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 12 - The Benefits of Seeing and Hearing

見聞利益品第十二

 爾時,世尊從頂門上,放百千萬億大毫相光——所謂白毫相光、大白毫相光、瑞毫相光、大瑞毫相光、玉毫相光、大玉毫相光、紫毫相光、大紫毫相光、青毫相光、大青毫相光、碧毫相光、大碧毫相光、紅毫相光、大紅毫相光、綠毫相光、大綠毫相光、金毫相光、大金毫相光、慶雲毫相光、大慶雲毫相光、千輪毫光、大千輪毫光、寶輪毫光、大寶輪毫光、日輪毫光、大日輪毫光、月輪毫光、大月輪毫光、宮殿毫光、大宮殿毫光、海雲毫光、大海雲毫光。

At that time, trillions of rays of light radiated from the ūrṇā in the World Honored One's forehead. They were the ūrṇā light, the great ūrṇā light, the auspicious ūrṇā light, the great auspicious ūrṇā light, the jade ūrṇā light, the great jade ūrṇā light, the purple ūrṇā light, the great purple ūrṇā light, the aqua ūrṇā light, the great aqua ūrṇā light, the blue ūrṇā light, the great blue ūrṇā light, the red ūrṇā light, the great red ūrṇā light, the green ūrṇā light, the great green ūrṇā light, the gold ūrṇā light, the great gold ūrṇā light, the rainbow cloud ūrṇā light, the great rainbow cloud ūrṇā light, the thousand wheel ūrṇā light, the great thousand wheel ūrṇā light, the gem wheel ūrṇā light, the great gem wheel ūrṇā light, the Sun ūrṇā light, the great Sun ūrṇā light, the Moon ūrṇā light, the great Moon ūrṇā light, the palace ūrṇā light, the great palace ūrṇā light, the sea cloud ūrṇā light, and the great sea cloud ūrṇā light.

於頂門上,放如是等毫相光已,出微妙音,告諸大眾、天龍八部、人、非人等:「聽吾今日於忉利天宮稱揚讚歎地藏菩薩於人天中利益等事、不思議事、超聖因事、證十地事、畢竟不退阿耨多羅三藐三菩提事。」

After the ūrṇā light was emitted from the top of the Buddha's forehead thus he emitted a wonderful sound, telling the assembly, including the eight kinds of demigods, humans, and non-humans, “You have heard what I have said today in the Palace of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, praising Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, telling of his deeds to benefit of all living things and other inconceivable things, his great spiritual conditions, realization of the ten grounds of the bodhisattva path, and non regression from anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

說是語時,會中有一菩薩摩訶薩,名觀世音,從座而起,胡跪合掌,白佛言:「世尊!是地藏菩薩摩訶薩,具大慈悲,憐愍罪苦眾生,於千萬億世界,化千萬億身。所有功德,及不思議威神之力,我聞世尊與十方無量諸佛,異口同音,讚歎地藏菩薩雲:正使過去現在未來諸佛,說其功德,猶不能盡。向者,又矇世尊普告大眾,欲稱揚地藏利益等事。唯願世尊,為現在未來一切眾生,稱揚地藏不思議事,令天龍八部,瞻禮獲福。」

After he had said the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara in the assembly kneeled, joined palms, and said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Mahāsattva possessed great compassion. He sympathizes with beings that suffer by their own wrongdoing, who number in the trillions and manifests trillions of division bodies due to his merit [puṇya] and inconceivable spiritual power. I have heard the World Honored One and the uncountable Buddhas of the Ten Directions speaking in unison praise Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. However, even if all the past, present, and future Buddhas, spoke of his merit they would not be able to finish describing it. The World Honored One told the assembly of your desire to praise Kṣitigarbha's benevolent deeds. My only wish is that the World Honored One, for all the sentient beings of the present and future, will praise Kṣitigarbha inconceivable deeds to lead the eight kinds of demigods to obtain merit by revering and worshipping him.”

佛告觀世音菩薩:「汝於娑婆世界,有大因緣。若天若龍、若男若女、若神若鬼,乃至六道罪苦眾生,聞汝名者、見汝形者、戀慕汝者、讚歎汝者,是諸眾生,於無上道,必不退轉,常生人天,具受妙樂,因果將熟,遇佛授記。汝今具大慈悲,憐愍眾生,及天龍八部,聽吾宣說地藏菩薩不思議利益之事。汝當諦聽,吾今說之。」

The Buddha told Avalokiteśvara, “You have great karmic affinities in the Sahā World. If a deva, a dragon, a man, or a woman, a spirit, a ghost, or any being from the Six Realms suffers due to their own wrongdoing and hears your name, sees an image of you, admires you, or praises you then they will enter the Unsurpassed Path and not regress. They will experience wonderful bliss and when the karmic causes and conditions mature then they will meet a Buddha who will predict that they themselves will become a Buddha. You have great compassion, sympathizing will all sentient beings and the eight kinds of demigods. Listen to me as I praise the inconceivably benevolent deeds of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. Please listen carefully to what I say.”

觀世音言:「唯然,世尊!願樂欲聞。」

Avalokiteśvara said, “Yes, World Honored One, I will gladly listen to your words.”

佛告觀世音菩薩:「未來現在諸世界中,有天人受天福盡,有五衰相現,或有墮於惡道之者。如是天人,若男若女,當現相時,或見地藏菩薩形像,或聞地藏菩薩名,一瞻一禮,是諸天人,轉增天福,受大快樂,永不墮三惡道報。何況見聞菩薩,以諸香、華、衣服、飲食、寶貝、瓔珞,布施供養,所獲功德福利,無量無邊。

The Buddha told Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, “At present world and in the future worlds there will be celestial beings whose heavenly merit will be exhausted and will manifest the five signs of decay showing that they may fall into an evil rebirth. If the celestial being, whether male or female, at that time sees an image of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva or hears Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's name, even just looking one time or bowing one time, then that celestial being will increase their heavenly merit, experience great joy and never acquire retribution to fall into one of the Three Lower Realms. How much more will be the benefits received be for the merit from a being that has seen and heard the bodhisattva and donated offerings of incense, flowers, clothes, food and drink, gems, and ornaments. They will be unlimited and without bound.

「復次,觀世音!若未來現在諸世界中,六道眾生,臨命終時,得聞地藏菩薩名,一聲歷耳根者,是諸眾生,永不歷三惡道苦。何況臨命終時,父母眷屬,將是命終人舍宅、財物、寶貝、衣服,塑畫地藏形像。或使病人未終之時,眼耳見聞,知道眷屬將舍宅寶貝等,為其自身,塑畫地藏菩薩形像。是人若是業報合受重病者,承斯功德,尋即除癒,壽命增益。是人若是業報命盡,應有一切罪障業障,合墮惡趣者,承斯功德,命終之後,即生人天,受勝妙樂,一切罪障,悉皆銷滅。

“Furthermore, Avalokiteśvara, if there are beings in the Six Realms in the present or future that are nearing their death who hear the name of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, even just once in their ears then they will never experience the suffering of the Three Lower Realms for many lives. Much more will it be if the parents or family of the person nearing death donate the residence for use as a temple or donate money and goods, gems, clothes, or figures and pictures of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. If the sick person has not yet died then their family may let them hear and see to know that their family has donated a house, gems, or other items for their benefit alone to make figures or pictures of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. If the person's karma and results [karmaphala] is such that they have a serious sickness but by virtue of their merit may recover completely then their life span will be increased. If the sick person's karmic retribution is such that their life span is used up then they will receive retribution for their sins and will fall into an evil rebirth. However, because of their merit, after death will instead be reborn in a Heavenly or Human Realm and experience unsurpassed wonderful bliss with all sinful obstructions eliminated.

「復次,觀世音菩薩!若未來世,有男子女人,或乳餔時,或三歲、五歲、十歲已下,亡失父母,乃及亡失兄弟姊妹。是人年既長大,思憶父母,及諸眷屬,不知落在何趣?生何世界?生何天中?是人若能塑畫地藏菩薩形像,乃至聞名,一瞻一禮,一日至七日,莫退初心,聞名見形,瞻禮供養。是人眷屬,假因業故,墮惡趣者,計當劫數,承斯男女兄弟姊妹塑畫地藏形像、瞻禮功德,尋即解脫,生人天中;受勝妙樂者,即承斯功德,轉增聖因,受無量樂。是人更能三七日中,一心瞻禮地藏形像,念其名字,滿於萬遍。當得菩薩現無邊身,具告是人眷屬生界;或於夢中,菩薩現大神力,親領是人於諸世界,見諸眷屬。更能每日,念菩薩名千遍,至於千日。是人當得菩薩遣所在土地鬼神,終身衛護,現世衣食豐溢,無諸疾苦,乃至橫事不入其門,何況及身?是人畢竟得菩薩摩頂授記。

“Furthermore, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, there may be men or women in the future who loose their mother or father when they are young, either when still breastfeeding or 3, 5, or 10 years old, or loose brothers or sisters. When the person grows up they may remember their deceased mother, father, or other family members but will not know which realm their parents or family members may have passed to, what world they have been reborn in, or what heaven they may have been reborn in. If these people can model or paint images of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva and just hear his name once, look upon his image once, or bow before the image once, worshipping and making offering each day for between one to seven days without loosing their initial resolve then the person's family members who, because of karma, should fall into an evil rebirth for many kalpas but because of the person's merit by worship of modelled or painted images of Kṣitigarbha the parent of family member will be liberated and be reborn in a human or heavenly realm. If the parent or family member should experience unsurpassed wonderful joy because of their karma then this merit accumulating greater spiritual affinities will lead them to experience immeasurable bliss. If the person can hold their resolve and wholeheartedly worship Kṣitigarbha's image for three weeks, reciting his name ten thousand times then the bodhisattva's unbounded body may manifest and tell the person which world their family member has been reborn in. Or, in a dream, the bodhisattva will manifest his spiritual powers and guide the person to the world that their family member has been reborn in. Even more, if the person can maintain these practices, reciting the bodhisattva's name one thousand times every day for as many as a thousand days then the bodhisattva may send a local earth spirit as a lifelong guard providing abundant clothing and food in this lifetime with no sickness or suffering and no untimely death in their household, let alone them personally. Finally, the bodhisattva will make a prediction about the person becoming a Buddha.

「復次,觀世音菩薩!若未來世,有善男子、善女人,欲發廣大慈心,救度一切眾生者,欲修無上菩提者,欲出離三界者。是諸人等,見地藏形像及聞名者,至心歸依,或以香華衣服、寶貝飲食,供養瞻禮。是善男女等,所願速成,永無障礙。

“Furthermore, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, there will be good men and women in the future who will desire to have a great compassionate mind and save all sentient beings, who will desire to cultivate unsurpassed enlightenment, and who will desire to leave the Three Realms. These people see images of Kṣitigarbha and hear his name, sincerely taking refuge or give incense, flowers, clothes, gems, or food and drink as offerings of worship. These good men and women will quickly have their wishes fulfilled and never have obstructions.

「復次,觀世音!若未來世,有善男子、善女人,欲求現在未來百千萬億等願、百千萬億等事,但當歸依、瞻禮、供養、讚歎地藏菩薩形像,如是所願所求,悉皆成就。復願地藏菩薩,具大慈悲,永擁護我,是人於睡夢中,即得菩薩摩頂授記。

“Furthermore, Avalokiteśvara, there will be good men and women in the future who will desire to make trillions of vows in present and future lives for trillions of things. If they take refuge, worship, make offerings, and praise Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva images then all their vows will be accomplished. Again, they will hope that Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva will have great compassion, always supporting them. The bodhisattva will bestow predictions on these people in their dreams about becoming Buddhas.

「復次,觀世音菩薩!若未來世,善男子、善女人,於大乘經典,深生珍重,發不思議心,欲讀欲誦。縱遇明師,教視令熟,旋得旋忘,動經年月,不能讀誦。是善男子等,有宿業障,未得銷除,故於大乘經典,無讀誦性。如是之人,聞地藏菩薩名,見地藏菩薩像,具以本心恭敬陳白,更以香、華、衣服、飲食、一切玩具,供養菩薩。以淨水一盞,經一日一夜,安菩薩前,然後合掌請服,迴首向南,臨入口時,至心鄭重。服水既畢,慎五辛、酒肉、邪婬、妄語,及諸殺害,一七日,或三七日。是善男子、善女人,於睡夢中,具見地藏菩薩現無邊身,於是人處授灌頂水。其人夢覺,即獲聰明,應是經典,一歷耳根,即當永記,更不忘失一句一偈。

“Furthermore, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, there will be good men and women in the future who will hold the Mahāyāna scriptures in high esteem and make an unimaginable resolve to read and recite them. They may encounter a brilliant master who will teach them to become familiar with the scriptures. However, as soon as they learn the texts they forget them again. After months or years of learning them they will still not be able to recite the scriptures. Because these good people have karmic obstructions from past lives that they have not yet eliminated they cannot recite the Mahāyāna sūtras. If people like this hear Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's name or see an image of him then they should respectfully say so to him or give offerings of incense, flowers, clothes, food and drink, or other items. They should place a cup of pure water for one day and night in front of the bodhisattva's image and, after that, join palms in prayer, face south, and solemnly drink the water. After drinking the water they should not eat any of the five pungent spices, drink alcohol, eat meat, commit sexual misconduct, tell lies, or kill anything for one week or three weeks. These good men and good women will see Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva in their dreams unbounded manifestion of his body when he will bless them with holy water. When they awaken from their dreams they will obtain keen intelligence and be able to remember the scriptures forever after hearing only a single time, not even forgetting one sentence or one verse.

「復次,觀世音菩薩!若未來世,有諸人等:衣食不足,求者乖願;或多病疾,或多凶衰;家宅不安,眷屬分散;或諸橫事,多來忤身;睡夢之間,多有驚怖。如是人等,聞地藏名,見地藏形,至心恭敬,念滿萬遍。是諸不如意事,漸漸消滅,即得安樂,衣食豐溢,乃至於睡夢中,悉皆安樂。

“Furthermore, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, there may be people in the future who will not have sufficient food and clothing and they will not receive what they request. They may either be frequently ill or experience much misfortune. Their home will be unsafe, family members will be scattered or have met an untimely death or be accident prone. They will often be frightened in their sleep. If these people hear Kṣitigarbha's name or they see an image of Kṣitigarbha they should bow sincerely and recite his name ten thousand times. That will cause all these inauspicious signs to gradually disappear and they will have peace and happiness, abundant food and clothing, and sleep soundly.

「復次,觀世音菩薩!若未來世,有善男子、善女人,或因治生,或因公私,或因生死,或因急事,入山林中,過渡河海,乃及大水,或經險道。是人先當念地藏菩薩名萬遍,所過土地,鬼神衛護,行住坐臥,永保安樂。乃至逢於虎狼師子、一切毒害,不能損之。」

“Furthermore, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, there may be good men and women in the future in order to earn a living or because of public, private interests, because of life or death reasons, or because of an emergency may enter a mountain or forest region, cross a river or sea or other large body or water, or travel on a dangerous road. These people should recite Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's name ten thousand times. The local spirits will then protect them wherever they go. Whether they walk, stand, sit, or lie down they will always find safety, peace, and happiness. Even if they encounter a tiger, wolf, lion, or a poisonous animal they will not be able to be harmed.”

佛告觀世音菩薩:「是地藏菩薩,於閻浮提,有大因緣。若說於諸眾生見聞利益等事,百千劫中,說不能盡。是故,觀世音!汝以神力,流布是經,令娑婆世界眾生,百千萬劫,永受安樂。」

The Buddha told Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, “Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva has great affinities in Jambudvīpa. I could not finish describing in a hundred thousand kalpas all the benefits that sentient beings will gain from hearing his name or seeing his image. Consequently, Avalokiteśvara, you should use spiritual powers to propogate this sutra and to lead all the beings in the Sahā World to peace and happiness for a hundred thousand kalpas.”

爾時,世尊而說偈言:

At that time, the World Honored One said these words,

「吾觀地藏威神力,  恆河沙劫說難盡,

“I see that the great spiritual power of Kṣitigarbha is difficult to completely describe in as many kalpas as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River.

見聞瞻禮一念間,  利益人天無量事。

Those people or heavenly beings who hear his name, see his image, or worship him just once will have unlimited benefits.

若男若女若龍神,  報盡應當墮惡道,

If a good man, a good woman, a dragon, or a spirit are near the end of their karmic rewards and will fall into an evil realm

至心歸依大士身,  壽命轉增除罪障。

and they sincerely take refuge with this mahāsattva then their life span will be increased and obstructions from wrongful actions will be dispelled.

少失父母恩愛者,  未知魂神在何趣?

They may loose their mother, father and do not know which realm their kind and loving parent's spirit is in.

兄弟姊妹及諸親,  生長以來皆不識。

Or they may have lost brothers, sisters, or other family members and grow up not know what happened to them.

或塑或畫大士身,  悲戀瞻禮不暫捨,

They should either sculpt or paint figures of the mahāsattva, revere and worship without interuption.

三七日中念其名。  菩薩當現無邊體,

They should recite his name for three weeks, then the bodhisattva will manifest his boundless body

示其眷屬所生界,  縱墮惡趣尋出離。

and reveal the realms where the person's lost kin have been reborn and release them from their evil rebirth.

若能不退是初心,  即獲摩頂受聖記。

If the person can sustain their resolve then they will receive a prediction about becoming a Buddha.

欲修無上菩提者,  乃至出離三界苦,

Those that desire to cultivate unexcelled enlightenment or even leave the suffering of the Three Realms

是人既發大悲心,  先當瞻禮大士像,

then they should make a great compassionate vow, and revere and worship the mahāsattva's image.

一切諸願速成就,  永無業障能遮止。

All of their wishes will be quickly fulfilled and never suffer obstructions from retribution.

有人發心念經典,  欲度群迷超彼岸,

Some people will make a resolve to chant sutras, desiring to help confused beings cross to the other shore.

雖立是願不思議,  旋讀旋忘多廢失。

Even though they make a great vow most of what they recite will be forgotten and lost.

斯人有業障惑故,  於大乘經不能記。

These people have karmic obstructions that prevent them from remembering Mahāyāna sūtras.

供養地藏以香華,  衣服飲食諸玩具,

They should make offerings to Kṣitigarbha of incense, flowers, clothes, food and drink, and other items,

以淨水安大士前,  一日一夜求服之,

place purified water in front of the mahāsattva for a day and a night before they drink it.

發殷重心慎五辛,  酒肉邪淫及妄語,

They should strictly abstain from consuming any of the five pungent spices, alchohol, meat, having sexual misconduct, or telling lies.

三七日內勿殺害,  至心思念大士名。

For three weeks do not kill and sincerely recite the mahāsattva's name.

即於夢中見無邊,  覺來便得利根耳,

Then they will see Kṣitigarbha in a dream and have greater powers of intelligence and retention upon awakening.

應是經教歷耳聞,  千萬生中永不忘。

After hearing the sūtras they will be able to remember them for a hundred million lifetimes.

以是大士不思議,  能使斯人獲此慧。

So, the mahāsattva has incomprehensible ability to enable these people to attain wisdom.

貧窮眾生及疾病,  家宅凶衰眷屬離,

There are poor and sick sentient beings and homes with family members who have died or scattered.

睡夢之中悉不安,  求者乖違無稱遂。

They sleep without peace and do not receive the things that they have prayed for.

至心瞻禮地藏像,  一切惡事皆消滅,

If they sincerely revere and worship Kṣitigarbha's image then all their evil karmic obstructions will be eliminated.

至於夢中盡得安,  衣食豐饒神鬼護。

Then they will have sound sleep, abundant food and clothing, and the protection of spirits.

欲入山林及渡海,  毒惡禽獸及惡人,

Some people will need to go into mountains and forests or to cross the seas with poisonous beasts and evil people.

惡神惡鬼並惡風,  一切諸難諸苦惱。

There will be evil spirits, demons, and evil winds and they will be plagued by all kinds of difficulties.

但當瞻禮及供養,  地藏菩薩大士像,

But revering, worshipping, and making offerings to a Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva mahāsattva image

如是山林大海中,  應是諸惡皆消滅。

will cause the evils of the mountains, forest, and seas all be eliminated.

觀音至心聽吾說,  地藏無盡不思議,

Avalokiteśvara, please listen to my words. Kṣitigarbha has an unlimited, incomprehensible power.

百千萬劫說不週,  廣宣大士如是力。

The mahāsattva's power could not be fully described in a billion kalpas.

地藏名字人若聞,  乃至見像瞻禮者,

If people hear Kṣitigarbha's name or see his image and revere and worship it,

香華衣服飲食奉,  供養百千受妙樂,

offer incense, flowers, clothing, food and drink then that will bring them a hundred thousand wonderful joys.

若能以此迴法界,  畢竟成佛超生死。

If the person can transfer the merit gained to the dhárma realm then they will, after all, become a become a Buddha and transcend Saṃsāra.

是故觀音汝當知,  普告恆沙諸國土。」

Thus, Avalokiteśvara, please propogate these words to the myriad worlds that are as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges River.”

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