The Bodhisattva Jizō “Looking Back”

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The merciful bodhisattva Jizō (Sanskrit: Kshitigarbha) is shown leading a soul to paradise. Standing atop a cloud, with his left foot forward, a golden staff held against his shoulder, and wearing garments rich with delicate patterns in cut gold leaf, he turns to gaze at his follower with gentle vigilance. Popularly known as the Mikaeri Jizō (“Jizō looking back”), this type of image poignantly reflects faith in the bodhisattva’s merciful guidance through the sufferings of the six realms of existence (rokudō) to the bliss of Amida Buddha’s Western Paradise.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art