1

Original Vows of
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................ 3
Preface from the artist............................................ 5

Volume ONE
Spiritual Penetration in the Trayastrimsa Heaven
Chapter 1............................................................... 8
The Assembly of the Emanations Chapter 2............. 67
Observing the Karmic Conditions of Living Beings
Chapter 3............................................................... 80
The Karmic Consequences of Living Beings of Jam-
budvipa Chapter 4................................................. 108

Volume TWO
The Names of the Hells Chapter 5........................... 171
Praise of the Tathagata Chapter 6............................ 239
Benefiting the Living and the Deceased Chapter 7... 284
The Praise of King Rama and His Retinue Chapter 8 309
Reciting the Names of Buddhas Chapter 9............. 351

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Volume THREE
Comparing the Conditions and Virtues of Giving
Chapter 10............................................................. 370
The Dharma Protection of the Earth Spirit Chapter
11.......................................................................... 398
The Benefits from Seeing and Hearing Chapter 12.. 420
Entrusting Humans and Devas Chapter 13.............. 471

Gore warning
This book may contain sensitive material.
Reading with Young Children is advised.

2
Introduction
The Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is the embodiment of the
spirit of compassion. Bodhisattva’s endowment is the
conservation of energy to promote the healing of every-
thing on earth. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva made extraordi-
nary vows during his exceptional practice. In honoring
his vows, he brought countless living beings (who are still
suffering) to attain Buddhahood and guide them toward
liberation.

The Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra con-

sists of thirteen chapters. Sakyamuni Buddha travels
to Trayastrimsa Heaven to expound the Dharma for his
mother. He discusses the extraordinary vows of Ksiti-
garbha Bodhisattva that he made during his exceptional
practices. Bodhisattva has sworn to bring countless living
beings to attain Buddhahood and guide them toward lib-
eration. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva vowed that, If I do not
first guide all wrongdoing suffering beings toward repen-
tance, thus allowing them to attain peace and happiness.
This will enable them to achieve enlightenment, or I shall
not become a Buddha.

Throughout incalculable future kalpas, he would guide all

wrongdoing suffering beings who reside in the six realms
of existence to liberation.

Among the Buddhist community, this sutra consists of

3
discourses delivered by the Buddha to his mother in the
Trayastrimsa Heaven. The sutra discusses the filial prac-
tices of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva during his “exceptional
practices.” Therefore, the sutra admonished us solemnly.
Filial Piety is the head start of a hundred good deeds (vir-
tues), hence, the Ksitigarbha Sutra is lauded as the Bud-
dhist sutra of filial piety.

The Ksitigarbha Sutra expresses the scriptures eminent-

ly. The phenomenal scripts are touching people's hearts.
In addition to the traditional characters in Chinese, we
painted with colorful expression, the graphic novels. This
is the best skillful approach to gain social acceptance. It
is presented with vivid graphic images specifically reveal-
ing the scenes from the hells and the expressions of the
great vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. All sentient beings
are able to comprehend the deep meaning of the sutra.
That is the core value and our main goal. Hence, in or-
der to reach the profound understanding of realization
and the comprehension of the incredible karma of cau-
sality, we eventually will be able to correct ourselves and
avoid evil karma. At that time we will restore good karma
by implementing good virtues, carrying out Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s education and vows. This is for the bene-
fit of all beings in heaven and on earth, to expound and
propagate this sutra far and wide.

4
Preface from the artist
Before the Buddha achieved the age of enlightenment
(Nirvana). He stated to his disciples: Do not sell the
Dharma for your own life and welfare. Furthermore, the
dharma graphic novels are printed and donated com-
plimentary. Since we can’t sell graphic novels, how am
I going to survive and make a living by drawing graphic
novels? It all depends on the sponsors sending funds to
support me. They have the right to decide whether or
not we can show openly the copyright to the public. Bud-
dhism graphic novels (Comics) can only be as a side-line
if the production fund is insufficient. I have to be distract-
ed and work in the advertising industry to maintain my
life. Potentially sufficient funds would allow me to focus
on dharma graphic novels (Comics) full-time.

With the transformation of times, the learning approach

will have to change. The new generation has gradually
lost patience in reading books with a large number of
texts. In order to correspond, the Buddhist Scriptures
- the Sutras were converted into the form of graphic
novels-comics to be socially acceptable. The artist must
adhere to the principle of no increase or reduction of the
content. The graphic novels are a convenient method for
the public to view and begin understanding the Dharma
teaching. This can be the beginning of sowing the seeds
of wisdom. With the internet as a tool, promotion of

5
Buddhism in the form of graphic novels-comics would
penetrate a different range of audiences in a short period
of time, rapidly spreading across the world.

The Buddha said: The greatest merits is the offering of

the dharma. The Sponsors are the souls of these Bud-
dhism graphic novels-comics. Most of the merits should
be attributed to the sponsor. The Buddhism graphic nov-
els-comics would not exist without the support of the
sponsors. Therefore, I ask for no praise for me, as I just
perform the work that I have been commissioned to do.
The sponsors are the ones who made this possible, they
are the ones that deserve our gratitude.

Being able to serve the Triple Jewels in Dharma is a bless-

ing that I have cultivated in my life. With my reverence
and my humility, I do not dare to slack off. I hope that I
can continue promoting Buddhism and do my best work.
I have a deep appreciation of the sponsor and their mer-
its for free copyright. I would be happy and grateful to
see these works reprinted or shared on the internet. The
different ethnic groups will benefit from this information.
These works should not be modified without authoriza-
tion or be sold for profits. Lastly, our hope for Buddhism
graphic novels-comics will be well established for future
generations and spread throughout the world.

Juqing Lin
Facebook: @terrycomic
E-mail：terrycomic@yahoo.com

6
Spiritual Penetration
in the Trayastrima Heaven
Chapter 1

8
Thus have
I heard…

Honored Ananda

At one time,
the Buddha was in the
Trayastrimsa Heaven
expounding Dharma
for his mother.

9
 At that time,
from measureless
worlds of the ten
directions, all Buddhas
and great
Bodhisattva-Mahasattva,
inexpressibly-inexpressibly
many, all came and
assembled there.

10
 Sakyamuni
Buddha!

You are able

to manifest
inconceivable,

great wisdom and

supernatural powers
to regulate and train
obstinate living beings
in the evil age of the
five degenerations,

11
 so that beings
would come to
This is indeed rare, understand
we all sing your suffering and
praises! happiness.

Each of them
sent his
attendant
to inquire
after the
World-
Honored One.

12
 At that time,
the Tathagata
smiled and
emitted
hundreds
of thousands
of myriads of
millions of
clouds of
great light.

13
 Now,
from
the saha
world
and
other
lands,

measureless
millions of
devas, nagas,
ghosts, and
spirits also
assembled in
the palace
of the
Trayastrimsa
Heaven.
14
 All the multitudes
of devas, nagas,
ghosts, and
spirits from
the Desire Heavens,
the Material
Heavens and the
Immaterial Heavens

15
 came and
assembled
there.

16
Furthermore,
from other lands
and the saha world--

grass-
and- river
wood spirits
spirits

stream
spirits
sea
food- spirits
and-
drink
spirits

tree
seedling-
spirits
and-crop
spirits

brook-
and-
heaven marsh
spirits spirits
day
earth
spirits
spirits

space
spirits
spirits
such as
these all mountain
came and spirits
assembled night
there. spirits

17
Furthermore,
from other lands
(great ghost kings came
and assembled in the palace
of the Trayastrimsa Heaven).

Ghost King
Evil Eyes

Ghost
King
Kindhearted

Ghost King Ghost King

Controlling Consuming
Poisons Blood

Ghost King
Great Love
and Respect

Ghost King
Consuming
Vital Energy

Ghost King
Merit and Ghost King
Benefit Consuming
Fetuses
and Eggs

Ghost King
Spreading
Diseases

18
 Manjusri,
Look at all
the Buddhas,
Bodhisattvas, devas,
nagas, ghosts, and
spirits from this and
other worlds, from
this and other
those lands-
who come
and assemble
in the Traya-
strimsa
Heaven
now.
Do you
know
their
number?

World-Honored
One, even if
for a I were to
thousand measure and
kalpas, fathom with
I would not the power of
be able to my spiritual
Manjusri, Dharma Prince, know it. penetration
Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
19
 their
number As I see
still them
cannot be through the
counted Buddha eye,
fully.

All these
are beings
who have
been guided
across,
are being
guided
across,

will be
guided
across
to the other
shore,

20
 Have been
World-Honored brought to
One, in the past attainment, are
I have long being brought to
cultivated attainment, or will be
roots of brought to attainment
goodness
by Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva
throughout
many long
kalpas.

and have
attained
unobst-
ructed
wisdom;

Therefore,
when I hear
what the
Buddha
However, sravakas
says, I
of small attainment, immediately
devas and nagas believe and
and others of accept it.
the eight classes
of beings, as well as
living beings in the
future—although
hearing the sincere,
truthful words of
the Tathagata,
will certainly
harbor doubts.
21
 Even if they
receive these
words most
respectfully,
they may still
be unable
to avoid
slandering
them.

O World-Honored
One, please speak
in detail about what
practices Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva cultivated
and what vows
he made during
his causal states
of cultivation

that have
enabled
him to
accomplish
such
inconceivable
deeds.

22
 grasses,
trees, The Buddha
told Manjusri,
thickets, “As an analogy,
forests, suppose all the

rice,
sesame,

bamboo,
reeds,

mountains,
stones,

and dust
particles

in the three
thousandfold
world system
and for each unit were each
there counted
would be a as a unit,
Ganges River;

23
 for each
grain of
sand in each
of these
Ganges Rivers,

there would
be a world;
for each speck
of dust in
each of these
worlds, there
would be
a kalpa;
and for
every speck
accumulated
during each of
these kalpas,

there would
be a kalpa.

24
 The time since
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva
attained the Tenth
Ground of Fruition
of Bodhisattva
Development
is thousands of times
greater than that
of the above
analogy.

Wow!

How much
greater yet
is the time
since
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva

was at the
stages of
sravaka and
pratyekabuddha!

25
 inconceivable
are the awesome
Manjusri,
spiritual
penetration
and vows
of this
Bodhisattva!

南無地藏菩薩摩訶薩
In the future
if there are
good men and
good women

Namo
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva- who hear

Mahasattva this
Bodhisattva’s
name,

and they
sing his praises,
reverently gaze,
pay obeisance,
recite his name,

26
 make
offerings,

or if they paint,
carve, sculpt,
or use lacquer
to make his image,

27
 these people
will be reborn
a hundred times
in the Heaven of
the Thirty-Three
Devas and will
never fall into
lower realms.

28
Manjusri,

in the
distant
past,

an
inexpressibly-
inexpressible
number of
kalpas ago,

Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva
was once
the son of
a great
elder.

29
Lion’s Swift At that time
Rousing in the world
Perfect in there was
Ten Thousand a Buddha
Practices named
Tathagata

The elder’s son saw the

Buddha’s signs and characte-
ristics of excellence, how he
was adorned with thousands
of merits. He therefore
inquired of that Buddha what
practices he had cultivated and
what vows he had made to achieve
these signs of excellence.

Lion’s Swift
Rousing Perfect
he would in Ten Thousand
have to guide Practices Tathagata
all suffering told the elder’s son
beings across that if he wished
to liberation to attain this
throughout Buddha body,
a very
long time.

30
 From
now on,
throughout
incalculable
kalpas
in the
future,
I will employ
many skillful
means for
the sake of
wrongdoing
suffering beings
in the six realms
of existence,

Causing
all of them
to attain
liberation;
only after
that will
I myself
attain
Buddhahood.

31
 He made
such a
great vow
in front of
that Buddha.

Now,
hundreds of
thousands of
myriads of
millions of
nayutas of
inexpressible
kalpas later,

he is
still a
Bodhisattva.

32
 Moreover,
in the past,
inconceivable
Awakening- asamkhyeya
Blossom kalpas ago,
Concentration in the world
Mastery King there was a
Tathagata. Buddha
named
The lifespan
of that Buddha
was four hundred
thousand myriad
million
asamkhyeya
kalpas.

During the Age

of Semblance
Dharma, there was
a Brahman Woman
who had ample, profound
merits from previous
lives. She was admired
and respected
by the people.

33
 Whether
she was
walking,
standing,
sitting or
lying down,
devas guarded
and protected
her.

Her mother,
however,
believed in
false
doctrines

and often
slighted the
Yue Dili
Triple Gem.

34
 ......
......
......
The holy woman
used many
skillful means
to persuade
and encourage
her mother
to give rise
to right view,

but her
mother
did not fully
believe her
words.

Before long,
the mother’s
life ended
and her
consciousness
fell into
the Incessant Hell.

35
 When
mother
was alive,
she had not
believed in
cause and
effect,

she will
certainly be
reborn in
the lower
realms…

I must sell
the family
and make
house and
offerings
search far
to the Triple
and wide for
Gem for
incense, flowers,
mother…
and various
objects worthy
to be offered

mother
…

36
 to the
Thereupon,
past
the Brahman
Buddha’s
woman made
stupas and
many great
monasteries.
offerings

In one of
the monasteries…
Awakening-Blossom Concentration
Mastery King Tathagata

37
Oh!

Such a
dignified
image of
Awakening-
Blossom
Concentration
Mastery King
Tathagata…

38
 The Buddha is
called the great
awakened one,
replete with all
wisdom. If it were
during the time
that this Buddha
is in theworld,

and I were
to inquire of
him after
my mother’s
death,

he would
certainly
know
where
she is…

39
 as she The Brahman
gazed up woman
longingly wept for
at the a long time
Tathagata.

I will
show you Suddenly--!
where A voice
your mother in the
has gone. sky said…

Weeping
holy woman,
do not
be so
sorrowful.

Oh
!

40
 Ever since Who is the
I lost divine
my mother, virtuous
I have held one relieving
her in me of
my memory my worry?
day and
night.

I am the one
to whom you
gaze reverently
and pay obeisance,
the past
Awakening-
Blossom
Concentration
Mastery
King Tathagata.

Oh! There is
nowhere
that I
can ask
about
the realm
of her
rebirth…

41
 I have seen that you
think of your mother
many times more than
ordinary beings do theirs.
Therefore, I have
come to show you
where she is.

Buddha--

Sister
!

42
 Thud--

Ah--

I implore
the Buddha to
take kind pity
upon me and
quickly tell me
in what realm
my mother
has been reborn, Sister,
now that I am are you
near death alright?
myself…

43
 After your
offering is
complete,
go home
quickly.

You will soon

know where
your mother
has been
reborn.

Sit upright
and meditate
on my name.

Namo
Awakening-
Blossom
Concen-
tration
Mastery
King
Tathagata

44
 she sat upright After the
meditating on Brahman woman
Awakening-Blossom returned home,
Concentration because she
Mastery King thought of
Tathagata. her mother,

a day
and
a night
…
Oh!
I Suddenly
see myself
beside

a sea
whose
waters
seeth
…

45
 Many evil
Oh! beasts with
iron bodies flew
She saw and ran on the
hundreds of sea, rushing here
thousands of and there
myriads of in pursuit.
men and women,
rising and
sinking in
the sea,

snatched
up and
devoured
by vying
evil beasts.

46
 She also
saw yaksas
whose
appearance
were each
different

47
driving the
wrongdoers
on toward
the evil
beasts.

48
 they
themselves
hit and
seized those
people,

a sight
at which
one would
not dare
look for
long…
49
 The Brahman
woman was
naturally
without
fear

Namo Awakening-Blossom
Concentration Mastery
King Tathagata

because
of the
power of
recollecting
the Buddha.

Excellent,
Bodhisattva.

Oh!
50
 For what
reason have
you come
here?

Poisonless
Ghost King

What is
this place?

51
 This is
the first of
the seas
west of
the Great
Iron
Encircling
Mountains.

I have heard
that hells
are within
the Iron
Is this Encircling
really Mountains.
so?

52
 There
really
are hells.

Now,
how have
I come
to the
hells?

If it were
not by the
power of
awesome
spiritual
penetration,
then it would
have been by
the force
of karma.

53
 These are
recently
deceased
beings of
Jambudvipa
who had Why is
done evil this
water
seething?
without any
descendants
doing virtuous
deeds on
their behalf
to rescue
them from
And why
suffering.
are there
so many
wrongdoers
and evil
beasts?

Jamb-
udvipa:
Earth

54
 Besides that,
during their lifetime
they did not plant
any good causes.

will
accor-
Therefore,
dingly
their own
bring
karma
about
the hells!

A hundred
thousand Naturally
yojanas east of they are to
this sea, there is cross
another sea where this sea
the suffering is first.
many times greater
than this one.

Yo-
jana:
One
Yo-
jana
is 13
to 16
kilo-
meters.

55
 Brought on
by the evil To the East
causes in the of that sea,
karma of body, there is yet
speech, and mind, another sea
these seas are where the
called-- suffering is
multiplied again.

The Seas
of Karma

Where are
the hells?
Three Karmas=
Karmas created
by the body,
speech, and mind

56
 Within the
three seas are
great hells!

There are
eighteen
specifically They number
known as the in the
great hells. hundreds of
Second to them thousands.
there are five
hundred,

and next
there are
hundreds of
thousands of
hells.

57
 My mother
Each hell
passed
I wonder, is with
away not
to what realm measureless
long ago,
has her suffering!
consciousness
gone?

What
actions
do did the
habitually Bodhisattva’s
while she mother
was alive?

My mother
and she
held false
ridiculed and
views,
slandered
the Triple
Gem.

58
Even when she
temporarily I frequently
believed, she taught her
would quickly Dharma.
become
disrespectful
again.

I do not
know where
she has been
reborn.

My parents
were both
Brahmans.

My father’s
name was--
Silou Shanxian

What was
the name
and clan
of the
My mother’s Bodhisattva’s
name was-- mother?
Yue Dili

59
 Holy One,
please
Do not be return
worried or to your
sorrow- home.
ful in
remembe-
ring.
Oh!

Yue Dili
was reborn
in heaven
three days
ago!

60
 It is said that
by virtue of her
filial child’s
making offerings
to cultivate merit
in the mother’s
behalf

by practicing
giving to the
stupas and
monasteries of
Awakening-
Blossom
Concentration
Mastery King
Tathagata,

That her
mother was
released
from
the hells.

61
 other At the
wrongdoers same
in the time
Incessant
Hell,

too, because
of the filial
child’s
successful
offerings
made to the
Triple Gem,

experienced
happiness
and were
reborn on
that day!

62
 Mother… This
Bodhi-
sattva,

I must
withdraw.

the Brahman
woman, upon
realizing
this event,

Bang--

Ah!

made an
immense
vow before
the image
and stupa

63
 of Awakening-
Blossom
Concentration
Mastery King
Tathagata--

I vow that
throughout
the future
kalpas

I will
employ
many
skillful
means

for all
wrongdoing
suffering
beings,

64
 causing them
all to attain
liberation!

Ghost King
Poisonless
then is
now--

Leader In
Wealth
Bodhisattva

65
 The Brahman
woman
is now--

Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva

66
 The Assembly of the
Emanations Chapter 2

67
 At that time,
emanation
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattvas
from all
the hells in
immeasurable
worlds

all came and

assembled
in the palace
of the
Trayastrimsa
Heaven.

68
 Because of
and all
the spiritual
came holding
power of the
incense and
Tathagata, each
flowers to
came from his
make offering
direction with
to the Buddha.
beings who
had obtained
liberation from
the karmic
paths,

because they These groups of

had been taught beings who came
and transformed were irreversibly
by Ksitigarbha on
onthe
thepathto
path
Bodhisattva. tounexcelled
unexcelled
perfect complete
awakening

69
 Due to the For many long
great kindness kalpas these
of Ksitigarbha beings had been
Bodhisattva, undergoing
they had suffering in the
each realized six realms.
attainments.

At that time, When they came

the World- to the Traya-
Honored One strimsa Heaven,
stretched their hearts
danced joyously.
forth his
They gazed up
golden arm in reverence at
the Tathagata

their
eyes
never
leaving
him for
a moment.

70
 and placed
his hand on the
crowns of
the heads of
all the emanation
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattvas.

I teach and
transform
obstinate living
beings like these
in the evil age
of the five
degenerations,

71
 However, causing their
there are one minds to be
or two out of regulated and
every ten who tamed so that
still have they abandon
evil habits. the false and
return to
the true.

I too
transform into
hundreds of
thousands of
millions of
emanations

and employ
many skillful
means to
liberate living
beings

and relieve
suffering.

72
 The emanations
may manifest in
forms of a man
or woman,

a deva,
a naga,
a spirit,
or a ghost,

a mountain, a forest,
a stream, a plain, a river,
a pond, a spring or a well
to benefit people, so that
they all may be guided
across to liberation.

A Sakra,
a Brahma,
a wheel-
turning king,

73
 A sravaka, A bhiksu, a a householder,
an arhat, bhiksuni, an a king, a high
a pratye- upasaka, or an minister or a
kabuddha, upasika, government
a Bodhisattva official;
or others
to teach
and guide
living
beings
across.

It is not only
in the form
of a Buddha
that I have
manifested
before them.

74
 diligently and
Ksitigarbha,
arduously I guide
you see how,
difficult-to-teach,
kalpa
obstinate, wrongdoing,
after kalpa,
suffering beings
such as these
across to
liberation.

Those not
regulated
and tamed
experience
ripened effects
according to
their karma.

you should If they

remember what fall into
I am earnestly lower realms
entrusting to and undergo
you now in great
the Trayastrimsa suffering,
Heaven:

75
 Help all beings
in the saha
world from now
until Maitreya
Buddha arises
in the world—
cause them to
attain liberation.

To leave
all suffering
forever, and to
meet Maitreya
Buddha and
be given
prediction.

76
 At that time,
emanation
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattvas
from the
various worlds
returned
together to
one form…

so that I am
able to attain Throughout
inconceivable many long
spiritual kalpas
power and be Buddhas have
replete with guided me,
great wisdom.

77
 My emanations
fill measureless
worlds as
numerous as the
sand grains in
hundreds of
thousands of
myriads of
millions of
Ganges rivers,

each emanation in each of

guides hundreds these worlds,
of thousands of I transform
myriads of millions into hundreds
of people across, of thousands
causing them to of myriads
revere and take of millions of
refuge in the Triple emanations,
Gem, leave samsara
forever, and
reach the bliss
of nirvana.

As long as
they do good
deeds in
Buddhadharma,
I will gradually even if such
guide them across deeds are
to liberation, few,
causing them
to gain great
benefits.

78
 O World-
Honored One,
please do not
be concerned
about future
Thus living beings
Ksitigarbha who have
Bodhisattva unwholesome
said three karma.
times to
the Buddha.

Excellent,
excellent!
You will be able
to fulfill
the profound
vows taken
throughout
many long
kalpas,

and finish guiding

immediately beings far
attain Bodhi. and wide
to the
other shore,

79
Observing the Karmic Conditions
of Living Beings Chapter 3

80
 Trayastrimsa
Heaven--

Holy
One!

The Buddha’s
What Mother—
ripened Queen Maya
effects
do they Living
experience? beings of
Jambudvipa
generate
different
karma.

this is also There are

the case for thousands of
the presence or myriads of worlds
absence of and lands: some
sravakas,pratyeka- have hells, others
buddhas, and so do not have hells;
some have women,
forth. There is not
others do not have
only the category of
women; some have
ripened effects of
Buddhadharma,
wrongdoing as
others do not
occur in
have Buddha-
the hells.
dharma;

81
 brought
on by the I wish to
ripened hear about
effects of the lower
wrongdoing realms
The offenses
in Jambudvipa.
in Jambud-
vipa and the
ripened
effects are
like these…

If there
are living
beings who
are not
filial toward
their parents,
who even
kill them,

they will
fall into
the Incessant
Hell, and for
thousands of
myriads of
millions of
kalpas, be
without a time
of release
despite their
wishes.
82
 If there are
living beings
who shed a
Buddha’s blood,
who slander
the Triple Gem,
who disrespect
the sacred
sutras,

they too
will fall
into the
Incessant Hell,
and for
thousands of
myriads of
millions of
kalpas, be
without a time
of release
despite their
wishes.

who commit If there are

sexual acts living beings
in the monastery, who usurp or
or who kill damage the
or harm property of
beings there, the sangha,
who defile
monks or nuns,

83
 living beings like these will
fall into the Incessant Hell,
and for thousands of myriads of
millions of kalpas, be without
a time of release despite their wishes!

If there are
living beings
who pretend to
be monastics
but whose
hearts are not
those of monastics,

deceive lay
they abuse
devotees, go
the property
against the
of the sangha,
precepts, do
various
evil acts,

living beings like these will

fall into the Incessant Hell,
and for thousands of
myriads of millions of kalpas,
be without a time of release
despite their wishes!

84
 grains, food, drink, If there are living
clothing from the beings who steal
property of the sangha, the wealth, goods,
who take anything
at all from the sangha
that is not given to them,

they will fall into

the Incessant Hell,
and for thousands
of myriads of millions
of kalpas, be without
a time of release
despite their wishes!

85
 Holy Mother,
if there are
beings who commit
such offenses,
they will fall
into the--

Hell with
Why is
that hell

Fivefold
named
Incessant

Incessancy
Hell?

Holy Mother,
the hells are
within the
Great Iron
Encircling
Mountains.

Although they
seek for their
suffering to stop
temporarily,
that will not happen,
not even for a
thought-moment.

86
 and next, There are eighteen
there are of the great hells;
hundreds of second to them
thousands, there are five
hundred, each with
a different name;

each also
with a
distinct
name.

87
 In regard to
the Incessant Hell,
this city of hells
is more than
eighty thousand li
in perimeter.The city
walls are made
entirely of iron,

ten thousand li
in height. Atop
these walls
the mass of
fire leaves
hardly a gap.

Within this city

of hells, the
various hells are
interconnected,
each with a
different name.

88
 There is

Incessant just one

hell
named--

89
 It is eighteen
thousand li in
perimeter. Its
hell walls are
a thousand li
in height, all
made of iron!

Flames at the
top of the wall
reach to the
bottom, and
flames at
the bottom
reach to
the top!

90
 Iron snakes
and iron
dogs

spew
fire
and rush
here and
there in
pursuit atop
these hell
walls!

91
 When one
In this hell
person
there is
undergoes
a bed that
torment
extends
there,
for ten
thousand li.

That person
sees his
own body
filling
the bed!

92
 When
each of thousands of
them sees myriads of
his own body people
filling the undergo
bed, too! torment
there,

Such are
the ripened
effects
brought on
by the many
kinds of
karma!

93
 There are
hundreds of
thousands of
yaksas and evil
ghosts with
teeth like
swords and
eyes like
lightning,

Moreover, the
who pull
wrongdoers
and drag
undergo all
the
manner of
wrongdoers
suffering.

with
copper-
clawed
hands!

who pierce the There are

wrongdoers’ also
bodies, into yaksas
their mouths wielding
and noses or large iron
into their halberds
abdomens
and backs

94
 They toss
them into
catch the air,
them
again,

or else
place them
on the
bed!

95
 There are
also iron
eagles that
peck the
wrongdoers’
eyes,

there are
also snakes
that strangle
the
wrongdoers’
necks.

Long nails
are
driven
all their into
hundreds
of joints.

Their tongues
are pulled
out and
plowed
through,
their bowels
are drawn
out and
chopped up!

96
their bodies
are bound
in hot
iron,

Molten
copper
is poured
into their
mouths…

97
 they undergo
myriads of
deaths and
as many
births,

such are the

consequences
brought
about by
their karma.

without a They pass

time of through
release millions of
despite their kalpas
wishes.

When this
world
undergoes
destruction,

they will be
transferred
to live
and suffer
in another
world.
98
 Moreover, When that world
because of undergoes
five qualities destruction, they
of such karmic will be transferred
consequences, to another one and
this hell so on, such are the
is called-- ripened effects of
wrongdoing as
occur in the
Incessant Hell!

Incessant

99
 First,
torment is What are
undergone the five?
day and night
throughout
many kalpas

with never
any break.
Therefore,
it is called
Incessant.

Time Without
Ceasing

100
 Second,
many people
one person
fill it, too.
fills this
Therefore,
Therefore,
hell;
it is called
Incessant.

Form Without
Ceasing

and One’s body

undergoes fills large
various and small
sufferings! hells,

101
 Third,
there are
instruments
of torment.

Such as
forks,
clubs,

eagles,
snakes,
wolves,
dogs.

102
their heads
are bound
in their
own skin.

They are
thrown into
cauldrons of
boiling
liquid,

The wrongdoers
are flayed
alive,

they are
flayed using
iron nets
and iron
ropes.

103
 Iron donkeys
Hot iron is
and iron
poured over
horses
their bodies.
trample
their bodies.

Instruments of
Torment
Without Ceasing

They swallow
iron balls
when hungry,

104
 and drink
Fourth, be they molten iron
men, women, of when thirsty.
any race, young The wretched
or old, of upper suffering
or lower class, continues
or nagas, spirits, nonstop
devas, or ghosts,

throughout
nayutas
of kalpas.
Therefore,
it is called
Incessant.

they all
Equal Without
undergo
such karmic
Ceasing
consequences
based on the
offenses they
committed.
Therefore, it is
called
Incessant.

105
 they will undergo
myriads of deaths
and myriads of births Fifth,
each day and night from if beings
the time of entry and fall into
on through hundreds of this hell,
thousands of kalpas.
Although they
seek to pause,
even for a
thought-moment,
that will not happen.

Only when
their karma is
exhausted
can they be
reborn.

106
 If I were to speak This is
in detail about the a brief
Because
names of the hells description
and the instruments of the of this
of torment and also Incessant continuity,
about all the Hell.
sufferings there,

I could
not finish
even in a
kalpa…

Oh…

After hearing this,

Queen Maya sorrowfully
joined her palms,

prostrated herself,
and withdrew.

it is
called
Incessant.

107
The Karmic Consequences of
Liv
Li
Living
ving Beings of Jambudv
Jambud
Jambudvipa
vipa Chapter 4

108
 World-
Honored
One,

it is through
the power of
awesome
spiritual
penetration
of the Buddha
Tathagata

that I
transform
into emanation-
forms throughout
to rescue hundreds of
all beings thousands of
who undergo myriads of
the ripened millions of
effects of worlds
karma.

If it were
not for the
power of the
Tathagata’s
I would
great
not be able
kindness,
to perform
such
transfor-
mations.
109
 Now, I have
to guide all further
beings in the been
six realms of entrusted
existence by the
Buddha

across to
liberation
until Ajita
(Maitreya
Bodhisattva)

becomes
a Buddha.

I will do so,
World-
Honored One.
Please do
not be
concerned.

110
 All beings
who have not
Through
yet attained
evil habits they
liberation are
form unwhole
without fixity in
somekarma.
their nature and
consciousness:

Revolving
wheel-like
through the
five realms of
existence with
never a
momentary
rest.

They pass
through kalpas
as numerous as
dust particles,
confused, deluded,
hindered, and
afflicted with
difficulties.

111
 They are
like a fish
while that swims
following in nets
a long
flowing
current;

now and
then it
would get
free,

only to temporarily,
be caught
in the nets
again.

I would
think with
concern

about
these
beings.

112
 However,
because you will
fulfill your past
vows, the profound
oaths taken kalpa
after kalpa to guide
what
wrongdoing beings
further
far and wide to the
cause of
other shore,
worry do
I have?
what vows
has
Ksitigarbha
World-
Bodhisattva
Honored
made during
One!
these many
past kalpas?

He now
receives
Concentration profuse
Mastery King praise from
Bodhisattva the World-
Honored
One,

please tell
us why
this is so O
World-
Honored
One.
113
 Listen
I will
attentively,
explain them
listen
separately
attentively.
for you.
At a time
immeasurable
asamkhyeyas
of nayutas of
inexpressible
kalpas ago,

Ponder and
remember
this well.

All Wisdom there was

Accomplished a Buddha
named--

Tathagata
The lifespan of that
Buddha was sixty
thousand kalpas.

114
 he was Before he
the king of renounced
a small the
country household
life,

and friends
with the
king of a
neighboring
country.

They both
practiced the
ten wholesome
actions and
benefited living
beings.

115
 However,
most in the
people did neighboring
many evil country
acts…

The two kings

conferred
with each
other and
planned to
employ

116
 causing
them to many
give up skillful
their evil means
ways and for them,
do good.

I will
attain
Buddhahood
early

and guide
all these
people
across
without
exception!

117
 If I do not
first guide all
wrongdoing suffering
beings across,
causing them to
attain peace and
happiness and
enabling them to
achieve bodhi,
I shall not
become a Buddha!

118
Ksitigarbha
The king who
vowed to become

Bodhisattva
a Buddha
early is--

The king who

vowed to always
guide wrongdoing
suffering beings
across and not
to become
a Buddha yet is--
All Wisdom
Accomplished
Tathagata

119
 Moreover,
in the past,
measureless
asamkhyeya
清淨蓮華目如來 kalpas ago,

there arose
in the world a
Buddha named--
The lifespan

Pure Lotus
of that
Buddha

Eyes Tathagata
was
forty kalpas.

During
the Age of
Semblance
Dharma,
there
was
an
arhat

120
 who guided living beings across
by means of merit, teaching and
transforming them in sequence.

One
day…

He came
upon a woman
named Bright
Eyes who made
a food
offering
to him.

what is Patron,
your wish?

121
I performed O Venerable
meritorious One, in the
deeds for days after
her rescue, my mother’s
death,

Bright Eyes

but I do
not know
in what
realm my
mother has
been reborn.

122
 啊！
Ah!

123
 What actions
did your
mother do
when she
was alive?

She is now
undergoing
extremely
great
suffering
in a lower
realm!

124
 My mother
had a habit of
only liking to
eat fish,
turtles,
and the like.

Of the fish
and turtles
and she
that she had
would
eaten, she had
indulge in
most often
eating them.
consumed
their eggs,
fried or
boiled,

125
 to be
thousands I would
of myriads reckon the
and many number of
times all these
over… lives

O Venerable
One, please
take pity.
How can she
be saved?

You may,
with sincere
resolve,
recollect Pure
Lotus Eyes
Tathagata.

126
 Both the Also,
living and sculpt and
the deceased paint
will reap his image.
the results.

Thank
you O
Vener-
able
One!

to have an After hearing

image of this, Bright
that Buddha Eyes immediately
painted gave up
right away. everything
she loved

127
 she wept And
sorrowfully, furthermore,
gazed up at, and with a
made obeisance reverent mind,
to him.

128
清淨蓮華目如來
Before long
your mother
will be reborn
in your
household.

Pure
Lotus
Eyes
Tathagata

129
 She will
speak as
soon as
she can
feel hunger
and cold.

Shortly
thereafter--

PANG !!!

130
 Splash

Splash, splash

Splash, splash

Splash, splash

Miss,
Here!

131
 A maid-
who servant
spoke in her
within household
three days bore
of birth! a child

You’re
Child, ……
finally
here…

I am
your
mother.

In the cycle
of birth and
death through
karmic conditions,
one undergoes
the results of
one’s actions
oneself…
132
 Tathagata’s
words are
really true…

It was
I have
through the
long
strength of
dwelled in
your merit
darkness.
that I was
finally able
to be
reborn…

Since parting
from you,
again and again
I agonized
in the great
hells…

133
 I am to
fall into But as a
a lower person of the
realm! lower class
and my
lifespan will
be short.

At the
end of
thirteen
years…

You must
quickly
find
a way

to help
relieve me
of these
sufferings!!!

Ah!

134
What actions Since you
did you do are my
that caused mother,you
you to fall should
into a lower know your
realm? own past
wrongdoing.

Killing and
reviling. I was
to deliver undergoing
me from the ripened
difficulties, effects of
these two
actions.

If it were
not for
the merit
that you
have
cultivated
135
 I still
could my
not have karma
been would
released. be such
that

the ripened What

effects of took
wrongdoing place
in the during
hells?

I cannot
torments bear to
of speak of
wrong- those
doing.

Even in
a hundred
thousand
years I
would not
be able
to describe
them all…

136
Whump-- Mother…

May my mother be forever

released from the hells.
At the end of thirteen years,
may she be finished
with her heavy offenses
and not go through
the lower realms again!

137
 Child!

Mother--
You must
save your
mother!

Splash

Mother…
138
 Today I vow in
front of the image
of Pure Lotus Eyes
Tathagata…

I vow that
from this day
forth, throug-
hout hundreds
of thousands
of millions
of future
kalpas

in all worlds
where there are
hells, where there
are three lower
realms, I will
rescue all
wrongdoing
suffering
beings,

139
causing them to leave
the lower realms of hells,
animals, and hungry ghosts.
Only when the beings
who undergo the ripened
effects of wrongdoing
have all become Buddhas
will I myself attain
perfect awakening!

140
 she will
be reborn as Bright
a Brahman with You have
great kindness Eyes!
a lifespan
of a hundred and compassion.
years. It is excellent
that you can
make such
After that a great vow
ripened for your
effect is mother.
over,

she will be
reborn in
the Land of
No Sorrow
with a
lifespan of
incalculable I see that
kalpas. after your
mother passes
Later she on from
will attain the present
Buddhahood, and ripened effect
far and wide she at thirteen years
will guide humans of age,
and devas as
numerous as the
sand grains in the
Ganges River
to the other
shore.

141
 Concent-
ration
Mastery
the arhat King
who guided Bodhisa-
Bright Eyes ttva,
across by
means of
merit

無盡意菩薩
then is
now--
Bright
Eyes’ mother
is now--

Inexhaustible
解脫菩薩

Intention
Bodhisattva

Liberation
Bodhisattva

142
 The woman
Bright Eyes
is now--

Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva
Bodhisattvva
Bodhisatt Throughout
many long
kalpas past,
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva

has been so kind

and compassionate
that he has made
as many vows as
there are grains of
sand in the Ganges
River to guide
living beings far
and wide to the
other shore!
143
 In the
future,
if there are
men and women
who do
not practice
good deeds
but do
engage in sexual evil, who--
misconduct do not believe in
cause and effect

use harsh
speech

speak
falsehood

engage in divisive
talebearing

slander the
Mahayana

beings with
karma like
these will
certainly
fall into the
lower realms.

144
 However,
if they meet
in a virtuous
Ksitigarbha friend who
Bodhisattva encourages
them so that
they take
refuge

they will
obtain release
within the
from the
time of
ripened effects
a fingersnap
to be
experienced
in the three
lower
realms.

145
 and make If people are
offerings of able to
incense, revere and
flowers, take refuge
clothing, in him with
jewels of all a resolute
sorts, or also mind, sing
food and his praises,
drink to him,

When their heavenly they will be

merit is exhausted and reborn in the
they are reborn below various heavens
in the world of humans, to experience
they will frequently excellent
be emperors or kings wonderful
throughout hundreds of happiness during
thousands of kalpas hundreds of
thousands of
myriads of
millions of
kalpas
in the future.

and will be able

to remember
the cause and
effect of
the sequence of
events of
their previous lives.

146
 to widely Concentration
benefit Mastery King,
living Ksitigarbha
beings Bodhisattva has
thus. such power of
inconceivable, great
awesome spiritual
penetration

All of you
Bodhisattvas
should
remember
Original this sutra.
Vows
of
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva
Sutra

Expound
and
propagate
it far
and wide.

147
 Through
the power of O World
the Buddha’s -Honored
awesome One!
spiritual Please do
penetration, not be
concerned!

Original
Vows
of
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva
Sutra

we, thousands
of myriads of
millions of
Bodhisattva
Mahasattvas,
will certainly be
to benefit
able to expound
living
this sutra widely
beings!
throughout
Jambudvipa

World-
Honored
One!

Having
spoken
joined
thus,
his palms
Concentration
in respect,
Mastery
made obeisance
King
and withdrew.
Bodhisattva

148
 As of now,
living beings World-Honored
have not all been One, Ksitigarbha
Four guided across. Bodhisattva has
Deva How is it that made such great
Kings he makes further vows throughout
immense vows many long kalpas
again? past.

O World-
Honored One,
please
explain
this for us.

Excellent,
excellent!

149
 in the
This is for
present
the broad
and
benefit of you
future.
as well as
of devas and
humans

I will
speak of

what Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva does
in the paths of
birth and death in
Jambudvipa in the
saha world.

all
wrongdoing
suffering
beings

How he
kindly and
compassionately
rescues and
liberates

150
 For many by way of
long kalpas skillful
past and up means.
to the present,
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva

has been
guiding living
beings across
to liberation;

nevertheless,
he has not
yet completed
his vows.

151
 He has
great
kindness and
compassion for
wrongdoing
suffering
beings
in this
world.

He further
sees that
during
measureless
kalpas in the
future,

their causes
of suffering
are endless
like vines.

Hence,
he makes
profound
vows again!

152
 teaches and
transforms
living beings by In Jambudvipa
way of hundreds in the saha
of thousands world,
of myriads this Bodhisattva
of millions
of skillful
means.

To those
who kill,
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva
would say:
Do not kill,
such action
would lead
to misfortune
and short
lifespan!

153
To those who engage
in sexual misconduct, ToTothose
those
he would say that whosteal
who steal
such action ororrob,
rob,
would lead to
rebirth as
peacocks,
pigeons, and
mandarin ducks.

he would
say such
action would
lead to poverty
and wretched
suffering.
154
 such action
would lead To those
to quarrels who use
and fights harsh speech,
in one’s he would say:
family.

That woman
is lacking
in…

155
 To those
who are angry Don’t say
don’t be
and hateful, another
angry and
he would say: word,
hateful,

such action
such action would lead
would lead to being
to being ugly, tongueless
deformed, and having
and crippled. a cankerous
mouth.

156
 don’t be
stingy or To those
miserly, who are
miserly,
he would
say:

such action
would lead
to not
obtaining
what one
seeks.

To those
who are
immoderate
in consuming
food and drink,

he would
say to be moderate,
otherwise
such action
would lead
to hunger, thirst,
and throat diseases!
157
 To those
who indulge
in hunting

stop
hunting, he
would
such action say:
would lead to
derangement
from terror,
and then
loss of life.

158
 To those
who are
contrary and
perverse to
their own parents,
he would say:

such action
would lead to
being killed
by natural
disasters!

159
 To those
who set fire
to mountains
or forests,
he would say:

such action
would lead to
death from
derangement
and confusion.
啪

Tonight
there’s
no food

ap
to eat!

W h

160
 To those
who are
cruel parents
or stepparents,
he would say:

such action don’t

would lead do this…
to being
likewise
abused
in the
present

161
 To those
who net or
trap young
animals,

he would
say that
such action
would lead to
separation of
parents and
children.

To those
who slander
he would the Triple Gem,
say that
such action
would lead to
being blind,
佛法僧

deaf, and mute.

Buddha
Dharma
Sangha

162
 To those
who slight
the Dharma
or look down
on instruction,

he would
say that
such action
would lead one
to remain in the
lower realms
for an interminably
long time.

To those
who abuse
the property
of the
sangha,

he would
say that
such action
would lead one
to revolve
through the
hells for
millions of
kalpas.

163
 he would say that To those who
such action would defile those living
lead one to remain the holy life,
in the animal realm or who make
for an interminably malicious accusations
long time. against the monastics,

To those
who scald,
he would burn, behead,
say that chop, or
such action otherwise
would lead to harm living
repayment in beings,
kind in samsara.

164
 Retribution of To those
Hungry and who violate
the precepts

Thirsty Fowls and rules

of eating,

and Beasts

he would say
that such action
would lead to
rebirth as fowls
and beasts
suffering from
hunger and thirst.

165
 To those
who
unreasonably
destroy
things and
deplete
resources--

such action
would lead to
insufficiency
and lack in don’t
what one do this,
seeks.

he would say To those

that such action who are
would lead conceited
to being lowly and arrogant,
and servile.

166
 To those
whose divisive
talebearing
causes
dissension
and disorder,

such action he
would lead to would
having no tongue don’t say:
or being ‘a create
hundred more
tongues’. karma,

167
 To those
he would say
who hold
that such action
false views,
would lead to
rebirth in
borderlands.

Living
beings of
giving rise
to hundreds -the evil habits Jambudvipa
of thousands in their karma of such as
of effects, of body, speech, these
which I have and mind
now spoken in bear fruits,
general
terms.
168
 accordingly What the
Ksitigarbha karma of
Bodhisattva uses such beings
hundreds of of Jambudvipa
thousands of brings forth
skillful means is different;
to teach and
transform
them.

These living
where they beings are
pass through to undergo
many kalpas ripened
without a time effects
of release.
like the
ones
mentioned
first,

and then
fall into
the hells,

169
Do not allow Therefore,
living beings you should
to be deluded protect people
by these many and protect
kinds of their countries.
karma.

After hearing this,

the Four Deva Kings wept
and sighed sorrowfully,
joined their palms
and withdrew.

170
The Names of
the Hells
Chapter 5

171
 Trayastrimsa
Heaven

Benevolent
One, for the
sake of devas,
nagas, the
fourfold
assembly,
as well as
for all living
beings in the
present and
future,

please speak
undergo about the names
ripened of the hells,
effects, where wrongdoing
suffering beings
of Jambudvipa
in the
saha world
Samantabhadra
Bodhisattva

172
 that they
experience and bad
consequences,

so that living
beings of the
Age of Declining
Dharma in
the future

may know
of such
results!

Benevolent One, now through

the power of the Buddha’s
awesome spiritual penetration
and through your strength,
that of the Mahasattva I will
speak in brief about
the names of the hells

173
 and the
ripened effects
of wrongdoing,
the bad
consequences.

Benevolent
One, to the east of
Jambudvipa there are
mountains named Iron
Encircling. Dark and
abysmal are these
mountains, without
the light of the
sun and moon.

Extreme
Incessant
There is
a great hell
there called--

174
 and
a hell
named--

Great
Avici

Furthermore,
there is
also a hell

175
 The four walls
of this hell Four named--

are made of
flaming iron, Corners,
the four corners
spew fire and burn
the wrongdoers!

Fake Those who

Monk pretended
to be monks,
or who used calling
knives to themselves
cut up living bhiksus,
beings in the but did
previous life, not keep
after they die the precepts
they will
fall into
this hell!

176
 Flying a hell
named--

Knives,
The four
sides of
this hell are
mountains
of knives

177
 immeasurable
numbers of knives
take turns
falling from
the sky, piercing
the wrongdoers
bodies, tearing
them apart!

This is the
fate for those
who killed
without restraint
in the previous life!

178
 Flaming a hell
named--
Arrows
The entire sky is
covered in flaming
arrows,that rain down
on the wrongdoers,
in a day and a night
there are sixty billion
births and deaths,
those who want life
will not have it
and those who
wish for death
will not get it!

This is the fate for

those who were
extremely ignorant
and greedy, who weren’t
filial to their parents,
who disrespected
their teachers, who didn’t
follow the teachings
to do good and
who killed living beings.

179
 Help! Run!

Quick,
hide in the
mountain!

180
 Crash
Boom
Boom

These two
mountains
are
Crash! closing in!
The
mountain
is closing!

Help!

181
 Squeezing a hell
named--
The two mountains
close in the blink
Mountains
of an eye,Squeezing
the wrongdoers’
flesh and blood into
a rotten pulp!

The karmic cause

of this hell is
extremely complicated,
it is the overall
karmic fate
created over
immeasurable kalpas
of doing evil!

182
 The karmic
cause is killing, Piercing a hell
named--
especially random
massacre in battle. Spearss
Spears
Spear ss
After they die
the wrongdoers Hell of Swords
will be reborn
in this hell!

183
 The wrongdoers’
tendons are
Iron a hell
named--
pulled out, and used
as ropes to pull
Carts
the flaming Hell of
iron carts! Flaming Carts

Those at the rear

are urged onwards
by demon soldiers!

184
 Appendix:

Sakyamuni According
Buddha to‘Sutra on
fell into the Wise and
this hell the Foolish’
in a past life.

At that time,
he was pulling
the cart with
several other
wrongdoers,

Ah! It looks
like this person
cannot bear this
Boss, tendon pulling
suffering…

can I give
one more
tendon so that
he might be
spared
suffering?

So
pitiful…

185
 In this way
he left hell.

Without speaking
a word, the demon
captain clubbed
him to death!

Those who fall into A single good

hell have many evil thought can release
thoughts,Although oneself from hell.
it is the way having a compassionate
to escape or remorseful thought
from hell. is extremely difficult,

186
 The wrongdoers
are laid on a red
Iron a hell
named--
hot iron bed,
and roasted
Beds
again and again!

The karmic causes of

this hell are mostly
due to excessive lust
and licentiousness.

187
The wrongdoers tongues
are pulled out and Iron a hell
named--
plowed through by oxen.
This is the fate for Oxen
speech karmas!

In a previous life
they whipped beings, Iron a hell
named--
or were monks who
broke precepts, Clothing

and were greedy for

the clothing given by
followers,so
followers,so after death
they fell into this hell!

188
 Thousand a hell
named--

Blades

betrayed,

189
 trapped,
slandered
and killed
their teachers,

or monks
took from
who went
the monastery,
against
killed their kin,
the Dharma,
and without
any shame

will fall into

this hell these kind of
at the end wrongdoers
of life!

190
 Molten
copper Iron a hell
named--

Donkeys
Rustle,
rustle The wrongdoers
are made to
ride burning
iron donkeys.
Their bodies
and minds are
scorched!

Ah!
Oh!

Oh!
Don’t…

191
 In a previous life
these wrongdoers Molten a hell
named--
created mouth
karmas by eating Copper
and drinking
to excess,

after they die

they will fall into
hell!!Molten
this hell Molten
copper
copperisis poured
poured
into their mouths!

192
 What a
beauty…

193
 How come
all the
beautiful
girls
Pillar a hell
named--
change into
hot pillars?
Embracing

Help!

This is the karmic

consequence of sexual
misconduct! In a day
and a night there are
90 billion births and
deaths,there is repeated
suffering without ceasing!

194
In this hell flames
spread in all Flowing a hell
named--
four directions,
demon soldiers Blazes
chase and attack
the wrongdoers! Hell of
Crying

a hell

Tongue
named--

Plowing
Tongue
The wrongdoers Pulling
tongues are Hell
pulled
by plows.

195
 Head a hell
named--

Chopping
Living
Hell

The demon soldiers

use sharp weapons
to chop and dismember
Run the wrongdoers!
for
your
lives!

In a previous life,
those that created
karma by killing
living beings, after
they die they will
fall into this hell!

196
 a hell
named--

In a previous life,
those who used
My feet are
burning up,
Feet
fire to roast
living beings,
it hurts!
Ablaze

engaged in sexual
misconduct, broke
precepts, they
will all receive
this fate!

197
In a previous life,
those who were Eye a hell
named--
greedy for
drinking wine, Pecking
after they die
they will fall
into this hell!

198
 Iron a hell
named-- Iron a hell
named--

Axes Balls
The hell soldiers Similarly, those
dismember the who eat and drink
wrongdoers bodies to excess will
piece by piece, bring this fate
the suffering is on themselves!
incomparable!

Those who start

rumors and create
trouble, incite
quarrels, slander
those who are good
and praise those
who are evil, after
they die they will
fall into this hell!
199
200
Much a hell
named-- Quarreling a hell
named--

Anger

The anger, disputes

and jealousy that
arises from unfulfilled
greedy desire will
create this karmic fate.

The wrongdoers
massacre one another
and even harm
themselves, the
suffering cannot
be put into words!

201
 Benevolent One,
within the Iron
Encircling there
are hells such as
these, which
are limitless
in number.

Samantabhadra
Bodhisattva

Help!

202
 Pain! It hurts!

In addition,
there is the--

Hell of
Crying Out
The wrongdoers
are flung into
a big boiling iron
pot to suffer
all kinds of
torture!

203
 Afterwards the
wrongdoers are
thrown onto
a hot iron plate
and undergo
extreme suffering.
Their wailing
never ceases!

Those who have

an angry and
wicked heart and
create all kinds of
karma, after they
die they will fall
into this hell!

204
 Speech karmas
bring about Hell of there
the--
is

this hell.
Tongue
Plucking

Cooked in
excrement Hell of
and urine,
the wrongdoers Excrement
and Urine
are buried
within to
undergo
suffering.
The karmic
cause is
also speech
karmas--

falsehood

divisive
talebearing

foul
language

flowery
Those who break
language
their fasts
such as Eight
Pure Precepts,
they will fall
into this hell.

205
 Hell of
Copper
Locks
Hell of
Black
Walk! Rope

The suffering
in this hell is
immeasurable,

About
one’s
neck is
hung
a heavy
copper
lock…

in a night and
a day one
undergoes
torture
One must 900,000 times!
advance
step
by step…
206
 Below
there
Walk is boiling
quickly! lava!

To fall
is to
Smack perish…

Ah

207
 The karmic cause
is ignorance, Hell of
when spreading
the Dharma one Copper
misinterprets
the teachings, and Locks
explains the proper
teachings as improper, Hell of
and improper Black
teachings as proper. Rope

Furthermore,
those who
treat precepts
frivolously, but
do not repent
will fall into
this hell!

208
 In a previous
life they drank Hell of
to excess, had
illicit sexual relations, Flaming
killed, stole, were
lewd, were rash, Elephants
and harmed living
beings, so they will
fall into this hell
after they die!

These flaming
elephants are
created by the
wrongdoers
natures.

209
Those who cook
silkworms to
Hell of
make silk
and take
Flaming
the lives of
countless living
Dogs
creatures, after
they die they
The hell soldiers
will fall into
trap the wrongdoers
this hell.
in a sea of
flames, after they
are cooked,
the flaming
dogs snatch up
their bodies.

210
Hell of Hell of
Flaming Flaming
Oxen Horses
The wrongdoers
are chased and
attacked by these
flaming beasts!

Hell of
Flaming
Mountains/
Hell of
It is the same as
Hell of Squeezing

Flaming
Mountains, mountains
close in around
the wrongdoers and
crush them to pieces! Rocks
Hell of
Crushing

211
Hell of Hell of
Flaming Flaming
Eagles Beds

Hell of
Flaming
Beams

It is the same as
It is the same as Hell of Pillar It is the same as
Hell of Eye Pecking, Embracing, Hell of Iron Beds,
fiery eagles peck wrongdoers this is the karmic
the wrongdoers are burned consequence of
eyeballs and bodies. by blazing sexual misconduct!
iron pillars.

212
 Hell soldiers bind
the wrongdoers Hell of
with black ropes
and then use iron Teeth
saws to saw open
the wrongdoers Sawing
teeth and bodies.

This is the hell

brought on by
speech karmas.

213
 Those who peeled
the skin and cut
This is
the karmic Hell of
the flesh off of
living beings,
consequence
of killing. Skin
killing them, after
they die the same Flaying
will be done to them!

214
 Evil worms suck
the wrongdoers’blood,
Hell of
bones, muscles
and bone marrow dry.
Blood
Drinking
The karmic cause
is stealing, sexual
misconduct and
speaking falsehood.
And doing evil in
or near a temple
or Buddhist center.

The river of blood is

filthy and stinking, the
wrongdoers drink the
blood and some drink
their own blood.

215
 The karmic cause is
slaughtering and Hells of
killing living beings
in a previous life. Hands and
This includes cutting off
the hands and feet, Feet Burning
cooking and roasting them.

After they die

the same will be
done to them!

216
 By betraying
parents, teachers,
The demon
soldiers pierce Hell of
friends, one’s
motherland and
the wrongdoers
with knives, Thorns
one’s people,
in the future
the karmic
cause is Reversing
one will fall into betrayal.
this hell!

217
 Today’s
barbecue
smells so
delicious…

218
219
 Hell of Hell of
Iron Flaming
Houses Houses
In a The wrongdoers
previous life are driven into
they roasted flaming houses
living beings, and roasted by
so after the blazing inferno.
they died
they fell into
this hell!

220
 The primary karmic
cause is greed. Hell of
Those who are vicious,
merciless and Flaming
unscrupulous, after
they die, they will Wolves
fall into this hell!

After the wrongdoers

arrive in hell,
they transform into
wolves. They are then
burned by the fire or
massacre each other!

221
 Bene-
volent There are
One! hells
and within each such as
there are (one, these,
two, three, four), or
even as many as
hundreds of
thousands of smaller
hells, each with
a different name.

Such are
the karmic
consequences
of beings

of Jambudvipa
who do evil.

222
surpass the The force
immense oceans of karma is
in depth, and so great
hinder one’s that it
cultivation of can rival
the noble path. Mount
Sumeru
in height,

223
 and
consider
them Therefore,
harmless, living beings
must not
underestimate
small wrongs

Beings as
closely related
as fathers and
sons will
part their
respective ways.
for after
Celestial death there

Human will be
ripened effects
to be
experienced
to the
most exact
detail.
Asura Animal

Hungry
Ghost Hell

Even if they should meet,

neither would consent to
undergo the consequences
in the other’s place.

224
 O Now, through
Benevolent the Buddha’s
One, please awesome spiritual
take a moment
power, I will speak
to hear
in brief about
these
words. the ripened effects
of wrongdoing as
occur in
the hells.

I have long
known of
I hope the
the ripened
Benevolent
effects
One will
experienced
speak about
in the three
them
lower realms.

so that at
a later time,
in the Age of
Declining
Dharma,

all beings
who do evil

225
 Bene-
volent may hear
One, your words

the ripened
effects of
wrongdoing as
occur in the
hells are
like these:

and be moved to
take refuge in
In some the Buddha, and
hells avoid the karmic
consequences of
the three
evil paths.
三惡道

the wrongdoers’
tongues are
taken out
and then plowed
over by oxen.

226
 In some hells
the wrongdoers’
hearts are taken out
and eaten by yaksas.

227
 In some hells
the wrongdoers’
bodies are
cooked in
cauldrons full of
boiling liquid.

In some hells
the wrongdoers
are compelled
to embrace
red-hot,
burning
copper
pillars.

228
In some hells In some hells
there is cold fires burn and
and ice at overtake the
all times. wrongdoers.

After a wind blows,

they are revived,
and forever without
rest they receive
the fiery torture!

229
 In some hells
there is limitless
excrement and urine.

In some hells
there are solely
flying caltrops.

This is the karmic

consequence
for hunting!

230
 In some hells
there are many
flaming spears.

In some hells
the wrongdoers
are struck solely
on the chests and
backs. Their heart,
liver, spleen, lungs,
and kidneys are
split open!

In a previous life,
those who liked to
mistreat animals will
receive this consequence.

231
 In some hells
their hands and
feet are burned
specifically.

In some hells
iron snakes twine
around and
strangle them.

232
 In some hells
iron dogs pursue
them. Their hearts
are taken out
and eaten by
iron dogs.

Or they transform In some hells

into flaming iron they all ride on
mules and receive flaming iron mules
intense burning and are burnt
suffering! to the core.

233
 Benevolent One,
there are ripened
effects such
as these.
In each hell,

there are
hundreds of
thousands of
kinds of instruments
of torment of
this karmic path,
all made of
copper, iron,
stone,
and fire.
234
 These four
materials

are brought on
by the many
kinds of karma.

Suppose
I were
to speak in
detail about
the ripened
effects of
wrongdoing as
occur in
the hells:

235
 In any one hell
there are
furthermore
hundreds of
thousands of
kinds of
wretched
suffering.

Moreover,
there are
measureless
torments
in the
Immeasurable
hells.

236
 !!!
Now through
the Buddha’s
awesome spiritual
penetration

and at the
Benevolent One’s
request, I have
briefly described
this matter
in this way,

237
 for if I were
to explain in
detail,

I could not
finish even when
a kalpa is over.
Praise of the
Tathagata
Chapter 6

239
illuminating Buddha Worlds
as numerous as the sand
grains in hundreds of
thousands of myriads of
millions of Ganges Rivers.
At that time,
the World-Honored
One emitted great light
from his entire body,

He gave forth
a great voice,

240
Listen as I now telling all
praise and extol the Bodhisattva-
Ksitigarbha Mahasattvas
Bodhisattva- as well as
Mahasattva devas, nagas,
ghosts, spirits,
humans, non-
humans,
and others
in the various
Buddha Worlds…

241
 for how he manifests
powers of great,
inconceivable awesome
spiritual penetration,
kindness and compassion
in the worlds of
the ten directions

to rescue and care for all

wrongdoing suffering beings.

242
 After I enter parinirvana,
all of you Bodhisattvas,
Great Beings, and all you
devas, nagas, ghosts, spirits,
and others should employ
many skillful means to guard
and protect this sutra,
causing all living beings
to attain the bliss of nirvana!

243
 We now see the
World-Honored
One commending
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva that
he has such
virtue of
inconceivable,
great awesome
spiritual
penetration.

O World-
Honored One,
for the sake of
living beings of
the Age of
Declining Dharma
in the future,

244
 please speak
about the cause
and effect of
Universally Vast how Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva Bodhisattva
benefits humans
and devas,

so that
Listen devas,
attentively, nagas, others
listen of the eight
attentively! classes of
beings and
living beings
of the
future

may receive
the Buddha’s
words most
respectfully.

I will describe
in brief for you
the meritorious and
virtuous matters of
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
benefiting humans
and devas.

245
 these people In the future
will transcend if there are good

Namo
thirty kalpas of men and good
torments of women who hear

Ksitigarbha
offenses. Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-

Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva’s
name,

Mahasattva

and join their

palms, sing his
praises, make
obeisance or feel
great love and
admiration
for him,

246
 who paint If there
this Bodhis- are good
attva’s men and
image good
women

or make his image

with clay, stone,
resin, lacquer, gold,
silver, copper, or iron,
and then reverently
gaze at and make
obeisance to his
image but once,

these people will

be reborn a hundred
times in the Heaven
of the Thirty-Three
Devas and will never
fall into the
lower realms.

247
 If their heavenly
merit is exhausted
and they are
reborn below
in the world
of humans,

they will still

be kings and
will not lose
great benefits.

and if they If there are

do so day women who are
after day weary of being
without fail, women and who
wholeheartedly
make offerings
in veneration
to Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
image,

whether the image

be a painting or
made of clay,
stone, resin,
lacquer, copper,
iron, or other
materials,

248
 banners, money, making offerings
jewels, and to him with flowers,
the like, incense, food, drink,
clothing, colored silk,

throughout then after

hundreds of the present
thousands of ripened effect
myriads of kalpas to be a woman
these good women comes to
will never again an end,
be reborn in
worlds where
there are women,

249
 much less
be one.

Unless that,
through the
power of their
compassionate
vows,

they wish to
be women in
order to
liberate living
beings.
Otherwise,
through the
strength of their
making offerings
to Ksitigarbha and
the power of
this virtue,

they will not be

reborn as women
throughout
hundreds of
thousands of
myriads of
kalpas.

250
 with a
resolute
mind before
Ksitigarbha’s
image,
Universally Vast!
If there are women
who are weary of
being ugly and
frequently ill and,

they
reverently
gaze at
and make
obeisance
to him
for even
just the
time of
a meal,

then throughout
thousands of
myriads of kalpas
they will be reborn
with perfect looks
and features.

251
 they will always If these ugly
be princesses, women are not
queens, or weary of being
daughters of women, then for
high ministers, hundreds of
prominent families, thousands of
or great elders myriads of
millions of lives

and be born beautiful and with perfect

features. They gain such merit because they
reverently gaze at and make obeisance to
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva with a resolute mind.

252
 Universally
Vast! If there
are good men
who are and good
able to make women
offerings
to him

by playing
music, singing
songs of
praise,

and presenting
incense and
flowers before
this Bodhis-
attva’s image,
both now
and in
the future

or who are
also able to
encourage
others,
one or many,
to do likewise,

253
 who will they will be
even prevent protected day
evil matters and night by
from hundreds of
reaching thousands of
their ears, ghosts and
spirits

much less
allow them
to meet with
disasters
personally.

Univer-
sally
if there are Vast!
evil people, In the
evil spirits, future
and evil
ghosts

who see
good men
and good women
venerating and
taking refuge
in this
Bodhisattva,
making
offerings,
254
 singing his
praises,
reverently
gazing at, and
making obeisance
to Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
image,

and if those beings

then wrongly express
ridicule and slander,
maligning that such
deeds are without
virtue or benefit,

or they
laugh at
these
people,

or they utter
slander behind
their backs,

255
 or they
urge
others to
slander
likewise,

such beings whether

will fall into one person
and remain or many,
in the
Avici Hell,

or they
bear a mere
thought of
ridicule and
slander,

undergoing
extremely
severe
torments

256
Only after as the
the present consequence
kalpa has for their
passed ridiculing and
slandering,

will they be
even after
reborn in the
all the thousand
company of
Buddhas of
hungry
the present
ghosts,
kalpa have
entered
parinirvana!

257
 Then they will where they will
pass another pass a thousand
thousand kalpas more kalpas
before they may before being
finally be reborn reborn as
as humans. animals!

Even when
they are
reborn as
humans, they
will be poor,
lowly, and with
incomplete
faculties!

258
 Their minds
Univer- will frequently
sally be fettered
Vast! by their
unwholesome
karma.
Those who
ridicule and
slander others’
making offerings in
veneration will
reap such
ripened
effects.

How much
worse the
consequences
will be if beings
have evil views
and do
destructive
things!

Before long,
they will
again fall into
the lower
realms!

259
 Universally
Vast! In the
and unable
future if there
to get well
are men and women
or die despite
who are bedridden
their wishes,
with a long
illness

of wandering
in dangerous
paths,

and at night
they dream of
evil ghosts,

of family
and
relatives,

260
 or they
have many or ghosts
nightmares of pressing
wandering in against their
the company bodies in the
of ghosts deep of night
and spirits,

and being
unable to
move,

and as days,
months, and
years go by,
their illnesses
worsen and
they waste
away,
261
 they cry
they are out in
miserable their
and melan- sleep,
choly!

and the
under ensuing
judgment, realm of
existence

All these
represent
cases of
karma

262
 with the
degree of
seriousness
still undetermined,

making it difficult
for the people
to die or recover.

263
 cannot The ordinary
discern eyes of men
such and women
matters.

地藏菩薩本願經
In this
instance, this
sutra should
be recited
aloud once

before the
images of
Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas,

Houses and
possessions
Clothing that the sick
person loves,
such as :

Jewels

264
 should be
I, offered by
so-and someone saying
-so, clearly in front
of the sick
person :

in the presence
of the sutras
and images of Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas,
give these items
on behalf of
this sick person to
make offerings to
the sutras and images,
to make the images of
Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas,

屋契

265
to give gifts
to the sangha

to construct
stupas and
monasteries

to light
oil lamps

In such way
the sick person
so that he should be told
may hear and three times
know of the
offerings
being made.

If his
various
conscious-
nesses
and his
are
then for breathing
dispersed
one day, two ceases,
days, three days,
four days, or
onto seven days,
such offerings
should be stated
clearly and this
sutra should
be read
aloud.

266
 he will gain After this
release from person’s
misfortunes and life ends,
severe torments
that result from
past offenses,
even the five
great violations
that lead to
incessant torments.

Wherever
he is
reborn,

he will
know his
previous
lives.
Consider how
a sick person
can be benefited,
地藏菩薩本願經

how much greater

the results will
be when good
men and good
women

personally
copy this sutra
in writing,
teach others
to copy it,

267
 There-
fore,
Univer- personally
sally sculpt or paint
Vast, the Bodhisattva’s
image, or even
teach others to
sculpt or paint
his image.

if you
see people
who read
and recite
this sutra,

They will
certainly
who have gain immense
even a benefits!
thought of
praise for it,
or who
revere it,

you should
use hundreds
They will be of thousands of
able to attain skillful means to
thousands of encourage these
people to keep
myriads of
their diligent
millions of mind from
inconceivable fading.
virtues in both
the present
and future.
268
 Universally
Vast! In the
future if
when living
dreaming or beings
dozing should
see ghosts,
spirits, and
other
who are forms
sad, crying,
worried,
sighing,
fearful, or
terrified,

these are
the living
husbands, beings’ fathers,
wives, or other mothers, sons,
relatives from one, daughters,
ten, a hundred, brothers,
or a thousand sisters,
lives past who are
in the lower realms
and unable
to leave.
269
 you
should
inform these They have no
family members place from
from which to hope
previous for the strength
lives, of merit to
and use
skillful means rescue them,
to help them
leave the
lower
realms.

Univer-
sally
Vast!

Use your
spiritual
power to
cause these
living kin

to perso-
nally read
this sutra aloud
with a resolute
mind before the
images of
Buddhas and
or request
Bodhis-
others to
attvas,
read it
aloud,
270
 When the
sutra has been
read aloud for three or
such a number of seven times.
times, the relatives
in the lower
realms will
gain release,

and these
kin will
never see
them again
when
dreaming.

Universally
Vast!
In the
future

if there are
various persons
from the lower
classes, slaves,
maidservants,
and other
people without
freedom,
271
 who
I vow to realize
that they
reverently
are under-
gaze at and going the
make obeisance ripened
to Ksitigarbha effect of
Bodhisattva’s
image
Today I
wish to
repent…

their
past
karma…

for seven
days and
recite the
Bodhisattva’s
name a full
ten thousand
times…

When this
person’s
present
ripened
effect is
over,

272
 for
thousands of
myriads of lives
he will always
be reborn among
the respected
and they and wealthy,
will not
undergo the
suffering of
the three
lower realms
again.

if Ksatriyas,
Brahmans, Univer-
elders, house- sally
holders, and Vast!
others of various
names and clans In the
have new- future in
born infants, Jambudvipa,
boys or
girls,

Original
Vows of
Ksitigarbha
Sutra

they should
read and recite
this inconceivable
sutra and recite
the Bodhis-
attva’s name

273
 If these a full ten
newborn thousand times
children, boys early on within
or girls, are seven days of
due to have birth for the
misfortunes
sake of their
as a result
children.
of their
past,

they will
gain
release

and be well,
happy, and
easily raised,
and their
lifespans
will
increase.

274
 If they had
been reborn
by virtue of
their past
merit,

their well-being
and happiness
will increase and
so will their
lifespans.

Universally
Vast! In the
future on the first,
eighth, fourteenth,
fifteenth, eighteenth,
twenty-third, twenty-
fourth, twenty-
eighth, twenty-ninth,
and thirtieth days
of the lunar
month,

the offenses
of living beings
will be compiled
and the degrees
of seriousness
assessed.

275
The acts and thoughts of
the beings of Jambudvipa
are invariably karma and
wrongdoing

How much
more so when
they give them-
selves over to
If they are
killing,stealing,
able to read
sexual mis-
this sutra aloud once
conduct, false
in front of the images of
speech-hundreds
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas,
of thousands
holy ones, and
of offenses.
worthies on
these ten
observance
days,

276
 there will
not be
disaster or
calamity for
a hundred
yojanas to the
north, south,
east, and
west.

Those in
their
families,
both
young and
old,
will be
apart from
the lower
realms now
and throughout
hundreds of
thousands of
years in the
future.

277
 on each
If they can
of the
recite this
ten obser-
sutra once
vance days,

and there
will be food
and clothing in the present
in abundance. life there will
not be untoward
dire events and
illnesses in
the family,

Through the
power of his
great awesome Univer-
spiritual penetration, sally
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Vast!
has inexpressible
hundreds of thousands
of myriads of millions
of instances

of
benefiting
beings
such as
these.

278
 Living beings of
Jambudvipa have
great cause and
condition with
If these living this Great
beings hear this Being.
Bodhisattva’s
name, see this
Bodhisattva’s
image,

Namo
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva

279
 a verse, or or hear but
a sentence of three words,
this sutra, five words,

地藏菩薩妙難倫
化現金容處處分

they will have

superbly
wonderful peace
and happiness
in the
present life.

280
 they will
always be For hundreds
good looking of thousands
and be reborn of myriads of
in respected lives in the
and wealthy future,
families.

World-
I have long Honored
known that this One!
Great Being has
such power of
inconceivable
spiritual
penetration as
well as power
of great vows.

For living
Yes, we receive this
beings in the
Dharma teaching future I make
most respectfully. the request to
World-Honored One, the Tathagata,
so that they
may know of
such benefits.

how should
this sutra
be named,
and how
should we
propagate it?

281
 Original Practices
of Ksitigarbha This sutra
has three
names--

Power of
the Original Original
Vows of Vows of
Ksitigarbha Ksitigarbha

282
 Because this
Bodhisattva has
made such
profound vows
throughout
many long
kalpas

to benefit
living
beings,

all of you
should
propagate it

in accordance
with these
vows!

After hearing
this, Universally
Vast joined
his palms
in respect,
made
obeisance,
and
withdrew.

283
Benefiting
Benefitting
the Living
and the
Deceased
Chapter 7

284
 At the
Trayastrimsa
Heaven Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva said to
the Buddha--

World-
Honored
One!

I observe
that the
mental
of living beings stirring and
of Jambudvipa are thoughts
almost always
wrongdoings!

285
 Although
now and then
they may
generate virtuous
thoughts and
gain good
benefits,
they mostly
retreat from
their initial
resolve.

If they
encounter
evil
in every thought
conditions,
they increase
and add to
the unwholesome!

These people
are as if
walking in
the mire

and
carrying
heavy
rocks.

286
 They would
would sink become more
deeper with trapped and
each step! weighted down
as their feet

If such a
person can
meet a
virtuous
friend,

this
person’s
burden
will be
lightened

or even
completely
removed,
because such
a virtuous
friend has
great
strength.

287
 Furthermore,
the virtuous
friend will lend
him support,
advise him to
keep his steps
firm and
steady,

stop
doing evil teach him
deeds and to practice
do good the teachings
deeds, of the
Dharma,

and point
he should out that
beware of once he
the bad road reaches
and not the level
walk on ground,
it again.

288
 Living
World-
beings
Honored
who are
One!
accustomed
to evil
begin
with

a minute
amount then
quickly
escalate into
measureless
evil.

Because
these beings
have such
a habit, when
they are about
their parents to depart
and relatives this life,
should
make merit

Good
Ways

in their
behalf to
assist them
on the road
ahead.

289
and lighting
oil lamps,

This may be
done by
hanging
banners
and canopies

by reciting
the sacred
sutras,

by making
offerings in
veneration to
the images of
Buddhas and
holy ones,

290
 as well as by
reciting the names
of Buddhas,
Bodhisattvas, and
pratyekabuddhas

should the in such a

results brought way that the
about by the recitation of
unwholesome karma These each name
they generated be dying reaches the
reckoned, would beings, ear of the
certainly fall dying one
into the lower
realms.
and may
be heard in
his funda-
mental
conscious-
ness.

However, by
virtue of their
relatives’
cultivating these
noble causes in
their behalf, their
manifold torments
of offenses can
be dissolved.
291
 then the If
deceased will relatives
be able to can further-
leave the more widely
lower perform many
realms good deeds during
forever, the seven seven-
day periods

after the
death of
such beings,

be reborn
as humans
and devas, and
experience
excellent,
wonderful
happiness.

receive The living

measureless relatives
benefits. will
themselves

292
 Therefore, in
the presence of the
do not
Buddha, World Honored
kill, harm One, as well as devas,
beings, nagas, and others of
the eight classes
of beings, humans,
non-humans,
and others,

I now
generate evil
exhort living
conditions, or
beings of
worship and
Jambudvipa
offer sacrifices
to be
to ghosts
careful
and spirits,

or seek the
help of goblins
on the days when
someone is
nearing death.

Your killing,
harming, wor-
shipping, offering
sacrifices, and so Why?
forth are not
the least bit
helpful to the
deceased,
293
 If in this life
or in the future
the departed one
gains elements
of holiness and
is to be reborn
among humans
but because or devas,
his relatives
commit these
evil causes
for his
sake

when he is
on the verge
of death, he
will become
involved in
dispute

but bind up
conditions of
wrongdoing
so that they
become deeper
and be and more
delayed severe!
from
being
reborn in
an upper
realm.

294
 How much
worse the
situation will be
for the dying
persons who
never had even
a few roots of
goodness from
how can he
their lifetime!
bear to have
relatives add
to that karma?

Each of
them will
undergo the
lower realms
in accordance
with his own
karma,
295
 It is as if
there was a
person who
had traveled
from afar.

He had been
out of food
for three days
and carrying a
load that
weighed more
than a hundred
kilogram.

Suddenly he
came upon a
neighbor who
attached a
few more
things to it.

296
 He would be
even more
burdened
Then.

World-
Honored
One!

I see that as
long as living
beings of
Jambudvipa

are able to
follow the
teachings of
the Buddhas,

297
 or even just
do good deeds as
little as a strand
of hair, a drop of
water, a grain of
sand, or a speck
of dust,
they
themselves
will gain all
the benefits.

Great
Eloquence
Elder

This elder had

long since Mahasattva,
attained after beings of
non arising; Jambudvipa die,
he taught and and their family
guided living and relatives
beings of the cultivate virtues
ten directions for their sake,
to the
other shore.

298
 make
vegetarian
meal
offerings
and so
forth,

planting
many good
causes,

will these
and departed
release? ones gain
great
benefits

Elder, now
through the
Buddha’s
awesome
spiritual
power,

Elder,
beings in
the present
and future

I will explain
this in general
terms for
the sake of all
living beings in
the present
and future.

299
 on the days
when they are who hear a
nearing death will Buddha’s name,
gain release a Bodhisattva’s
regardless of name, or a
whether they pratyekabuddha’s
have offenses name
or not.

If there
are men and
women who
did not
but cultivate
committed
good
many
offenses causes
while they
were alive,

and after
their death
their family and
relatives
make merit and
benefit on
their behalf,

Creating Buddha images

Printing sutras
Setting animals free
Giving to the poor
Making offerings
to the Triple Gem
Educating others

300
 they will
receive
one-seventh

of the
virtues of
the holy
deeds,

and the other

six-sevenths
will benefit
the living
relatives
themselves.

301
 They will receive Therefore, good men
every part and good women in the
of the benefit. present and future
should themselves
cultivate virtue when
they are healthy
and hearing well.

The great ghost

of impermanence
can come to one
at any time.

The consciousness
of the departed one
then wanders
in darkness,

not knowing
how his offenses
and merits
will turn
out overall…

302
 During the
ensuing seven
seven-day periods,
he is as if stunned
and deaf, or he is
at various authorities
being examined and
questioned regarding
his karma and
the effects.

Once the
result is
determined,
he undergoes
rebirth in
accordance
with his
karma.
四十

In the time
before his
rebirth is
determined, he
is tormented by
九天

thousands of
myriads of
worries.

How much
more anguished
will he be if
he falls into
the lower
realms…

303
 After these
periods of
days, he will
undergo the
ripened effects
according to
his karma.

Throughout
the seven seven-
day periods, in
every thought
the departed one
who has not yet
undergone
rebirth
hopes that his
parents, children,
and relatives will
engender the
If he is a strength of
wrongdoer, merit to
he will pass rescue him.
through hundreds
of thousands of
years without
a day of
release!

304
 If his
Marring Killing Spilling offenses include
any of the five
the one’s the blood great violations
that lead to
sangha father of a incessant torments,
he will fall into
Buddha that great hell

Killing Killing and for

thousands of

one’s and
kalpas, for
an interminably

mother arhat
long time,
undergo
manifold
sufferings!

But his
parents,
children, and
relatives may
make vegetarian
meal offerings
to help him in
his karmic
path.

305
 In the
process of
preparing
such a meal
and before
that offering
is completed,

should not rice rinsings

be thrown and vegetable
onto the leaves
ground,

and before
the food
has been
offered to
the Buddha
and sangha,
no one
should
eat it.

306
 the
departed If there is
one will any trans-
gain no gression or
strength laxness in
from it! this matter,

If purity
is diligently
二

maintained in
生者所得

making the
offering to
三

the Buddha
Gains and sangha,
of
四

the
living Gains
of
五

the
亡者所得

deceased
六

the departed
one will
receive one-
七

seventh of
the benefit.

Therefore,
Elder! If after
the death of
parents and
relatives, living
beings of
Jambudvipa

307
 with diligence,
sincerity, and
a resolute mind,
are able to make
vegetarian meal
they will offerings in
benefit both their behalf
the living
and the
deceased.

As these words were

spoken, thousands of
myriads of millions of
nayutas of ghosts and
spirits of Jambudvipa
who were in the
Trayastrimsa Heaven
all gave rise to
the immeasurable
bodhi mind.

Elder Great
Eloquence made
obeisance and
withdrew.

308
The Praise
of King
Rama
and His
Retinue
Chapter 8

309
 At that time,
from within
the Iron
Encircling
King Yama and Mountains,
measureless
ghost kings

and came all arrived

to where at the
the Buddha Trayastrimsa
was. Heaven

Ghost They
King Evil were:
Poison

310
 Ghost King Ghost King
Flying Body Many Evils

Ghost King
Disseminating
Disasters

Ghost King
Blood Tiger

Ghost King
White Tiger

Ghost King
Wolf Teeth

Ghost King
Great
Quarrels
Ghost King
Red Tiger

Ghost King
Lightning
Flash

311
 Ghost King
Ghost King
Ghost King Presiding Over
Thousand
Rock Depletion
Eyes
Carrying

Ghost King
Beast
Devouring
Ghost King
Ghost King Presiding
Presiding Over Over Food
Domestic Animals

Ghost King
Presiding
Over Wealth
Ghost King
Presiding
Over Fowls

Ghost King
Presiding
Over Calamities

312
 Ghost King Ghost King
Presiding Over Presiding
Diseases Over Beasts

Ghost King
Three Eyes

Ghost King
Presiding
Over Goblins

Ghost King
Presiding
Over Birth

Ghost King
Presiding
Over Danger
Ghost King
Four Eyes

Ghost King
Ghost King
Presiding
Five Eyes
Over Life

313
 King Daqi
Lishi

King Qi Licha King Qi Lishi

King A King Daqi

Nuozha Licha

King Da’a
Nuozha

314
 They all There were
reside in great ghost
Jambudvipa, kings such as
and each of these, each
them has with hundreds of
duties to thousands of
carry out and minor ghost
preside over. kings.

315
 all came to Through the awesome
the Trayastrimsa spiritual penetration of
Heaven the Buddha and the strength
of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva, these ghost
kings and King Yama

and
World- stood
Honored to one
One! side.

316
 It is through
the awesome
spiritual penetration
of the Buddha and
the strength of
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva that
the ghost
kings and I

are now able

to come to this
great assembly
in the Traya-
strimsa
Heaven.

O World- Now, there

Honored One, is a little
with your question
kindness and that I dare
compassion, to ask the
please World-
expound Honored One.
on it.

317
 Ask
whatever
you wish.

I will
explain it
for you.

World-
Honored
One! I
see that
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva

uses hundreds of
thousands of
skillful means in
the six realms of
existence to guide
wrongdoing
suffering beings
across to
liberation,

and he
does so
indefatigably.

318
 Yet, the
multitudes of
beings-after This great
they gain Bodhisattva
release from has deeds of
the ripened such
effects of inconceivable
wrongdoing, supernatural
power.

World-
Honored One! before long
Since they again
Ksitigarbha fall into
Bodhisattva the lower
has such realms…
inconceivable
spiritual
power,

O World- why do
Honored living beings
One, please not dwell
explain relying on
this for the
me. virtuous
path and
attain
eternal
liberation?

319
 Living
beings of
Jambudvipa
have obstinate
dispositions,
difficult to
regulate and
difficult to tame!
This great Bodhisattva rescues
such beings everywhere throughout
hundreds of thousands of kalpas, causing
them to attain liberation early. For people
who undergo the ripened effects of
wrongdoing, even those who have fallen into
the very low realms, the Bodhisattva
uses the power of skillful means to extract
their fundamental karmic conditions
and lead them to realize the events of
their previous lives.

320
 no sooner However,
have they left because beings of
the lower Jambudvipa have
realms heavy habits of
forming evil,

they go
back in
again.

321
 This necessitates
the Bodhisattva to
work hard
throughout many
kalpas in guiding
them across
to liberation…

322
 Suppose there
was a person
who lost his way
home and, by
mistake, entered
a dangerous path,

yaksas
tigers in which
there were
many--

wolves

snakes
and
vipers

lions

scorpions

Such a
confused
person on that
dangerous path
would be harmed
within a short
time…
323
 Woosh

A virtuous
friend who was
knowledgeable of many
great skills and good
at stopping and keeping
out the injurious and
poisonous, including yaksas
and other evil fierce
beings, would suddenly
come upon the
confused man!

What
Why are
special
means do you
you have to entering
restrain this
injurious and road?
poisonous
beings?
324
 It
looks
like I
took a
wrong
turn,

can you
help me
leave
here?

325
 Thank you
for leading
me out
of the
dangerous
path

and back
to safety.

If you see
relatives,
From now on,
friends, as well
as other do not walk on
travelers, be that path again.
they men or Those who
women, tell enter it will
them that, have difficulty
getting out,

and
on that moreover,
dangerous they will
path there are suffer harm
many poisons to their
and evils which lives.
will cause
people to lose
their lives.

Do not
allow
them to
unwittingly
bring about
their own
deaths.

326
 In the same
way, Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva,
replete with
great kindness
and enables and compassion,
them to be rescues
reborn among wrongdoing
humans and suffering
devas, so that beings
they experience
wonderful
happiness.

327
they would
never go After
on those they
paths obtain
again. release,

These
wrongdoing
beings would
come to know
the suffering
of the bad
karmic
paths.

They are
like the
confused
who by traveler
mistake
entered the
dangerous path
but who, having
met a virtuous
friend who led
him out, would
never enter
it again.
328
 Whenever
he would
come upon
others, he would
advise them
not to enter
that path,

saying
that because

三惡道
but now he was
that he has confused,
gained release, he took
he would not that path
enter that before,
path again.

If he
should walk
on it again, he
would still be
confused and
mistaken, unaware
that it is the
dangerous path
he had fallen
into before.

329
 By virtue of
but shortly
Ksitigarbha
thereafter,
Bodhisattva’s
they go back
power of skillful
to doing evil means, beings obtain
and fall into release and gain
the lower rebirth among
realms humans and
again. devas,

If they
form
heavy
karma,

interminably
long they
will remain in
the hells
without
a time of
release.

330
 We World-
measureless Honored
number of One!
ghost
Ghost
kings
King
Evil
Poison
benefit or
harm people
in Jambudvipa,
and we each
do so
differently.

However,
the ripened
effects of
karma

善 惡
331
 cause our
retinues and
us to travel
in the world

doing much of
the unwholesome
and little of the
wholesome.

When we
pass people’s
homes, cities,
villages,
manors, or
houses,

where there
are men or
women who
cultivate
wholesome
deeds as minute
as hair fibers, .
332
 or who or a or who but
recite few present hang a
the sacred flowers a little banner
sutras or incense or a
burn incense to make canopy
as an offering in
offering veneration
to even a to the
sentence or images of
a verse Buddhas or
in them, Bodhisattvas,

all of us
ghost kings
respect and
revere such
people,

just as we
do for the
Buddhas of
the past,
present,
and future.

333
 We command
the smaller
ghosts, each of
whom has great
power, as well
as the earth
spirits to
protect them

and not allow evil

events, untoward
happenings, virulent
diseases, untoward
serious illnesses,
as well as
unwelcome phenomena
to come near these
houses and places,

much less
enter the
doors.

334
 I will
to protect
tell Brahma
all of you
and Sakra
as well.

Excellent,
excellent! All
you ghost
kings and Yama
are able to
support and
protect
good men and
good women
in this way.

In
accordance
with conditions World-
of karma Honored
One!

I preside
over a human’s
lifespan in
Jambudvipa.I am
in charge of
both the time
of birth and
Ghost
the time of
King
death.
Presiding
Over Life

335
 As in my
but they original
do not vows,
realize my I wish
intention. very much
to benefit
living beings,

They
therefore
Why is go through
this? birth and
death in
distress.

good deeds When people of

should be done Jambudvipa have
to increase just borne children,
the benefits of whether boys or
the household. girls, or when
they are about to
give birth
birth,,

Then naturally
the local earth
spirits will be
immeasurably joyful
and will protect
the mother and child

336
 and so that so that they
their relatives obtain great
too receive peace and
benefits. happiness,

in order to
offer fresh meat
to the mother,
After the birth,
be careful-do
not kill or harm
beings

337
 to drink alcohol, nor gather
eat meat, sing, relatives
and play
instruments,

for these
acts can keep
the mother and
child from
peace and
happiness.

Why?

338
 I command During the difficult
the local earth time of childbirth,
spirits of that there are countless
household early on evil ghosts, goblins,
to protect the mother and sprites who
and child so that want to consume
they are peaceful the foul blood.
and happy, thereby
gaining benefits.

When people
they should
in such
cultivate
households
merit in
see that the
thanks to
mother and
the earth
child are
spirits.
peaceful and
happy,
339
 their If instead of
violations doing so, they
will bring kill, harm,
misfortune to and gather
themselves, relatives
and the mother for feasting,
and child will
also be
harmed.

Moreover, for
people of Jambudvipa
who are on the verge of
death, regardless of
whether they have done
good or evil, I wish to
keep these dying ones
from falling into
the lower realms.

But how much more

can I do so when
they have cultivated
roots of goodness
and have increased
my ability to help!

340
 Child…

Ah! Father,
mother!
Haven’t you
been dead for
many years?
!

Quickly
come with
us…

Child,
father and
mother
miss you
very much…

341
 Wait Father,
for mother,
me! I miss
you too!

Child,
quickly
follow
father and
mother into
this cave!
Ah

How did I
enter into
this pig fetus
to be reincarnated
as a pig?

342
 Do you see
clearly?
Actually we
are not
your
parents,

When a
practitioner
of good we are
deeds is your
about to debtors
depart from
this life, previous
lives!
there too are
hundreds of
thousands of
ghosts and
spirits of the
lower realms
who disguise
themselves as
his parents or
other relatives

343
 in an
attempt to
lead him
into the
lower
realms.

How much
more is this
the case for
those who
have done
evil!

World-Honored
One, when such
a man or woman
of Jambudvipa
he is is on the verge
unable to of death, his
distinguish consciousness
between is confused
good and dim,
and evil

and his eyes

and ears are
unable to
see and hear.

344
 make His

great
relatives
should

offerings,
then--

recite
the sacred
sutras,

and recite
the names of
Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas. Such
wholesome
conditions
and the
demons,
ghosts, and can cause
spirits will the departed
all withdraw one to keep
and disperse. away from
the lower
realms,

345
 World-
or a a Honored One!
sentence Bodhis- if they All living
or a verse attva’s are able beings who
from the name, to hear a are nearing
Mahayana Buddha’s the time
sutras, name, of death,

Phenomena Namo Namo

is Guanyin Amitabha
emptiness, Bod- Buddha
emptiness hisattva
is
phenomena.

I observe
that such
people-
except for
those with
any of
the five great
of killing and violations
harming that lead to
incessant torments-
those who have small
unwholesome
karma, which would
otherwise cause them
to fall into the lower
realms, will obtain
release quickly. 346
 and Because of
protect all your great
beings amid kindness, you
their births are able to
and deaths. make such
great vows

In the future
when men and
women reach
their time of
birth and
death,

do not
retreat
from your
vows,

be sure to
cause all of
them to be
liberated and
gain eternal
peace and
happiness!

Please
do not be
concerned.

347
 Until the end of
my present form,
in every thought
I will support
and protect living
beings of Jambudvipa
so that they gain
peace and happiness
both at the time of
birth and the time
of death.

these living
beings will believe I only wish
and accept my words, that at the time
so that they will of birth
all be liberated and death,
and gain great
benefits.

This great
ghost king,
Presiding
Over Life,

has passed
through hundreds
of thousands of
lives as a great
ghost king, supporting
and protecting living
beings amid their
births and
348 deaths.
 It is only
because of this
Great Being’s
compassionate
vows that he
manifests in the
form of a
great ghost.

After one In reality,

hundred and he is not
seventy kalpas, a ghost.
he will become
a Buddha

349
 Signless named--
Tathagata
his kalpa
will be
called
Peace and
Happiness,
and his
world will
be named
Pure Dwelling.

The lifespan of
that Buddha
will be
incalculable
kalpas.

So inconceivable Ksitigarbha!
are the matters
about this great
ghost king.
The devas and
humans whom
he guides
across,too,are
immeasurable.

350
Reciting
the Names of
Buddhas
Chapter 9

351
 World-
Honored
One!

For living
beings in the
future I will
now expound
on beneficial
matters,

352
 so that
they may
obtain
great
benefits

while in the
cycle of
birth and
death.

O World-
Honored One,
please allow
me to speak
on this.

You now give

rise to vast
kindness and
compassion to
rescue all
wrongdoing
wishing to
suffering beings
expound on in the six realms
inconceivable of existence,
matters.

353
 This is
the right
time. You
should
speak at
once,

for I will
enter
parinirvana
before long.

Such
matters will
let you fulfill
your vows
early,

and I too will

have no worry
about all the
beings in the
present and
future.

354
 Infinite
If there are
men and women

Forms
who hear this
Buddha’s name

Tathagata
and give rise to
reverence
momentarily,
they will
transcend
forty
kalpas of
severe
torments
of samsara. World-
Honored One!
In the past,
measureless
asamkhyeya kalpas
ago, there arose
in the world
a Buddha named--
named--

How much
These people more so when
will gain merit they sculpt and
that is paint his image,
measureless make offerings,
and boundless. and sing
his praises!

355
 If there are
men and women Jewel
who hear this
Buddha’s name and, Nature
within the time
of a finger snap, Tathagata
generate the mind
to take refuge in him,

Moreover,
in the past,
as many kalpas
ago as there are
grains of sand
in the Ganges River,
there arose
in the world
a Buddha named--

these people
will never
fall back or
turn away
from the
Unsurpassed
Way.

356
 If there are
men and women Lotus
who hear this
Buddha’s name, Excellence
who have
the sound Tathagata
pass through
their ears,
these people
will be reborn
a thousand times
in the six heavens
of the desire realm,

Moreover,
in the past
there arose
in the world
a Buddha
named--

How much more

so when they recite
and meditate on
his name with a
resolute mind!

357
 Moreover,
in the past,
inexpressibly-
inexpressible
asamkhyeya
kalpas ago,

If there are men and women

who hear this Buddha’s name Lion’s
Roar
and in a thought take refuge
in him, these people will meet

Tathagata
measureless Buddhas who
will place their hands on
the crowns of their heads
and give them prediction.

there arose
in the world
a Buddha
named--

358
 If there are
men and women Krakucchanda
who hear
this Buddha’s Buddha
name, and with
a resolute mind,
they gaze
reverently at
and make
obeisance to him,
or they also
sing his praises,

Moreover,
in the past
there arose
in the world
a Buddha
named--

these people
will be great
and be given Brahma kings
superior in the assemblies
prediction. of the thousand
Buddhas of
the present kalpa

359
 If there are
men and women Vipasyin
who hear this
Buddha’s name, Buddha
they will never
fall into
the lower
realms,

Moreover,
in the past
there arose
in the world
a Buddha
named--

and will
always be reborn
among humans
or devas and
experience excellent,
wonderful happiness.

360
 If there are
men and women
Jewel
who hear this
Buddha’s name,
Excellence
they will never
fall into
Tathagata
the lower
realms

Moreover,
in the past,
as many kalpas
ago as there are
grains of sand in
measureless,
countless
Ganges Rivers,
there arose
in the world
a Buddha
named--

and will
frequently be
in the heavens
and experience
excellent,
wonderful
happiness.
happiness.

361
 Jewel
Sign
Tathagata

Moreover,
in the past
there arose
in the world
a Buddha
named--

If there are
men and women
who hear this
Buddha’s name
and give rise to
a reverent mind,
these people will
attain arhatship
before long. 362
 Kasaya
Banner
Tathagata

Moreover,
in the past,
measureless
asamkhyeya
kalpas ago,
there arose
in the world a
Buddha named--

If there are
men and women
who hear this
Buddha’s name,
they will transcend
a hundred great kalpas
of torments of samsara.

363
Great Penetration
Mountain King
Tathagata
If there are
men and women
who hear this
Buddha’s name,
these people will
meet as many
Buddhas as
there are
grains of
sand in the Moreover,
Ganges River, in the past
there arose
in the world
a Buddha
named--

who will
extensively
expound the Dharma
for them, and they
will certainly
attain bodhi.

364
 Wisdom
Excellence Moreover,

Mountain
in the past,

Buddha there was--

King
Buddha

Pure
Moon
Buddha

Wisdom
Accomplished
Buddha 365
 There were inexpressibly Wonderful Unsur-
Sound passed
many Buddhas such as these.

Full Buddha Buddha

Moon
Buddha

Moon-Countenance Pure Name

Buddha King Buddha
 World-
Honored One!
All living
beings in the
present and
be they devas future
or humans,
men or women

as long
as they
These remember
beings will a Buddha’s
gain great name, they
benefits will attain
measureless
virtues.

How much
more so
when they
remember
at the time many
of birth and Buddhas’
the time of names!
death,
 and they
will never
fall into the
lower
realms.

even just
one of them, If a person
recite a is on the
Buddha’s name verge of
clearly for death and
the sick one’s his family
sake, members,
罪滅福增

with the
exception of
the ripened the five great
effects of violations that
the dying person’s lead to
other karma incessant
will be torments,
dissolved!

The five
that the
great
offender
violations
would pass
that lead to
through
incessant
millions
torments are
of kalpas
so extremely
without grave
release.
368
 for his sake Nevertheless,
when he is by virtue of
on the verge other people
of death, reciting and
even the meditating on the
torments from names of Buddhas
such offenses
can be gradually
dissolved, too.

How much more

so when living beings
themselves recite
and meditate on
the names of
Buddhas!

369
Comparing
the Conditions
and Virtues
of Giving
Chapter 10

370
 World-
Honored
Some beings One! I observe
then receive merit living beings in
for one life, some the karmic paths
receive merit for and compare their
ten lives, and some acts of giving:
receive great some acts are
merit and benefit small and some
for hundreds are great.
of lives, for
thousands
of lives.

371
 Why is this?

O World-
Honored One,
please explain
this for me.

I will speak
on the giving
done by beings of
Jambudvipa and
compare the
Now, in this
virtues therein.
assembly
in the
Trayastrimsa
Heaven,

You should
listen
attentively.
I will
explain for
you.

I have
doubts about
this matter,
and I joyfully
wish to listen.

372
 who
In Jambudvipa
encounter
there are kings,
those who are
high ministers,
the lowest
ranking officials,
and poorest
great elders,
great Ksatriyas,
great Brahmans,
and others

and those
who are
hunchbacked,
crippled, mute,
deaf, mentally
deficient, blind-
people who are
handicapped
in various ways
such as these.

373
 At the time
these great
kings and
others wish to
give alms,

if they are
able to do
so with great
kindness and
compassion,
a humble mind,
and a smile,

giving out gifts

to all these
people personally
or through their
representatives

and comforting
them with
gentle words,

374
 These kings
and others will
reap such results,
receiving merit
and benefit, because
they give rise to a mind
of great kindness
toward the poorest,
lowest people and
those who are
handicapped.
375
the merit and
benefit that these
kings and others
will obtain will be
comparable to the
benefit derived from
the virtue of giving to
as many Buddhas as
there are grains of
sand in a hundred
Ganges Rivers.
For hundreds
of thousands of
lives they will
always have
an abundance of
the seven jewels,
not to mention food,
clothing, and the
necessities
of life!
 Furthermore,
or images of
Ksitigarbha,
Buddhas,
in the future
Bodhisattvas,
if there are
sravakas, or
kings,
pratyeka-
Brahmans,
buddhas,
and others

who
encounter
Buddha-
stupas,
mona-
steries,

and if
they then
personally
prepare and
make offerings
and give
gifts,

376
 these kings
and others
will be
Sakras for
three kalpas
and experience
excellent,
wonderful
happiness.

377
 If they
are able to
dedicate
the merit and
benefit of that
giving to the
Dharma
Realm,

for ten
kalpas these
great kings
and others
will be--

Great
Brahma
Kings

378
 who
Furthermore,
encounter
Ksitigarbha,
ancient Buddha-
in the future if
stupas, temples,
there are kings,
sutras, or
Brahmans,
images that are
and others
damaged or
dilapidated,

and if
they are
able to
generate
the resolve
to restore
them-

379
 these kings
for and others then
hundreds of do so themselves,
thousands of or they encourage
lives, these others, as many as
kings and
Great others will
hundreds of
thousands of people,
always be--
Brahma to also give and
form wholesome

Kings conditions-

380
 will always
be kings of
smaller
countries
for hundreds
of thousands
of lives.
and those
who practice
giving along
Moreover, with them
in front of
the stupas or
temples, if they
can give rise to
the mind of
merit-
dedication,

381
 will all
attain then such
Buddhahood, kings, others,
for such and their
results are helpers
measureless
and
boundless.

Furthermore,
Ksitigarbha,
in the future
if there are
kings,
Brahmans,
and others

who see
the old,
the sick, or
women in
childbirth

382
 and if in
a thought-
moment, they
have the mind
of great
kindness

and provide
the merit and them with
benefit of medicine, food,
their giving drink, and bedding
will be very to make them
inconceivable. peaceful and
comfortable,

383
 For a
hundred
kalpas they
will always be
lords of
the pure-
abode
heavens,

for two
hundred kalpas
they will always
be lords of
the six
heavens of
the desire
realm,
384
 and they will ultimately
become Buddhas. They will
never fall into the lower
realms, and for hundreds of
thousands of lives they will not
hear the sounds of suffering.

Furthermore,
Ksitigarbha,
in the future if
there are
kings, Brahmans,
and others

385
 who are able to give in
such ways, they will
gain measureless merit.
Moreover, if they are
able to dedicate
the merit of their giving-
be it a lot or a little-
to the Dharma Realm,
they will ultimately
become Buddhas,

not to
mention
reaping the
ripened effects
to be Sakras,
Brahmas,
and wheel-
turning
kings.

386
 Therefore,
Ksitigarbha,
encourage all
living beings
to learn to
give thus.

plant in Furthermore,
Buddhadharma Ksitigarbha,
a few in the future if
roots of good men and
goodness, good women

even as
little as
the merit and
a strand of
benefit that
hair,
they will receive
a grain of
will be beyond
sand, or
compare.
a speck of
dust,

387
 they will
gain Furthermore,
measureless Ksitigarbha, in the
merit future if there
They will are good men and
always be good women
reborn in the
human and
heaven realms
and experience
excellent,
wonderful
happiness.

who encounter
the images of
Buddhas,
Bodhisattvas,
pratyekabuddhas,
or wheel-turning
kings, and give
gifts and make
offerings
to them,

388
their merit
If they can
dedicate that

and resulting
merit to the
Dharma Realm,

benefit
will be
beyond
compare!

389
 who in the
encounter future if Further-
the there are more,
good men Ksiti-
Mahayana
and good garbha,
sutras
women

All phenomena or just

hear a
arise from verse
or a
the mind sentence

venerate,
and make and give
offerings, rise to a
these people will sincere,
reap great reverent
results which are mind, sing
measureless and praises,
boundless.

390
 Furthermore,
Ksitigarbha,
in the future If they can dedicate
that merit to the
Dharma Realm, their
merit will be
beyond compare!

if there are
good men and
good women who
encounter
Buddhastupas,
monasteries,
or Mahayana
sutras

391
 that are
new, and
they make
offerings,

gaze
reverently,
pay obeisance,
sing praises,
and join their
palms in
respect;

and if they
encounter
old or damaged
ones and
they make
repairs and
restorations-

392
 or they they
encourage generate
many others the resolve
to generate to do so
the resolve themselves
to do so
with them-

those who
help will
always be kings
of smaller
countries for
thirty lives.

393
 The donors
who lead
the giving will
always be
wheel-turning

自性彌陀、唯心淨土
kings

and will
teach and
transform
the kings of
smaller
countries
by means of
the good
Dharma.

394
 Furthermore,
Ksitigarbha,
in the future
if there are
good men and
who plant good women
roots of
goodness in
Buddhad-
harma

by giving,
making
offerings,

repairing
stupas or
monasteries,

rebinding
sutras,
or doing
deeds as little
as a strand of
hair, a speck
of dust, a grain
of sand, or
a drop of
water-
395
 as long as
they can
dedicate
the merit of
such wholesome
deeds to
the Dharma
Realm,

the virtues of
these people
will lead them to
experience superior,
wonderful happiness
for hundreds of
thousands
of lives.

396
 However,
the result if they dedicate
will be to the merit only
experience to their family
happiness or relatives or
for three to their
lives. personal
benefit,

To give one is to
receive ten
thousandfold
in return.
Thus,
Ksitigarbha,
such are
the causes
and
conditions
of giving.
397
The Dharma
Protection of
the Earth
Spirit
Chapter 11

398
 World-
Honored
One!

Since a long
time ago, I have
reverently
gazed at and
prostrated to
measureless
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva.

All of them
have great,
inconceivable
supernatural
power and wisdom,
and they all guide
living beings far
and wide across
to the other
shore.
399
 Among the
Bodhisattvas,
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva

has made
particularly
profound
vows.

World-
Honored
One!

Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva has
great cause and
condition with
Jambudvipa.

400
 The
Bodhisattvas
Manjusri,
Samantabhadra,
Avalokitesvara,
and Maitreya

Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva

Samantabhadra
Bodhisattva

Manjusri
Bodhisattva

Maitreya
Bodhisattva

also
transform into
hundreds of
thousands of
forms to guide
those in the
six realms of
existence,

401
 but their vows
still have an end.

all beings
in the six Ksitigarbha
realms Bodhisattva has
of existence made these vows
to teach and
transform

天
修羅 人

畜生 餓鬼

throughout
kalpas as
地獄
numerous as
grains of sand in
hundreds of
thousands of
millions of
Ganges
Rivers.
402
 who find World-
a pure place Honored One!
in the southern I see living
part of their beings in the
residences present and
future

and build
a shrine
there
with clay,
stone,
bamboo,
or wood;

403
 within the
shrine they are
able to sculpt,
paint, or use
gold, silver,
copper, or iron
to make
Ksitigarbha’s
image;

and they
light incense,
make
offerings,

404
reverently
gaze, pay
obeisance,
and sing
his praises.

Such people
will gain
ten kinds of
benefits around
their residences.

First,
their lands
will be
fertile.

405
 Second,
their families
and homes
will ever
be in
peace.

Third,
their deceased
relatives will be
reborn in the
heavens.

406
 Fourth,
the living
will enjoy
ever greater
longevity.

Fifth,
they will
obtain what
they seek
with ease.

407
 Sixth,
they will
not suffer
disasters
of flood
or fire.

Seventh,
events that
cause
depletion
will be
eliminated.

408
 Eighth,
they will
not have
nightmares.

Ninth,
they will be
protected by
spirits in
their daily
comings and
goings.

409
 Tenth,
they will
come across
many causes
of holiness.

410
 are able
to make World-
offerings in Honored One!
their If living beings
residences in the present
in such way, and future

they will
gain such
benefits!

World-
Honored One!
who have
In the future if
this sutra
there are
good men and
good women

411
 and who
furthermore and this
are able to Bodhisattva’s
recite image in their
this sutra residences,

and make
offerings
to the
Bodhisattva,

412
 I will always
use my spiritual
power to
protect these
people day
and night,

so that flood,
fire, robbery,
theft, major
calamities, minor
misfortunes—all
bad occurrences
will be
eliminated.

413
 Your great
spiritual power is
seldom matched
by other spirits.

The land of
Jambudvipa is
entirely
protected
by you,

and the
grasses, trees,
sand, stones,
rice plants, sesame,
bamboos, reeds,
grains, and jewels

all come forth

from the earth
because of
your power.

414
 Your
virtues
Moreover,
and
you frequently
spiritual
extol the
penetration
beneficial deeds
of Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva.

are hundreds of
thousands of
times greater
than those of
the ordinary
earth spirits.

415
 who make
In the future
offerings to
if there are
the Bodhisattva
good men and
and recite
good women
this sutra,

as long as
they cultivate
and practice
Do not allow according to even
any disasters one aspect of
or unwelcome the Original Vows
phenomena to of Ksitigarbha
even reach Sutra,
their ears,

much less
you should
happen
use your
to them
spiritual
personally.
power to
protect
them.
416
 but Sakra, Not only
Brahma, their will you
retinues as well as alone protect
other devas these people,
and their retinues
will also support
and protect them.

417
 They receive
support and
protection from
holy ones
and worthies
such as these

because of
their gazing
reverently at
and making
obeisance to
Ksitigarbha’s
image

and reciting
the Original
Vows of
Ksitigarbha
Sutra.

418
 and
ultimately
attain the Naturally,
bliss of they will leave
nirvana. the sea of
suffering

Therefore,
they receive
great support
and protection.

419
 The Benefits
from Seeing
and Hearing
Chapter 12

420
 At that time,

白毫相光
玉毫
the World-

瑞毫相光 大
Honored One
emitted hundreds
of thousands of

相光
myriads of
紫毫

millions of rays
of great urna
light from

綠毫
相光

the crown of

大白毫相光

碧毫
his head.
大玉

相光

相
瑞毫相光
大紫

青
毫相

毫
紅

相
毫

毫相 毫相

大
綠毫

光
相

光
光

碧
大
光

毫
相
大

青
紅

相
金
光

毫
大
毫
光
慶
相
相
雲
光

金
光

毫 光
毫
慶 相
相
雲
光
毫 光
相
大寶輪
光
大千
毫光 輪毫
光
寶輪毫光 千輪毫光

日輪毫光 宮殿毫光
輪 毫光 毫光
大日
殿
光
大宮
毫
光
輪
毫
月 光
雲
大 毫
大海 光
輪
毫
月
雲
海
421
 those in the Hear me now After emitting
human and in the rays of urna
heaven realms Trayastrimsa light such as
and so forth- Heaven as these from
on inconceivable I praise and the crown of
matters, extol his head, he
Ksitigarbha issued forth his
Bodhisattva sublime, wonderful
for how voice, telling
on the matters of he benefits the great assembly-
causes for devas, nagas,
transcending to and others of
holiness, the eight classes
on the matters of of beings, humans,
attainment of nonhumans,
the Tenth and others:
Ground,
and on the
matters of
ultimately being
irreversibly on
course to
unexcelled
perfect
complete
awakening.

422
 World-
Honored
One!

Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva is
replete with
great kindness
and compassion,

Avalokitesvara

taking pity on
wrongdoing
suffering
beings.

423
 He transforms
into thousands of
myriads of millions
of emanations
in thousands of
myriads of
millions of
worlds.

all his virtues

as well as the
power of his
inconceivable,
awesome
spiritual
penetration!

424
 I have heard
the World-Honored
One and measureless
Buddhas of the ten
directions unanimously
praise Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva, saying
that even if all
Buddhas in the past,
present and future
were to speak of
his virtues, these
virtues still
could not be
described
fully!

425
 And just
now, the
World-Honored
One has told
everyone
in the great
assembly
that he
wishes to
extol on how
Ksitigarbha
benefits
beings
and so
forth.

O World-
Honored One,
for the sake
of all living
beings in the
present and
future,

please
expound on the
inconceivable
matters of
Ksitigarbha

426
 and cause
devas, nagas,
and others of the
eight classes of
beings to gaze
reverently, make
obeisance to him,
and gain
merits.

Avalokites-
vara
You have Bodhisattva,
great cause
and condition
with the
saha world.

427
 If devas,
nagas, men,
women, spirits,
ghosts, or any
wrongdoing
suffering beings
in the six realms
of existence

hear your
name, see your
image, feel
great love and
admiration
for you, or sing
your praises,

428
 They will these beings
ever be reborn definitely will
as humans not fall back
or devas and or turn away
experience from the
excellent, Unsurpassed
wonderful Way.
happiness.

When the
effects of
their causes
come to
maturity,

they will
meet Buddhas
and be given
prediction.

Now, replete
with great
kindness and
compassion,
you take pity
on living beings,
on devas, nagas,
and others of
the eight
classes of
beings,

429
 and listen as
I expound on
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
inconceivable
deeds of
benefiting
beings.

You should
listen
attentively.
I will
speak on
them now.

Yes, World-
Honored One!
I joyfully
wish to
listen.

In various
worlds in the
present and
future, there are
devas who have
exhausted
their heavenly
merit

430
 The ever
new bright
(One) and manifest
the five signs
and clean
clothing of
Their clothing of decay:

devas
inexplicably
becomes dirty
becomes dirty.

(Three) The crowns

of flowers
(Two)
They perspire about
their heads
Their flower
under their decays and
withers.
headdresses
armpits wilt
Their originally
clean bodies
suddenly begin
to ever perspire
under their
two armpits.

431
 Where
they reside,
(Five) Their
originally
(Four)
in their
wonderfully
They clean
bodies
Their bodies
happy lives
they begin to
do not suddenly
give off
give off
experience
stress and
enjoy a terrible
odor.
bad odor
fatigue, and
they are not
their seats
content with
their seats.

some of
them are
about to
fall into
the lower
realms.

Animal Hungry Hells Celestial

Realm ghost Realm Realm
432
Realm
 or hear When such devas,
Ksitigarbha whether male or
Bodhisattva’s female, manifest
name, these signs,
if they see
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
image
Namo
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva

433
 and they
reverently
gaze at
and make
obeisance to
him once,

and will
these devas
not fall
will increase
into and
their
experience
ripened heavenly
effects in merit,
the three
lower
realms.

experience
great
happiness,

434
 incense, How much more
flowers, will that be
the case for
those who see
and hear
the Bodhisattva
and honor him
with gifts and
offerings of

The virtues, clothing,

merits, and food, drink,
benefits that jewels,
they will and
obtain will be necklaces!
measureless
and boundless.

435
 Further-
more,
Avalokites-
vara

in various
worlds
in the
present
and
future,

when living
beings in the
six realms of
existence are
on the verge
of death,

if they are
able to hear
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
name,

436
 such beings
will not
undergo the
sufferings of
the three
lower realms!
even if the
sound of his
name passes
through their
ears just once,

How much more

will that be
the case when
a person is
on the verge of
death, and parents
and other relatives
use the dying
one’s house,
wealth, jewels,
and clothing

to commission
the sculpting
or painting of
Ksitigarbha’s
image

437
 if the sick one
has not yet
passed away,
they can try to
help him see,
hear, and
understand

that for his

benefit, relatives
have used his
house, jewels, and
so forth for the
sculpting or
painting of
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
image.

If the ripened
effects of this
person’s karma
are such that
he would have to
undergo severe
illness,

through these
virtues he will
soon recover
and his lifespan
will be
prolonged.

438
 then
through If the ripened
these virtues, effects of this
he will person’s karma are
be reborn such that his life
among humans would end and his
or devas offense obstacles and
karmic obstacles
should send him
to the lower
realms,

and
experience
excellent,
wonderful
happiness after
he departs
this life,

and all
his offense
obstacles
will
dissolve.

439
 Furthermore,
Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva,

in the future,
if there are
men or women

who have lost

their fathers,
mothers, brothers,
or sisters during
infancy or at the
age of three,
five, or
under ten,

and long to
know into what and as adults
realms they have such people
fallen, or in what think of those
worlds, or in what deceased
heavens they parents and
have been relatives
reborn,

440
 and if these
people are
able to sculpt
or paint
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
image,

Namo
hear his name,
reverently

Ksitigarbha
gaze at and
make obeisance

Bodhisattva-
to him

Mahasattva

441
 If these
people’s
relatives had
fallen into
the lower
realms due to
their karma

and would
remain there
for many
kalpas,

for one to seven days

without retreating from
their initial resolve-
continuously they hear
his name, see his image,
reverently gaze,
pay obeisance, and make
offerings to him
442
 through the
they will virtues of their
quickly sons’, daughters’,
gain brothers’, or
release, sisters’ sculpting
or painting
Ksitigarbha’s image,
reverently gazing
at, and making
obeisance
to him,

If the
relatives had
already been
be reborn
reborn as humans among humans
or devas and were or devas, and
already experiencing experience
excellent, excellent,
wonderful wonderful
happiness happiness.

by the strength
of their own merit,
then through these
virtues they will
increase their causes
for holiness and
experience
measureless
happiness.

443
 If
furthermore
these people
are able to
gaze reverently
at and make
obeisance
to Ksitigarbha’s
image
wholeheartedly

for three seven

periods (twenty
one) days

and recite
the
Bodhisattva’s then the
Bodhisattva

name a full will manifest

his infinite

ten thousand forms

times,

and describe
to them
the realms into
which their
relatives
have been
reborn,

444
 or in their
dreams
the Bodhisattva
will manifest
his great
spiritual
power

and
personally
lead them to
those worlds
to see
their
relatives.

445
 If these
people can
for one furthermore
thousand recite the
days, Bodhisattva’s
name one
thousand times
a day
every day

to guard then the

and protect Bodhisattva
them for will send
their entire the ghosts and
lives. spirits in the
vicinity of
these people

446
 and they will not
have suffering from Their food
sickness and other and clothing
causes. Untoward will be
dire events will not abundant in
enter the doors of the present
their homes, much life,
less affect them
personally.

The Bodhisattva
will ultimately
place his hand on
the crowns of
their heads and
give them
prediction.

447
 who wish to if there are
cultivate good men and
the unsurpassed good women
bodhi, and who wish to
who wish to generate
leave the the mind of
threefold vast, great
world, kindness
to rescue and
guide all
living beings,

Furthermore,
Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva,
in the future

or if they also and if

make offerings of these people
incense, flowers, see Ksitigarbha’s
clothing, jewels, image, hear
food, and drink, his name, and
wholeheartedly
take refuge
in him,

448
 reverently
gaze at
and make
obeisance
to him,

and will these good

never be men and good
hindered by women will
obstacles. soon fulfill
their vows

In the
future if there
are good men and
good women who wish
to fulfill hundreds of
thousands of myriads of
millions of wishes and
succeed in hundreds of
thousands of myriads
of millions of
undertakings in both
the present
and future,

they should
take refuge
in this
Bodhisattva,
reverently
gaze, pay
obeisance,

449
 make
Then they
offerings,
will achieve
and sing
all their
praises before
aspirations
Ksitigarbha
and goals.
Bodhisattva’s
image.

Should they
then in
moreover
dreams the
implore
Bodhisattva
Ksitigarbha
will place
Bodhisattva-who
his hand on the
is replete with
crowns of their
great kindness
heads and
and compassion-
give them
to support and
prediction.
protect them
always,

450
 Furthermore,
Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva,
in the future
if good men and
good women

give rise to
and generate
profound
an inconceivable
reverence for
resolve, wishing
the Mahayana
to read and
sutras
recite them
from memory,

yet, even with

the instruction
of a wise teacher
showing them
how to learn
the sutras
by heart,

451
 no sooner have
they learned them
they forget.
Months, even years
go by; still
they are unable
to read and
recite them.

therefore, These good men

they are and good women
unable to have karmic
read and recite obstacles from
the Mahayana past lives that
sutras. have not yet
been resolved;

hear Ksitigarbha When such

Bodhisattva’s people
name, see
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
image,

452
 They should they should,
place a cup with their
of pure water full original
before resolve,
the Bodhisattva reverently
state their
situation
to the
Bodhisattva.

In addition,
they should
make offerings
of incense,
flowers,
clothing,
food, drink,
and all material
objects they
enjoy to the
Bodhisattva.

for a day
and a night

453
 turn to face afterward, they
south, and drink should join their
the water. palms, implore
reverently, take
hold of the cup,

When the water

is about to enter
their mouths,
they should be
wholeheartedly
sincere and earnest.

After drinking
蔥
蒜

Meat the water, they

肉

should be careful-
Garlic Scallions abstain from
the five pungent
酒

plants, alcohol
and meat,
韭菜

Alcohol
薤
︵洋蔥︶
興渠

Leeks Shallots
Onions

454
 for one
False
or three speech Also do
not commit:
seven-day
periods.
(seven or
twenty-one
days) Killing Sexual
and misconduct
harming
Then in dreams
these good men and
good women will
see Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva manifesting
his infinite forms to
pour water
on the crowns
of their heads.

455
 When they
awaken, they
will be endowed
with keen
intelligence.

they will Should

forever these
remember sutras,
them and be heard
never in their
forget ears
or lose but once,
a single
sentence
or
verse.

Furthermore,
Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva, in the
future if there are
various people
whose food and
clothing are
insufficient, who
cannot obtain
whatever
they seek,

456
 who physically whose families or who have frequent
suffer frequent homes are without illnesses, who
untoward occurrences, peace, whose relatives encounter
or who are often are scattered, much misfortune
terrified in dreams, and decline,
南無地藏王菩薩

and with if such

whole- people hear

南無地藏王菩薩
南無地藏王菩薩

hearted Ksitigarbha’s
reverence, name, see
recite Ksitigarbha’s
his name image,
a full ten
thousand
times,

南無地藏王菩薩
南無地藏王菩薩

457
 these disagreeable
Avalokitesvara circumstances will
Furthermore, gradually disappear.
Bodhisattva
They will have peace
and happiness thereafter,
their food and clothing
will be abundant, and
even in dreams they will
In the be peaceful and happy.
future if
there are good
men and good
women who, for
the sake of
livelihood,

public or
personal matters,
events of birth
and death, or other
urgent business,

458
 need to enter
the mountains
or forests,

cross the
rivers, oceans,
or other large
bodies of water,
or travel along
dangerous
paths,
南無地藏王菩薩
南無地藏王菩薩
南無地藏王菩薩

南無地藏王菩薩
南無地藏王菩薩
南無地藏王菩薩

these people
should first
recite Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s
name a full ten
thousand
times.

459
 Then the ghosts
and spirits on the
lands they pass
through will guard
and protect them.

Whether they
are walking,
standing, sitting,
or lying down,
their peace and
happiness will be
safeguarded.

Even when
they encounter
tigers, wolves,
lions, or all
that are poisonous
or injurious, none
will be able to
harm them!

460
 Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva has
great cause and
condition with
Suppose I Jambudvipa.
were to describe
the benefits and
so forth derived by
living beings who
see his image and
hear of his name,
in hundreds of
thousands of kalpas
I could not finish
describing
them.

to always
have peace Therefore,
and happiness Avalokitesvara,
throughout you should use
hundreds of your spiritual
thousands of power to
myriads of propagate
kalpas. this sutra,

thus
enabling
living beings
of the saha
world

461
 I observe that Ksitigarbha’s
awesome spiritual power Cannot be the World- At that
told fully even in kalpas as many as Honored time,
River，
grains of sand of Ganga River， One spoke
Seeing, hearing, reverently gazing, in verse,
or making obeisance to him in a saying:
thought-moment Will benefit humans
and devas in measureless ways.

If men, women, nagas, or

spirits who are, Nearing
the end of the present ripened
effect, would fall into lower
realms Wholeheartedly
take refuge in this Great Being,
Their lifespans will be lengthened,
offense obstacles dissolved.

462
 Those who when
very young have lost
their parents’ love--
Wonder to what realm has
their parents’
consciousness gone--
Brothers, sisters, or other
kin, whose whereabouts
The grown surviving
ones do not know:

And recollect If these people

his name for sculpt or paint
three seven-day this Great Being’s
periods, image, Gaze up
The Bodhisattva longingly, make
will manifest obeisance to
his infinite forms, him unceasingly,

463
 If they do not Revealing
retreat from the realms of
their initial rebirth of
resolve, He will their kin, Who,
place his hand on even if
the crowns of fallen in
their heads and lower realms,
give them will soon
holy prediction. gain release.

All their vows will

soon be fulfilled;
No karmic obstacles
can ever hinder or
stop them.
Those
wishing
to cultivate
the
unsurpassed
Bodhi And
to leave
behind
the
threefold
world’s
suffering,
Having given rise to
the mind of great compassion,
Should first gaze up at
and make obeisance to
this Great Being’s image

464
 Because these people There are people
have karmic obstacles who resolve to
deluding them, They remember and recite
cannot remember the sutras, Wishing to
the Mahayana sutras. guide confused beings
over to the other shore,
Although having made
this vow so inconceivable,
What they read they quickly
forget-losing much in
their forgetfulness.

They should honor

Ksitigarbha with
offerings of incense,
flowers Clothing, food,
drink, and objects
they enjoy

465
 蒜
Place pure
water before
this Great Being’s

薤
image After
a day and a night,
implore reverently
and drink the water,

︵洋蔥︶
興渠
Give rise to
a diligent
蔥
and serious
mind, abstain
from the five
pungent plants,
Alcohol, meat,
sexual misconduct,
and false speech,

Then soon Not to

in dreams kill or
they will see harm for
his infinite three
forms, And seven-day
when they periods,
awaken they And
will gain whole-
wholehe-
keen heartedly
artedly
hearing. meditate
on this
Great
Being’s
name.

Once the sutras

and teachings pass
through their ears,
Never will they
forget them
throughout
thousands of
myriads of lives.
Because this Great
Being is so
inconceivable,
He can enable
these people to
gain such wisdom.

466
 Should Beings who are
wholeheartedly poor or afflicted
gaze up at and by illnesses,
make obeisance Whose households
to Ksitigarbha’s image. are in misfortune
All the bad things and decline, whose
will dissolve, relatives are scattered,
And their dreams Whose sleep and dreams
will be peaceful, too, are not peaceful,
Food and clothing Who cannot obtain
abundant, and spirits whatever they
and ghosts will seek-having
protect them. nothing go
their way-

467
 Those wishing
to enter mountains
or forests or cross
the seas Where there
are ferocious fowls
and beasts, evil people,
Evil spirits, evil ghosts,
and evil winds-
All sorts of calamities
and various
distresses-

Should gaze
reverently,
pay obeisance, and
make offerings
To the image of
Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva,
the Great Being.
In the mountains,
forests, and on
the great seas,
Those evils will
all disappear.

468
 Make If people
offerings hear
of incense, the name
flowers, ‘Ksitigarbha’
clothing, And see
food, his image,
and drink, reverently
They will gaze, pay
experience obeisance,
wonderful
happiness for
hundreds of
thousands Avalokitesvara,
of kalpas. wholeheartedly
listen to me. Endless are
the inconceivable matters
of Ksitigarbha.

In hundreds
of thousands
of myriads
of kalpas
the description
is still not
complete,
To
extensively
expound on
such powers
of this Great
Being!

469
 Therefore, If they can
Avalokitesvara, dedicate such
you should know merit to
this And tell the Dharma Realm,
everyone They will go beyond
throughout the cycle of birth
lands as and death, and
many as ultimately
Ganges’ sand. become Buddhas.

470
Entrusting
Humans
and
Devas
Chapter 13

471
 Ksitigarbha!
Ksitigarbha!

Inconceivable is
your spiritual
power!
Inconceivable
your kindness
and
compassion!

472
 Inconceivable Inconceivable
your your
eloquence! wisdom!

Even if all
the Buddhas of
they could
the ten directions
not be
were to praise
described
and speak on
fully in
the inconceivable
thousands of
matters
myriads of
about you,
kalpas.

473
 Remember that Ksitigarbha!
today in the Ksitigarbha!
Trayastrimsa
Heaven,

in this great
assembly of
hundreds of thousands
of myriads of millions of
inexpressibly-inexpressible
number of Buddhas,
Bodhisattvas, devas,
nagas, and others of
the eight classes
of beings,

I once again
entrust to you
humans, devas, and
other beings who have
not yet left the
threefold world,
who are still in this
burning house.

474
 Do not allow
these living beings
to fall into
the lower
realms even for
a single day
and night,

much less
fall into the hell
with fivefold
incessancy or
the Avici Hell,

where they
would pass through
thousands of
myriads of millions
of kalpas without
a time of release.

475
 Ksitigarbha!
Living beings of
Jambudvipa are
without fixity
in their wills
and characters.

Most of
them are
accustomed
to evil.

it fades Even when

within a they generate
short time. a wholesome
mind,

476
 If they
encounter evil
conditions,
the unwholesome
is increased
thought upon
thought.

For this reason,

I transform into
hundreds of
thousands of millions
of emanation-forms
to teach beings and
guide them across
to liberation, all in
accord with their
capacities and
dispositions.

477
 Ksitigarbha!
I now earnestly
entrust devas,
humans, and
the multitudes of
beings to you.

even as little as a strand of hair,

a speck of dust, a grain of sand,
In the future,
or a drop of water, you should
if there are
use the power of the noble path
devas, good men,
to support and protect them,
and good women
so that they gradually cultivate
the Unsurpassed Way and do not
retreat from it or lose it.

who plant
a few roots
of goodness in
Buddhadharma,

478
 Furthermore,
Ksitigarbha!
In the
future,

if devas
or humans

and when
on the verge
of falling into
these lower
realms

fall into
the lower
or at realms to
the front of undergo
these ripened effects
entrances, according to
their karma,

479
 a
you should or a Bodhis-
use your sentence or attva’s
spiritual power a verse from name,
to skillfully the Mahayana
rescue these sutras, if these
beings! beings

如夢幻泡影
一切有為法
are able to
recollect
a Buddha’s
name,

Manifest your
infinite forms
at the places
where they are,

480
 shatter
the hells
for them,

481
 and enable
them to be
reborn in the
heavens and
experience
excellent,
wonderful
happiness.

Devas, humans,
multitudes of beings
of the present
and future
I now earnestly
entrust to you:
Use great
supernatural
power and
skillful means
guide them
across to
liberation.
Do not
allow them
to fall into
the lower
realms.

482
 O World-
Honored One!
I implore
In the future,
the World-
if there are Honored One
good men and not to be
good women concerned.

who have
a single
thought of
respect in
Buddhadharma,

I will use
hundreds of
thousands of
skillful means to
guide these people
across to liberation,
so that they will
soon be freed from
the cycle of birth
and death.

483
 World-Honored
One! Since
I came to
the Trayastrimsa
Heaven

How much more

so for those who
hear the wholesome
I have heard matters and cultivate
the Tathagata their practices,
praise Ksitigarbha thought upon thought!
Bodhisattva’s Naturally they will
inconceivable never fall back or
might of awesome turn away from
spiritual the Unsurpassed
penetration. Way.

In the future,
if there are
good men,
good women,
and devas and
nagas who hear
this sutra and
Ksitigarbha’s name

484
 O World-Honored One,
for the sake of
all the multitudes of
beings in the present
and future, please
briefly speak about this.

Listen
attentively,
listen
attentively.
I will describe
them separately
for you.

who give gifts

and make
offerings of
incense, flowers,
food, drink,
clothing, or
jewels, who
sing his praises,
In the future,
gaze reverently
if there are
at, and make
good men and
obeisance
good women
to him,
who see
Ksitigarbha’s
image and who
hear this sutra,
who moreover
read and
recite it,

485
 First, they will
gain twenty-
devas and eight kinds of
benefits:
nagas will
protect
them.

Second,
their
wholesome
results will
increase
daily.

486
 Third,
they will
accumulate
superior
causes for
holiness.

Fourth,
they will
not retreat
from
bodhi.
487
 Fifth,
their food
and clothing
will be
abundant.

Sixth,
they will not
be infected
by diseases or
pestilence.

488
 Seventh,
they will
not be in
disasters of
flood or
fire.

Eighth,
they will
not fall
victim to
robbery or
theft.
489
 Tenth, Ninth,
spirits and people
ghosts will who see
aid and them will
support admire
them. and
respect
them.

490
 Eleventh,
women
who
wish
to will
be
reborn
as men.

Twelfth,
if reborn
as women
they will be
daughters
of kings and
ministers.

491
 Thirteenth,
they will
be good
looking
and with
perfect
features.

Fourteenth,
they will
frequently
be reborn in
the heavens.

492
Sixteenth, Fifteenth,
they will they may be
have the emperors
wisdom to or kings.
know past
lives.

493
 Seventeenth,
they will
fulfill their
wishes.

Eighteenth,
their family
members
will be
happy.

494
 Nineteenth,
untoward dire
occurrences
will be
eliminated.

Twentieth,
they will
forever
leave the
karmic
paths.
495
 Twenty-second, Twenty-first,
their dreams they will
at night pass through
will be safely
peaceful wherever
and happy. they go.

496
 Twenty-third,
their deceased
relatives will
leave suffering
behind.

Twenty-fourth,
they will be
reborn on
the strength of
their past merit.

497
 Twenty-fifth,
holy ones
will praise
them.

Twenty-sixth,
they will be
intelligent
and have keen
faculties.
498
Twenty-eighth, Twenty-seventh,
they will their hearts
ultimately will be replete
become with kindness
Buddhas. and compassion.

499
 if devas,
nagas, Furthermore,
ghosts, and Akasagarbha
spirits in Bodhisattva,
the present
and future

make obeisance to hear

Ksitigarbha’s image, Ksitigarbha’s
or hear of name,
Ksitigarbha’s
original vows,
deeds, and
practices,

and they
sing his
they will praises, gaze
gain seven reverently
kinds of at, and make
benefits: obeisance
to him,

500
 First,
Second, they will quickly
their ascend the stages
unwholesome of holiness.
karma will buddha Bodhis-
dissolve. attva

Arhat

Pratkeya-
buddha

501
 Third,
Buddhas
will protect
and be
near them.

Fifth, Fourth,
their they will
inherent not retreat
powers from bodhi.
will
increase.

502
 Sixth,
they will
know past
lives.

Seventh,
they will
ultimately
become
Buddhas.

503
 At that time,
all the inexpressibly-
inexpressible number
of Buddhas, Tathagatas,
who had come from the ten
directions as well as great
Bodhisattvas, devas, nagas,
and others of the eight
kinds of beings, on having
heard Sakyamuni Buddha
praise and extol Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva’s power of
great awesome spiritual
penetration,

504
 exclaimed:
There has never been
anything like Ksitigarbha
Bohisattva’s power of
great awesome spiritual
penetration, it is truly
inconceivable…

505
 At that time,
measureless
incense, flowers,
heavenly garments,
and pearl necklaces
rained down in the
Trayastrimsa Heaven

as offerings to
Sakyamuni Buddha
and Ksitigarbha
Bodhisattva.

506
 joined Afterward,
their the entire
palms, assembly
and again
withdrew. reverently
gazed, made
obeisance,

507