jizou

A divinity in Japanese Buddhism most commonly known for being the patron of children, expectant mothers, travelers and pilgrims, firemen, and guardian of children in limbo. The localized version of Ksitigarbha, he is one of the most popular bodhisattva (bosatsu in Japanese--a person who attains enlightenment but postpones becoming a Buddha in order to help others) of the 16 attendants of Amida Buddha, a savior par exellence of those in need. Statues of male Jizou as a bald monk, standing with one foot slightly forward, with a staff in his right hand to push open the gates of Hell and a pearl or gem in his left to light the darkness, are found in cemeteries and along roadsides, ostensibly to invoke his help and protection.