Jizo Bodhisattva: Guardian of Children, Travelers, and Other Voyagers

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...