolizing the unification of compassion for all living creations whilst holding strictly to the
moral precepts. In his right hand is a
ruyi, signifying the fulfillment of the wishes of all living creatures.
Some images depict him standing in a triad that includes a father-son duo:
Daoming (), a
bhikshu
A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, ''bhikṣu'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics ("nun", ''bhikkhunī'', Sanskrit ''bhikṣuṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist c ...
who stands to his left, and
Mingong (), a wealthy elderly man on his right.
In some larger Buddhist temples, statues of the
ten King Yamas flank images of Kṣitigarbha.
References
Further reading
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External links
Chinese Buddhist architecture
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