TYPE: Astral God
ORIGIN: Buddhist (Mahayana)
INFORMATION: One of the bodhisattvas or spiritual meditation buddhas. He lives in the "womb of the sky". Also Khagarbha. In Japanese Buddhism this deity becomes the god Kokuzo.
Akasagarbha is regarded as 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 Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Purvapranidhana Sutra.
Kukai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, met a famous monk who is said to have repeatedly chanted a mantra of Akasagarbha as a young Buddhist acolyte. Kukai took a tutorial with him on Kokuzou-Gumonji (a secret doctrine method,). As he chanted the mantra, he experienced a vision whereby Akasagarbha told him to go to Tang China to seek understanding of the Mahavairocana Abhisambodhi Sutra. Later he would go to China to learn Tangmi from Huiguo, and then go on to found the Shingon sect of esoteric Buddhism in Heian Japan.
COLOR: Green
ATTRIBUTES: Book, jewel, lotus, and sun disc.
SUTRAS: There are several Mahayana Sutras in which Akasagarbha Bodhisattva is a central figure:
FIVE GREAT AKASAGARBHAS:
The Five Great Akasagarbhas are manifestation of the Five Wisdom Buddhas. They are said to bring about an increase of benefits such as good health. Within the traditional mandala, they are arranged as follows:
| Name: | Direction: | Color: | Associated Buddha: |
| Dharmadhatu Akasagarbha | Center | White | Vairocana |
| Vajradhatu Akasagarbha (Vajra Void) | East | Yellow | Aksobhya |
| Ranaprabha Akasagarbha (Precious Light Void) | South | Blue | Ratnasambhava |
| Padma Akasagarbha (Lotus Void) | West | Red | Amitabha |
| Karma Akasagarbha | North | Black | Amoghasiddhi |
MANTRAS: The Mantra of Akasagarbha is believed to give rise to wisdom and creativity, and dispel ignorance