A 14th-century Korean hanging scroll in gold and color on silk depicting Kṣitigarbha, a
bodhisattva primarily revered in
East Asian Buddhism. He is usually shown as a
Buddhist monk with a
halo around his shaved head, a
staff to force open the gates of hell, and a
wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness. In East Asian Buddhism, Kṣitigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the
six worlds between the death of
Gautama Buddha and the rise of
Maitreya, as well as his vow not to achieve
Buddhahood until all
hells are emptied. He is therefore often regarded as the bodhisattva of hell-beings.Painting: Unknown (image courtesy of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art)
A 14th-century Korean hanging scroll in gold and color on silk depicting Kṣitigarbha, a
bodhisattva primarily revered in
East Asian Buddhism. He is usually shown as a
Buddhist monk with a
halo around his shaved head, a
staff to force open the gates of hell, and a
wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness. In East Asian Buddhism, Kṣitigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the
six worlds between the death of
Gautama Buddha and the rise of
Maitreya, as well as his vow not to achieve
Buddhahood until all
hells are emptied. He is therefore often regarded as the bodhisattva of hell-beings.Painting: Unknown (image courtesy of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art)