10 Mar 2017

Kishibojin 鬼子母神 (Literal translation :Demon child mother god)


Kishibojin 鬼子母神 (Literal translation :Demon child mother god)
Painting on fabric

This art work is influenced by one of the Japanese goddess call Kishibojin 
According to myth, Hindu Mother of Child-Eating Demons. She had hundreds of children of her own, to feed them, she abducted and killed the children of others. The bereaved mothers of her victims pleaded to the Buddha to save them. So, the Buddha stole the youngest of her son and hid him under his rice bowl. After desperately searched for her missing son throughout the universe, Hārītī finally appealed to the Buddha for help. The Buddha pointed out that she was suffering because she lost one of hundreds of children, and asked if she could imagine the suffering of parents whose only child had been devoured. She replied contritely that their suffering must be many times greater than hers. She then vowed to protect all children, and in lieu of children's flesh, she would henceforth only eat pomegranates. She became the protector of children and women in childbirth.