Dizang
/diːˈzɑːŋ/noun
Dizang is the Chinese name of Kṣitigarbha, a revered Mahayana Buddhist bodhisattva associated with vows to aid beings in the hell realms.
Did you know?In East Asian Buddhist tradition, Dizang is especially invoked for the dead, travelers, children, and beings believed to be suffering in hell.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Kṣitigarbha
“A Mahayana bodhisattva’s name, traditionally interpreted as “Earth Treasury” or “Earth Womb.””
Early Buddhist Chinese Translation
Classical Chinese
地藏
“A translation of Kṣitigarbha: 地 means “earth,” while 藏 means “storehouse,” “treasury,” or “that which is concealed.””
6th–7th Century
Chinese
地藏菩薩
““Dizang Bodhisattva,” the Chinese title used in Buddhist scriptures and devotional traditions.”
Medieval Japan
Japanese
地蔵 Jizō
“The Japanese form of the name, referring to the same bodhisattva, who became widely associated with travelers, children, and the dead.”
20th–21st Century
Mandarin Chinese
Dìzàng
“The modern Hanyu Pinyin romanization of 地藏, now commonly rendered in English as Dizang.”
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