Sometimes read Kokuzō. Space/Sky Repository (Sk: Akasagarbha, Khagarbha); also called Kokūyō 虚空孕 and in Japan often confused with Kokūko 虚空庫 (Sk: Gaganaganja). A bodhisattva *bosatsu 菩薩 who symbolizes unlimited wisdom and compassion, and is believed to be able to fulfill all wishes. He was introduced to Japan in the Nara period as part of an esoteric rite for improving one's memory Gumonjihō 求聞持法. Ever since he has been worshipped for his ability to bestow wisdom. In this capacity he is shown seated (with either both legs crossed or one leg pendent) wearing a five wisdoms gemmed diadem *gochi hōkan 五智宝冠, which carries small figures of the five Buddhas of Wisdom *gochi nyorai 五智如来. He holds his right hand in a wish-granting mudra *yogan-in 与願印 and a jewel in the palm of his left hand which is raised level with his breast. A painting from the late Heian period kept at the Tokyo National Museum is especially popular. An early example of a statuary image is the dry-lacquer image with wooden core at Gakuanji 額安寺 (Nara) dating from the Nara period. The three images enshrined at Hōrinji 法輪寺 (Kyoto), Kongōshōji 金剛証寺 (Mie Prefecture), and Enzōji 円蔵寺 (Fukushima Prefecture) are collectively known as the three Kokūzō, San kokūzō 三虚空蔵. He also appears in both the Matrix Mandala *Taizōkai mandara 胎蔵界曼荼羅 and Diamond Mandala *Kongōkai mandara 金剛界曼荼羅. In the Taizōkai mandara he is the central figure in the Kokūzōin 虚空蔵院 wherein he wears a five-wisdom gemmed diadem, holds a raised sword in his right hand and a lotus surmounted with a jewel in his left. He appears as the right-hand attendant of *Shaka 釈迦 in the Shakain 釈迦院 wherein he holds a fly whisk in his right hand and a lotus surmounted with a green gem in his left. In the Kongōkai mandara he is included among the 16 deities of the Auspicious Aeon, kengō jūrokuson 賢劫十六尊 wherein he corresponds to Gaga naganja. He is also identified with Kongōhō 金剛宝 (Sk: Vajraratna) among the 16 great bodhisattvas jūroku daibosatsu 十六大菩薩 and he is the last of the so-called Thirteen Buddhas *jūsanbutsu 十三仏, presiding over the memorial service held on the 32nd anniversary of a person's death. There is a Kokūzōbosatsu mandara 虚空蔵菩薩曼荼羅 centered on Kokūzō, and there is a pentad called the Five Great Kokūzō Bodhisattvas Godai Kokūzō bosatsu 五大虚空蔵菩薩 which are manifestations of the Five Buddhas gobutsu 五仏 of the Kongōkai mandara and are invoked in the Godai Kokūzōhō 五大虚空蔵法, an esoteric rite for fulfilling wishes and averting misfortune. The names and descriptions of these five vary, but in the Yugikyō 瑜祇経 they are called Hokkai kokūzō 法界虚空蔵, Kongō kokūzō 金剛虚空蔵, Hōkō kokūzō 宝光虚空蔵, Renge kokūzō 蓮華虚空蔵, and Gyōyō kokūzō 業用虚空蔵. There is a set of five images at Kanchi-in 観智院 in Tōji 東寺 (Kyoto) brought from Tang China in 847 by Eun 恵運 (798-869) where the figures are seated on a lion, elephant, horse, peacock, and garuda (mythical bird) respectively. A set of five images at Jingoji 神護寺 (Kyoto) which are seated on lotus pedestals dates from the mid-9th century and has been designated a national treasure.