Chapter
XII
The Benefit through Sight and Hearing
At that time, Shakyamuni Buddha, the Honoured of the World, was
radiating various kinds of great, blazing, perfectly coloured lights from the crown of His
head. The head controls the whole body and the crown of the head is the superior of the
whole. The Buddha radiated light from the crown of His head to show to the gathering that
He himself also has the highest respect for the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and his Sutra.
After radiating different kinds of lights, the Buddha also produced
wonderful sounds. His intention of showing light and producing sounds was to communicate
to the gathering that excellent benefit can be obtained from sight and hearing.
The different colours of light revealed to the gathering that sentient
beings of different types might be ignorant in committing sins and be cast into the Hells
for punishment, yet they would have every opportunity and pleasure of being relieved by
the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva out of their sufferings and also be guided to the Path of
Righteousness and finally attain Buddhahood. For light represents transcendental wisdom,
which enlightens beings in every corner of all universes without any exception.
The Honoured of the World addressed all those who were present at the
thirty-three Heavens, praising the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva for bringing inconceivable
benefit to devas and human beings, and telling them how Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva practised
meritorious deeds during his career of following the ten stages leading to Buddhahood
—never retreating, but forging ahead to Nirvana. After what Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
had said there was one Maha Bodhisattva named Avalokitesvara who rose from the seat,
kneeling down before the Shakyamuni Buddha with clasped hands, and spoke to Shakyamuni
Buddha respectfully, "Honoured of the World, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has great
compassion on sentient beings and practises Infinite Loving Kindness by having
incalculable transformations to lead sentient beings out of their sufferings. The
meritorious deeds and the Infinite powers of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva are beyond
description. I heard you, the Honoured of the World, and innumerable Buddhas of the ten
quarters of space all praising Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva saying that the merits of
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva are so great that even Buddhas of the past, present and the future
cannot give the fullest account of them.
You, Honoured of the World, have been so kind as to promise to tell all
who are present here the profound activities of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. We earnestly hope
that you will be kind enough, for the benefit of the sentient beings of the present and
the future, to describe the inexpressible benefits and blessings he has conferred on
sentient beings, and thus let every one in the eight categories know how to pay respect to
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in order to attain happiness."
The Shakyamuni Buddha told the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, "You
have a close relationship with the sentient beings of the Samsara world whether they be
devas, dragons, males, females, spirits, devils, and all the erring beings of the six
categories of beings who hear your name, see your image, admire your dignity, praise your
profound kindness, all of them will proceed straight to the attainment of Buddhahood
without retreat. Before they attain Buddhahood, they will always be reborn as devas or as
human beings enjoying great bliss. When they have earned enough merits of good deeds then
they will meet Buddhas who will predict their attainment of Buddhahood. Now, through
having a great compassion for the erring beings of the sentient worlds, you request me to
tell you the inconceivable benefit Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva confers on sentient beings. I
will certainly do this and hope that you will listen attentively." Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva replied, " Please do so, Honoured of the World."
Shakyamuni Buddha told Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, "When the
happiness of devas in the ten quarters of space in the future or past comes to an end,
they have five signs of decay, and are to be cast into the evil realms. If these devas,
when the five signs of decay are approaching them, will have the opportunity of seeing the
image once, or paying homage to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva only once, such devas will have
increased happiness and will never be cast into the three evil realms forever. If these
devas make offerings to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva such as scented flowers, clothing, food
and drink, precious jewels, etc., they will receive innumerable happinesses and benefits
in return. If sentient beings of the six categories of beings of the present and the
future in different worlds, hear the name of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva at their dying stage,
they will never be reborn to the three evil realms forever. If parents or relatives of the
dying person sell all of his belongings, riches, properties, and use the money to make
images of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, then the dying person comes to know the meritorious
deeds done on his behalf, although the person should suffer a severe disease according to
his own Karma, but instead he fully recovers very soon and has longevity. If the dying
person loses his life accordingly to his Karma and should be cast into the evil realms,
due to the meritorious deeds done on his behalf, all of his punishments will be
extinguished, and he will be born as a deva or human being, enjoying great bliss. If
sentient beings of the present or the future who have lost their parents, sisters or
brothers during their early childhood and think of their deceased relatives when they are
fully grown, and long to know where they have been reborn, such grown up persons can make
images of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, hearing then his name, admiring his image or paying
homage to him from one day to seven days continuously without any retreat although the
deceased relatives may merit being cast into the evil realms for kalpas, but due to the
meritorious deeds practised on their behalf, they are free from their punishment, and will
be reborn either as devas or humans receiving great bliss. If the deceased relatives of
such meritorious persons have already been reborn as devas or human beings, according to
their Karma, with great happiness, on account of what their relatives have practised on
their behalf, they shall receive even greater happiness and infinite bliss. If such grown
up persons can continue to pay respect to the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s images
continuously, chanting his name for innumerable times for twenty-one days whole-heartedly,
then Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva will appear before them and tell them the exact places were
their deceased relatives have been reborn. Or, through the supernatural powers of the
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, they will be taken by him to the various realms personally, to
see where their former relatives are. If they can chant the name of the Bodhisattva for a
thousand times every day, and continue to do so for one thousand days, the Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva will send forth earthly spirits to protect them throughout their lives, and
they will enjoy happiness, prosperity and longevity, and will not experience suffering or
sorrow. Neither will they come across unhappiness, nor shall evil enter their homes.
Finally, they will attain Buddhahood. If there are people, either male or female, in the
future who desire to relieve sentient beings, to practise compassionate deeds, to convert
sentient beings and to possess great wisdom in order to get out of their suffering of the
Trilokas, such persons, if they see the image of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, chant the name
of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, taking refuge in Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, making offerings or
paying homage to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, all their wishes will be achieved without any
obstacle forever. If the sentient beings of the present and future have innumerable
wishes, or they have the desire of doing innumerable good deeds, they will be successful
in all of their aspirations if they pay respect to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, praising him,
taking him as their refuge or paying homage to his image. If such persons long for
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to protect them forever, they will see Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in
their dreams, to predict that they will be able to attain Buddhahood. Even if males and
females in the future have great faith in the Mahayana Sutra, and aspire to read and
recite this Sutra, though they are taught by clever teachers, they may forget it due to
their ignorance brought about by previous bad Karma; but, when they hear the name of
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva or see his image or likeness and make various offerings to him and
place a cup of pure water in front of him for one day and one night, then with clasped
hands and with deepest reverence, facing South, they may drink the water with great faith.
After drinking the water, they must abstain from all evil deeds and observe the precepts
piously for seven days or twenty-one days. By so doing, these persons will see the
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in various manifestations in the dream state, showing the
Bodhisattva pouring water of wisdom on their heads. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva will endow
these persons with wisdom. Upon awakening, they will then have sufficient wisdom to
understand the Sutra, remembering every sentence and stanza forever.
If people in the future suffer from insufficient food and clothing,
unsuccessful in whatever they wish to do, always attacked by sickness or disastrous
happenings, and no peace in their family life, separated from their beloved ones, see only
dreadful things in their dreams, or are met by other calamities that befall them, if such
sorrowful beings hear the name of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, or see his images, or chant his
name for ten thousands times with deepest reverence, their unhappiness will disappear
gradually. They will live in peace and happiness. If virtuous people in the future, due to
their personal business or public affairs, or any other important functions, have to
travel through deep forests, to cross rivers or seas with strong rapids, or to walk on
dangerous paths, such people, if they chant the name of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva for ten
thousand times, then wherever they go or whatever they do, they will always be protected
by spirits and devas and will have happiness and peace forever. Even if they come across
dangerous animals such as tigers, wolves or lions, they can never do harm to such virtuous
persons.
Shakyamuni Buddha then told Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, "The
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has a close relationship with the sentient beings of Jambudvipa.
If we want to speak about the happiness and benefits which Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva confers
upon sentient beings, it will take hundreds of thousands of kalpas and still we would not
be able to cover the full account. That is why you, Avalokitesvara, through your
supernatural powers, should do your utmost to propagate the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra,
so that sentient beings in the Samsara world will have the opportunity to enjoy happiness
and peace for millions of kalpas."
At that time, the Shakyamuni Buddha spoke again in stanzas, "Even
if we spoke for kalpas, we could not describe in detail Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s
supernatural powers, which are as many as the grains of sands in the Ganges River. Seeing,
hearing, or paying homage to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, even for a moment of thought, will
bring innumerable benefits to human beings as well as devas. If human beings, dragons or
spirits are cast into the evil realms according to their Karma, they will be exonerated
from punishment if they take their refuge in Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. If people who have
lost their parents or beloved ones during their infancy, and wish to know where their
deceased relatives have been reborn, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva will transform himself into
various manifestations and personally show them the places where their relatives are,
providing they make images of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, pay homage to him and continue to
chant his name a thousand times a day for twenty-one days continuously. Even though the
deceased relatives have been cast into evil realms, they will be relieved of suffering by
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. If they continue to chant and do such virtuous activities, these
persons will receive the opportunity of attaining Buddhahood.
If people wish to practise the Bodhisattva career and get out of the
three worlds of suffering, they should first pay homage to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s
image, and all their aspirations will be achieved, and they will never come across any
obstacles. Secondly, if people make a vow to chant Sutras and lead erring beings to
Salvation, although they make a very good vow, but owing to their previous Karma they are
very forgetful through bad memory, if such persons make offerings to Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva such as scented flowers, clothing. food and drink or by placing a cup of pure
water on Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's altar for one day and one night and then drink the
water after praying, and if such persons observe the five precepts for twenty-one days,
remembering or thinking of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's name with deepest reverence, they
will attain wisdom after seeing numerous transformations of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in
their dreams, and remember whatever Sutra that comes to their ears. For hundreds of
thousands of births, they will attain such wisdom through the supernatural powers of
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Thirdly, if people suffering from poverty, sickness, misfortune
in the family, separated from beloved ones, troubled dreams, unsuccessful in whatever they
wish for, if such persons pay homage to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's image, all their
undesirable conditions will disappear. They are protected by spirits and devas, and will
enjoy life with sufficiency in everything. If people come across dangerous animals, wicked
people, fierce spirits or devils or natural disasters when they travel in the forests or
across the seas, if they pay homage to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and make offerings to him,
all of the forenamed disasters will be removed."
Shakyamuni Buddha said to Avalokitesvara, "Listen to me. To
describe the supernatural powers of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva would take endless kalpas
and still I could not be able to enumerate them all"
"People receive great bliss if they hear Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's
name and pay homage to his image and make offerings to him. If they transfer their merit
to the beings of the ten quarters of space, they will be relieved out of the sufferings of
birth and death and finally attain Buddhahood. That is why, Avalokitesvara, you must
familiarise people in as many countries as the grains of sands in the Ganges River with
the incalculable attributes of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva."
