Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva (Tibetan: Namkhai Nyingpo (Wylie: Nam-mkha’i sNying-po), Chinese: 虛空藏菩薩; pinyin: Xū kōng zàng pú sà, Korean: 허공장보살, Japanese: Kokūzō Bosatsu) is one of the eight great bodhisattvas. His name can be translated as "boundless space treasury" or "void store" as his wisdom is said to be boundless as space itself. He is sometimes known as the twin brother of the "earth store" bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, and is even briefly mentioned in the Sutra of The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
Kūkai (Kōbō-Daishi), the founder of Shingon Buddhism, is said to have repeatedly chanted a mantra of Ākāśagarbha as a young Buddhist acolyte. As he chanted the mantra, he experienced a vision whereby Ākāśagarbha told him to go to China to seek understanding of the Mahavairocana Sutra.[1]
The mantra of Ākāśagarbha is popularly used by Shingon Buddhists, Chinese Esoteric Buddhists, and artists. It is believed to give rise to wisdom and creativity, and dispel ignorance.[2]
A different mantra is used for both Japanese and Sanskrit:
Tantric rituals surrounding him are only given to students initiated in esoteric Buddhist lineages by an approved teacher. Currently the Chinese (Hanmi) Esoteric School is teaching his tantric ritual to the general public.
Korean: Namu Heogongjang Bosal
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