Kṣitigarbha
/kʂɪ.tɪˈɡər.bʱə/noun
A Mahayana Buddhist bodhisattva revered as a protector of beings, especially children, travelers, and those suffering in hell realms.
Did you know?Kṣitigarbha is famous for the vow that he would not attain full Buddhahood until all beings had been liberated from the hell realms, making him a powerful symbol of compassionate descent into darkness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰrebʰ-
“A proposed root meaning “to seize” or “take hold,” associated with the Sanskrit root underlying garbha; the wider comparison is debated.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
kṣiti
“Earth, ground, dwelling place, or abode.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
garbha
“Womb, embryo, interior, or inner substance.”
Early Mahayana Buddhism
Buddhist Sanskrit
Kṣitigarbha
““Earth-womb” or “earth-source,” the name of a bodhisattva associated with steadfast compassion and protection.”
7th Century
Chinese
地藏 Dìzàng
““Earth treasury”; the Chinese translation and major East Asian form of the bodhisattva’s name.”
Modern English
English
Kṣitigarbha
“The Sanskrit name of the Buddhist bodhisattva, commonly retained in English transliteration.”