The Bodhisattva Jizō “Looking Back”
The merciful bodhisattva Jizō is shown leading a soul to paradise. Standing atop a cloud with his left foot forward, he holds a golden staff against his shoulder and wears garments rich with delicate patterns created using cut gold leaf. He turns to gaze at his follower—the viewer, the devotee—with gentle vigilance. Popularly known as “Jizō Looking Back,” or the “Mikaeri Jizō,” this type of image poignantly reflects faith in the bodhisattva’s merciful guidance through the sufferings of the six realms of existence to the bliss of Amida Buddha’s Western Paradise.
On view for rotations 1 and 2
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