The Sweating Jizo

I was fortunate enough to find this picture of Jizo online at one of my favorite Buddhist sites, www.onmarkproductions.com, where much rich information is available.

As you already likely know, Jizo has many manifestations throughout Japan.  He is best known as the protector of children, women and travelers.  He is also known as the Bosatsu (Bodhisattva) who brings unborn children to a safe place until they are born again, after miscarriages and abortions.  He is placed at forks in the road to help travelers find their way.  And the Asekaki Jizo, is an oracle.  He sweats and through his sweat, the future may be ascertained.

In Mie Prefecture, a local Jizo hall in Daio-cho Town holds one of the three great festivals in the Ise-Shima area: the Festival of the Sweating Jizo. According to local legend, a statue of Jizo was long ago caught in a fishing net off Daio Island. It took three attempts to finally retrieve the statue, as though it was resisting capture. The fisherman and villagers decided to build a hall and enshrine the statue there, so that it would act as a protective village deity.

Since then, local residents say this Jizo statue excretes white sweat if good things are about to happen, and black sweat when bad things are foreseen. According to locals, a beautiful pearl is hidden inside the stone statue, which is about three feet high. When people pray to this manifestation of Jizo, some wipe away Jizo’s sweat with a purified paper. This, say believers, will bring answers to their prayers.