Sūtra of the Great Vow of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva

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The Sūtra of the Great Vow of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (Kṣitigarbha Sūtra) is a story about the Buddha teaching to his mother in the Palace of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven about the merits of Kṣitigarbha. It was translated into Chinese, assumedly from Sanskrit, by the monk Śiksānanda from Khotan circa 700....

Chapter 11 - The Earth Goddess Protects the Dhárma

地神護法品第十一

 爾時,堅牢地神白佛言:「世尊!我從昔來,瞻視頂禮無量菩薩摩訶薩,皆是大不可思議神通智慧,廣度眾生。是地藏菩薩摩訶薩,於諸菩薩,誓願深重。世尊!是地藏菩薩,於閻浮提,有大因緣。如文殊、普賢、觀音、彌勒,亦化百千身形,度於六道,其願尚有畢竟。是地藏菩薩,教化六道一切眾生,所發誓願劫數,如千百億恆河沙。

At that time, the Earth Goddess Prthivī said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, for a long time I have observed and bowed to an unlimited number of bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas, each with inconceivable spiritual power and wisdom, saving many sentient beings. Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Mahāsattva amongst all the bodhisattvas has made the deepest vow. World Honored One, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva has a great affinity with Jambudvīpa. Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra, Avalokiteśvara, and Maitreya could also manifest a hundred thousand transformation bodies to save beings from the Six Realms will ultimately be fulfilled. Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's vow is to teach and transform all the sentient beings of the Six Realms, who are as many as the billions of grains of sand in the Ganges River.

「世尊!我觀未來及現在眾生,於所住處,於南方清潔之地,以土石竹木,作其龕室。是中能塑畫,乃至金銀銅鐵,作地藏形像,燒香供養,瞻禮讚歎。是人居處,即得十種利益。何等為十?一者,土地豐壤。二者,家宅永安。三者,先亡生天。四者,現存益壽。五者,所求遂意。六者,無水火災。七者,虛耗闢除。八者,杜絕惡夢。九者,出入神護。十者,多遇聖因。

“World Honored One, I see that sentient beings in the present and future make niches from clay, stone, bamboo, or wood in the southern, pure part of their dwellings. They place statues and images made of gold, silver, or iron inside the niches in the form of Kṣitigarbha, and burn incense to make offerings, worship, and praise. These people's dwellings will obtain ten benefits. What are those? 1) Their lands will have fertile soil. 2) Their homes will always be peaceful. 3) After their forebears die they will be reborn in heaven. 4) Those living today will increase their life spans. 5) They will obtain all that they seek. 6) They will not be affected by floods or fires. 7) They will avoid needless calamities. 8) They will not have nightmares. 9) They will be protected by spirits when the leave and when they return. 10) They will create many conditions that lead to sagehood.

「世尊!未來世中,及現在眾生,若能於所住處方面,作如是供養,得如是利益。」

“World Honored One, if sentients beings of the present and future are able to make offerings in their dwellings then they will obtain these benefits.”

復白佛言:「世尊!未來世中,若有善男子、善女人,於所住處,有此經典及菩薩像,是人更能轉讀經典,供養菩薩。我常日夜,以本神力,衛護是人,乃至水火盜賊,大橫小橫,一切惡事,悉皆銷滅。」

She once again said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, if there are good men and good women in the future who keep sūtras and images of bodhisattvas and they recite the sūtras and make offerings to the bodhisattvas then I will use my spiritual powers day and night to protect them from flood, fire, thieves, major disasters, minor incidents, and all unfortunate events that may harm them.”

佛告堅牢地神:「汝大神力,諸神少及。何以故?閻浮土地,悉矇汝護。乃至草木沙石,稻麻竹葦,穀米寶貝,從地而有,皆因汝力。又常稱揚地藏菩薩利益之事,汝之功德,及以神通,百千倍於常分地神。若未來世中,有善男子、善女人,供養菩薩,及轉讀是經,但依地藏本願經一事修行者,汝以本神力,而擁護之。勿令一切災害,及不如意事,輒聞於耳,何況令受?非但汝獨護是人故,亦有釋梵眷屬、諸天眷屬,擁護是人。何故得如是聖賢擁護?皆由瞻禮地藏形像,及轉讀是本願經故。自然畢竟出離苦海,證涅槃樂。以是之故,得大擁護。」

The Buddha told the Earth Goddess Prthivī, “There are few spirits who have the great spiritual powers that you do. Why is this? Everything in the land of Jambudvīpa is under your protection. Even the vegetation, sand, stones, rice paddies, bamboo, reeds, grains, and gemstones come from the ground because of your powers. Also, since you often praise the deeds of Kṣitigarbha bodhisattva your merit and spiritual power are a hundred thousand times greater than ordinary earth spirits. If there are good man and women in the future who make offerings to bodhisattvas and recite this sūtra and use just a single aspect of the power of kṣitigarbha's vow to cultivate then you should use your own spiritual power to protect them. Do not allow them to be led into any harm or unwelcome events to reach their ears much less occur to them directly. Because not only you alone will protect them but Śakra and Brahmā and their followers, and the devas and their followers will also protect these people. Why will the protected by sages such as this? Because they revere images of Kṣitigarbha bodhisattva and because they recite this sutra. Naturally, these people will, after all, leave the abyss of worldly suffering and realise the joy of Nirvāṇa. They will receive great protection for that reason.

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