The
Vows Ksitigarbha Sutra
Translated by Pitt Chin Hui
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Chapter XI
Earthly
Spirits Protecting the Dharma
At that time, the Spirit of the strong earth said to the Shakyamuni
Buddha, "Honoured of the World. In the past, I have paid homage to innumerable Maha
Bodhisattvas who possessed inconceivable honour and wisdom, and who have converted
boundless sentient beings. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva made strong and deep vows among these
Bodhisattvas. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has great relationship with the sentient beings in
Jampudvipa. Such as Manjusri, Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and
Maitreya Buddha, all of whom make hundreds of thousands of transformations to convert the
erring beings of the six Directions of Reincarnation and their vows have already been
achieved. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva made strong vows, as many as the grains of sands of the
Ganges River, to convert the sentient beings of the six Directions of Reincarnation.
Honoured of the World, I can see that the sentient beings of the present and future can
make images of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in iron, brass, silver, gold or simple drawings,
and enshrine them in cases either of earth, stone, bamboo or wood and keep the cases in a
neat place in the south of their residence of purity, and pay homage to the Bodhisattva
with the deepest reverence and earnest admiration and make scented offerings, such pious
persons will receive ten kinds of benefits around their residences. What are the ten kinds
of benefits? They are as follows:
1. Their soil will be rich by producing good harvest.
2. The whole family will be in peace forever.
3. All deceased relatives will be born in the heavens.
4. All the living relatives will have longevity.
5. All of their aspirations will be achieved.
6. They will never suffer the danger of flood and fire. >
7. All bad becomings will be done away with.
8. They will never have bad dreams.
>9. They will be protected by guardians wherever they go.
10. They will always come across holy conditions.
Honoured of the World, sentient beings at present and in the future
will receive the same kinds of benefit if they practise the same kind of merit and
offerings at their residences. Honoured of the World, if sentient beings in the future
keep the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra or Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's images in their homes
or if they also chant the Sutra of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva or make offerings to
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, I shall do my very best to protect such persons day and night
always, and they will never come across floods, fires robbery, theft, destructive
calamities or any other disastrous happenings, either big or small." Shakyamuni
Buddha told the Spirit of the strong earth, "You are powerful and other spirits
cannot be compared to yourself. It is because all the sentient beings in the Jampudvipa
are protected by you. Every material, from the grain of sand to the most precious jewel,
is produced from the earth through your Infinite powers; and you are praising the
meritorious deeds of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Your merits and your powers are a thousand
times greater than those of other earthly spirits. If sentient beings of the future make
offerings to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, or chant the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra, or lead
a meritorious life according to the Teachings of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, you should
protect them all with your supernatural powers and prevent all of them from suffering, and
not even allow them to come across any unhappy circumstances, or even allow such unhappy
happenings to come to their ears. They are not only protected by your good self, but they
are also protected by the devas. By paying homage to the images of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
or chanting the Ksitigarbha Sutra, they will not only be protected by divine beings but
will be free from the ocean of sufferings and finally attain Nirvana."
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The Vows Ksitigarbha Sutra |
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Update: 01-12-2001
