Jizo Bodhisattva Guardian of Children, Travelers, and Other Voyagers

by BAYS, JAN CHOZEN

• ISBN13: 9781590300800
• ISBN10: 1590300807
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-11-11
• Publisher: Shambhala

Summary

Jizo is an important bodhisattva or "saint" of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Most prominent today in Japanese Zen, Jizo is understood to be the protector of those journeying through the physical and spiritual realms. This bodhisattva is closely associated with children, believed to be their guardian before birth, throughout childhood, and after death. Here, an American Zen master offers an engaging and informative overview of the history of this important figure and conveys the practices and rituals connected with him, including a simple ceremony for remembering children who have died. Inspired by her own personal experience with Jizo practice, Bays explains how the Buddhist teachings on Jizo can bring peace to those confronted with suffering and loss.

Author Biography

Jan Chozen Bays is a Zen master in the White Plum lineage of the late master Taizan Maezumi Roshi. She serves as a priest and teacher at the Jizo Mountain–Great Vow Zen Monastery in Clatskanie, Oregon, and is also a pediatrician who specializes in the evaluation of children for abuse and neglect.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xvii
Introduction	p. xxv
Jizo in America	p. 1
Jizo in Japan	p. 15
The Water-Baby Jizo	p. 37
Jizo Bodhisattva, Protector of Children	p. 59
The Stone Woman Dances	p. 81
The Pilgrimage of Jizo Bodhisattva	p. 95
Jizo Bodhisattva and the Path of Pilgrimage	p. 115
The Ring Staff	p. 145
The Cintamani Jewel	p. 157
The Six Rings and the Six Realms	p. 165
Earth Store Bodhisattva	p. 191
Practicing with Jizo Bodhisattva	p. 207
A Simple Ceremony of Remembrance for Children Who Have Died	p. 233
Appendix	p. 239
References by Chapter	p. 255
Glossary	p. 263
Acknowledgments	p. 269
Index	p. 271
Permissions	p. 279
About the Author	p. 281
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