Jizo Bodhisattva

by Jan Chozen Bays

  Benevolence

  Benevolence means a disposition to do good. We might understand it best as parental mind. Those who are not parents still have parental heart-mind. Even people who do not get along well with other humans often are caring and careful with animals, children, or even plants. What are the qualities of small children and animals that evoke benevolence in us? They are innocence, purity, and vulnerability. Earth Store Bodhisattva is benevolent because she sees all beings in this way.

  We are innocent because our wrongdoing comes from wrong understanding, born of the confusion of turbid minds. We are pure because at our core we have a pure bright and open heart. We are vulnerable to greed, anger, and ignorance, to the machinations of small mind, to “bad habits,” to becoming “obstinate,” and to clinging to improper behavior. We are vulnerable because our life is fragile as a ball of foam floating on a stream.

  One practice to cultivate the benevolence of Earth Store Bodhisattva is to envision a baby Buddha in each person’s heart. Our proper relationship toward a baby it is that of a parent. We can be patient when we see small children who are stubborn, rude, have bad habits, or throw temper tantrums. The emergence of these baby Buddhas requires us not to be distracted by their clever disguises or odd antics, but to love and guide them as they grow.

  No Fear

  How is Kshitagarbha able to have no fear? We sometimes have bad dreams. Perhaps I have a dream that I have been shot in the leg. In the dream I am crying and afraid. I awaken and am no longer afraid. Why? A dream body can’t be harmed. A dream cannot hurt the real body. The brief dream of our lives, even if nightmarish, cannot hurt the Real Body.

  Practices to cultivate no fear are the meditations on the five elements, on death, and on impermanence. Earth Store Bodhisattva is unafraid because he knows that our fear is, like a dream, only a state of mind. What we are afraid will be harmed is a collection of five elements that will soon fall apart and return to the great earth body it emerged from. He is no more afraid of this than of the disappearance of a mirage or a play of shadows on moving water. Flux cannot hurt flux, impermanence cannot hurt impermanence.

  Fully Responsible

  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, an endless source of suffering. We are responsible for freeing ourself 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 getting 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 center, 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 antiprogress. 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 in 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 the 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, as 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 Kenchō-ji was a wooden Jizo seated on a lotus throne. The samurai Mamiya Munekatsu confined himself to 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 around 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 Kenchōji 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 a 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 thousand forms of Jizo?

  Honored Jizo

  A general asked the priest o
f Jōmyō-ji temple to borrow an ink drawing of Honored Jizo to use as a 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?

  What Are the Benefits of Practicing with Earth Store Bodhisattva?

  The Buddha praises Earth Store Bodhisattva’s activity and tells of the benefits and blessings that will be experienced by those who revere her, chant her name, or make images of Kshitigarbha. These benefits encompass all common human desires including long life, good health, beautiful features, prosperity, good sleep, sharp mental faculties and memory, an extension of these benefits to family members in the past and future, freedom from accidents and natural disaster, and harmony and happiness in the family.

  The Buddha told Empty Space Treasury Bodhisattva, “Listen attentively, listen attentively, I shall enumerate them and describe them to you. If there are good men or women in the future who see Earth Store Bodhisattva’s image, or who hear this sutra or read and recite it; who use incense, flowers, food and drink, clothing, or gems as offerings; or if they praise, gaze upon, and worship him, they will benefit in twenty-eight ways:

  1. Gods and dragons will be mindful of them and protect them,

  2. The fruits of their goodness will increase daily,

  3. They will accumulate superior causes of sagehood,

  4. They will not retreat from Bodhi [being awakened],

  5. Their food and drink will be abundant,

  6. Epidemics will not touch them,

  7. They will not encounter disasters of fire and water,

  8. They will not have any difficulties with thieves or armed robbers,

  9. They will be respected by all who see them,

  10. They will be aided by ghosts and spirits,

  11. Women will be reborn as men,

  12. If born as women they will be daughters of kings and ministers,

  13. They will have handsome features,

  14. They will often be born in the heavens,

  15. They may be emperors or kings,

  16. They will know their past lives,

  17. They will attain whatever they seek,

  18. Their families will be happy,

  19. All disasters will be eradicated,

  20. They will be eternally apart from bad karmic paths,

  21. They will always arrive at their destinations,

  22. At night their dreams will be peaceful and happy,

  23. Their deceased ancestors will leave suffering behind,

  24. And they will receive the blessings from their former lives to aid their rebirth,

  25. They will be praised by the sages,

  26. They will be intelligent and they will have sharp features,

  27. They will have magnanimous, kind, and sympathetic hearts,

  28. They will ultimately realize Buddhahood.

  There are some benefits listed here that sound desirable but also some that might sound odd. Many are things we take for granted in America in the twenty-first century: to have abundant food and drink, to be intelligent and have sharp senses, to arrive at our destinations, and to be freed from epidemics, floods, and fires. None of these could be counted on ten centuries ago when this sutra was written. A quarter or a third of the population could be wiped out in one epidemic of plague, measles, smallpox, or influenza. Those who did survive could be blind, deaf, or mentally damaged. Starvation was one summer’s drought away. Fire devastated cities like Kyoto and London repeatedly. Travel was perilous and arrival at a destination uncertain.

  Benefits eleven and twelve might cause a reaction among modern women. But we shouldn’t take these as chauvinistic. In many cultures and times to be born as a woman meant life in servitude. If you did not have a man to protect you—a father, husband, or adult son—you had no place to live, no means of support, were a target for rape and likely to starve. Only a female in a wealthy family would be guaranteed food, shelter, safety, and enough leisure time for spiritual endeavors. This list of favorable conditions points to a body, heart, and mind that are relatively free from fear, ill health, constant anxiety, and constant work. They are conditions favorable to practice.

  The Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra states many times the potential rewards from worship of Earth Store Bodhisattva. This is not just a method for guaranteeing perpetuation of the sutra and veneration of Jizo, but it verifies a common experience. If we practice wholeheartedly, things will happen that will open up means and ways for wider and deeper practice. Rather than the experience of “we are practicing,” the practice begins to practice us. The way of the bodhisattva manifests through each transformed and undivided life.

  Multiplying the Merit

  The spiritual benefit of practices with Earth Store Bodhisattva can be multiplied by the process called dedicating or transferring the merit. We do this during a day of retreat, chanting, “We dedicate this merit to all those who are ill . . .” or in our vows, “For the sake of all suffering sentient beings we vow . . .” This means that we are not taking any benefit from the practice to ourselves alone, but are giving it away to benefit others. As this good passes through the chain of cause and effect, it is multiplied. It can be imagined in this simple way: If you smile at a post office or grocery clerk, his spirits may lift. He may be more kind and helpful to fifty people he sees that day. Those fifty people may in turn affect positively several hundred others. Good actions and bad actions multiply rapidly in this way. The Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra commends generosity to the poor, the aged, to those who are ill, and to women giving birth. It recommends the practices of repairing temples that are old or destroyed, restoring old sutras, and donating to monks, temples, or to Buddhas.

  Some of the practices recommended by the sutra may seem, and indeed might be, self-serving, designed to perpetuate the sutra itself, the worship of Kshitigarbha, and to ensure donations to monks and temples. As the sutra says, Kshitigarbha can help those who perform even a good deed as small as a mote of dust. Good is always the seed for more good.

  chapter thirteen

  a Simple Ceremony of Remembrance

  for Children Who Have Died

  The practice with Jizo Bodhisattva that is finding a place in the liturgy and yearly cycle of ceremonies at many Zen centers in America is the ceremony of remembrance for children who have died. Guidelines for this ceremony were developed by Zen teacher Yvonne Jikai Rand, who studied the Jizo tradition in Japan and carefully adapted it to practice in the West. The liturgy is derived from a ceremony she and Robert Aitken Roshi created and also contains elements from ceremonies conducted by Maezumi Roshi. I have altered the language somewhat to make it more accessible to the non-Buddhists who attend our ceremonies. The marks for the bells and percussion instruments that are traditionally used in chanting the sutras and dharanis have not been included here as they vary somewhat among practice centers.

  General Guidelines

  Location

  The ceremony usually is held in a remembrance garden, a place where Jizo statues can remain and remembrance tokens can remain undisturbed as they weather and fade away. Ideally the garden can be visited by families who wish to return and meditate there at a later time.

  Who Attends

  Only people who are participating in the ceremony may attend. Observers like reporters are not allowed unless they participate fully. They should not be taking notes. Those who staff the ceremony must also participate—that is, make remembrances for a child who has died. Participants may not know one another, and the privacy of grief for the most sensitive participant is respected. Thus taking photos is not allowed during the ceremony.

  Staffing the Ceremony

  Because the ceremony is related to a funeral or memorial service, we have an ordained priest direct the ceremony here, as we do in Japan.
We find it is best to have two people staff the ceremony jointly. Although rare, occasionally a participant becomes emotionally overwhelmed and needs help. The assistant can provide this while the priest remains with the rest of the group. The priest should have the experience and training necessary to maintain a ceremonial space or vessel that can contain a large amount of grief.

  Preparations for the Ceremony

  Preparations for the ceremony are held indoors, in a room where people can be quiet and comfortable together, where they can grieve, where intrusions will not occur. Any supplies for sewing or constructing remembrances, tissues, brochures from relevant organizations, and for a tea after the ceremony should be set out ahead of time so participants can be greeted and made welcome as they arrive.

  Introducing the Ceremony

  A brief explanation should be given of what will occur during the time of preparation and during the ceremony. This includes the reason for maintaining silence except for simple (and optional) statements by participants about whom they are there to remember. A brief history of Jizo Bodhisattva and the mizuko ceremony of remembrance for children can be given.

  Preparing Remembrances

  About an hour is spent making small garments or simple toys for the children. If people finish early they can sit quietly in the room or walk outside. A bell signals people to gather for the actual ceremony. Everyone walks together to the garden or forest location for the ceremony.

  The Service

  The service consists of several chants followed by a dedication that includes the names of the children being remembered. The leader can choose chants and a dedication that are appropriate to their own tradition. They may wish to reword chants to make them more accessible to participants who are not Buddhists. At some time during the service the participants offer incense and place the remembrance tokens they have made on or around the Jizo statues in the garden. A closing dedication or poem ends the ceremony. Participants can be invited for a quiet tea or to walk around the grounds until they are ready to leave on their own. This helps people to make the transition out of the ceremony in their own way and time.