Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha

last SG · 2006-04-02T21:12:14+00:00

All non-sentient 'beings', I presume you mean inanimate objects, are already free from sufferings. The all-pervading dharma nature permeates all things... s...

paperflower SG

6. The Buddha by the name of Superiority.

paperflower SG

7. The Buddha by the name of Wonderful Voice.

paperflower SG

8. The Buddha by the name of Full Moonlight.

paperflower SG

9. The Buddha by the name of Moon-like Face as well as a great number to be acquainted with.

paperflower SG

Honoured of the World, all beings whether from the Heaven or from the human realms, either male or female, of the present or the future, who can chant the name of one of the above Buddhas, will gain immeasurable merit. He or she will receive more merit if he or she chants the names of more Buddhas. Such beings will attain great benefit during their life-time, or even after death. They will never be cast into the evil State of sufferings. If the relatives of the dying person chant the name of only one Buddha, the dying person will be relieved from the punishment of his sins (except the punishment in the Avici Hells). The punishment in the Avici Hells is so great that the sinners who commit great sins will find it difficult to escape from such punishment through millions of kalpas.

paperflower SG

If others can chant the names of Buddhas for the dying person, his or her punishment will gradually be lightened. It is better if the dying person can also chant the names of Buddhas, for he or she will receive immeasurable happiness and avoid countless punishment for misdeeds committed while alive."

paperflower SG

Namo Di Zhang Wang Pusa.

please do guide me when i encounter some teachings i do not understand for the benefit of myself & all other sentient beings.

paperflower SG

the 7th month of the lunar calendar starts from 25/7/06 to 20/8/06.

Ullambana Festival: 8/8/06 (15th day of the 7th lunar month)
(ceremony on making offerings to the sangha)

during this month period, buddhist monasteries would conduct the Di Zang Fa Hui (service of transferring merits to the departed ones), where monks and lay disciples/persons would recite and chant the bodhisattva ksitigarbha sutra.

vegetarian food will be offered to pretas and hungry ghost in the evening on the last day of the 7th month.

paperflower SG

Ksitigarbha Sutra 10
Appraisal of the Meritorious Virtue Gained from Almsgiving

At that time, the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, under the supernatural power of Shakyamuni Buddha, rose from his seat and knelt down with clasped hands by saying to Him, "Honoured of the World, I can see that the comparison of merits for almsgiving differ from each other in small or great ways. Some receive their reward for only one life, some receive their reward for ten lives, and even some receive great bliss for hundreds of thousands of lives. I do not know the reason why it differs in such a great way and hope that you will graciously explain it to me."

Shakyamuni Buddha replied, "Now, I shall give you the comparison of merits, whether great or small. As rewards for the sentient beings who practise alms-giving in the Jampudvipa, I tell all who are assembled here at the thirty-three Heavens and I hope you will listen to me carefully." Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said to Shakyamuni Buddha, "I'm quite doubtful about this, and I would like to hear the comparison of merits for alms-giving. "

paperflower SG

Shakyamuni Buddha said, "If kings, nobles, honourable elders, Maha Ksatriyas, Great Brahmans in Jampudvipa (the Continent situated at the South of Mount Sumeru, comprising the world we live in), come across people who suffer great poverty, or unreformed beings, if such people as those mentioned give alms to them through great compassion, love and kindness, smilingly, and give gifts to those poor beings with their own hands, or through their representatives, and talk to them in consoling tones, such donors of gifts gain merit as great as the total number of grains of sands in the Ganges River.

It is because these donors of gifts are practising Infinite Love and Kindness even to the poorest and the lowest births and unreformed beings, that is why for hundreds of thousands of lives they receive their well-earned good merits of the seven jewels of riches. They are well provided for in good food and clothing in those lives yet to come.

paperflower SG

Again if kings, nobles and Brahmans come across Buddhist images of Buddhas, temples or pagodas, Bodhisattvas, Arahats, and all Pacceka Buddhas in the lives to come, if they prepare alms-giving and offerings, offering them personally, such generous donors will be reborn as kings of the thirty-three Heavens receiving great bliss for three kalpas. If these donors transfer their merit to the beings of the ten quarters of space these donors will become Mahabrahma devarajas, kings of the eighteen Brahmalokas, for ten kalpas continuously.

Again if in the future, kings, prime-ministers, nobles, honourable elders, Maha Ksatriyas and Brahmans come across Buddhist pagodas and temples or Buddhist Sutras and images which are in bad condition and with determination for their repair, or rebuild them, such generous donors whether they practise alms-giving themselves or persuading others to do alms-giving or charitable acts, whether they persuade one person or many hundreds of thousands of people to practise the same charitable acts, these charitable donors will be reborn as Chakravarti for hundreds of thousands of lives. Those who have been encouraged and persuaded by the above donors to practise alms-giving will be reborn as kings of small countries for hundreds of thousands of lives. If, moreover, they transfer their merit to others in the presence of the Buddhas, pagodas or temples, such great donors of gifts will all attain Buddhahood.

paperflower SG

The reward for practising such great merit is beyond all description. If, in the future, kings, prime-ministers, nobles, when they see aged ones suffering from disease, women giving birth, if they have but one momentary thought of sympathy, to give them aid, medicines, food and drink, or bathing, so as to assure them some measure of peace and happiness, such merits are inconceivable and donors of these things will always be reborn as a Suddhavasodeva for one hundred kalpas. After this period, they will be always reborn in the Six Deva Lokas (i.e. The Heavens of Desire) for two hundred kalpas. Finally, they will attain Buddhahood, but prior to that, for hundreds and thousands of births, they will never be reborn as dwellers in evil realms, or hear any voice of suffering. If kings of countries or Brahmans in the future can practise such meritorious deeds, they will receive boundless blessings. If they transfer their merits to others, whether great or small merit, they will be reborn as Cakravatis and finally attain Buddhahood.

That is why, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, you should do your utmost to encourage sentient beings to practise meritorious deeds by following these examples. If virtuous people in the future will practise meritorious deeds even as small as a hair, or a grain of sand, or a dustmote, they will receive blessings and benefits which cannot be expressed by examples, as they will be so great.

paperflower SG

If virtuous people of future times meet with images of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Pratyeka Buddhas or Cakravartis and make offerings to them, they will also receive numerous blessings and benefits, and will always be reborn either as humans or devas, enjoying great bliss. If such people will transfer their merits to the beings of the ten quarters of space, such donors will get great benefits and blessings beyond all statement by examples.

If virtuous persons of future times comes across Mahayanist Sutras or hear only one stanza or even one sentence of the Sutras and have a feeling of deep respect for that utterance, or if they sincerely praise the Sutras, or make offerings piously, they will receive innumerable merits. If they will transfer their merits to the beings of the ten quarters of space, their blessings are beyond all words.

paperflower SG

If virtuous persons of future times come to new Buddhist pagodas, new temples, new Mahayanist Sutras, and make offerings, paying homage with reverent attitudes of deepest respect, and if they come across old or destroyed ones, and make a vow to repair or restore these structures or shall encourage others to do this meritorious work with them, such virtuous people who respond to this encouragement shall be born as kings of countries for thirty lives and the encourageous himself will always be reborn as a Cakravarti, and will teach Buddhadharma to the kings of countries.

If virtuous people of future times will practise good deeds according to the Buddha's Teachings, or make offerings for repairing Buddhist pagodas or temples or mending Buddhist Sutras, their merit, small as a hair though it be, or a dustmote or a grain of sand or a drop of water, if they will transfer such merits to beings of the ten realms of space, such meritorious persons will receive inconceivably great bliss for hundreds of thousands of lives. If they will transfer their merits to their family and relatives, their relatives will receive happiness for three lives. To give one benefit is to receive hundreds of thousands in return.

That is why, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the merit of alms-giving is of such magnitude."

paperflower SG

Namo Di Zang Wang Pu Sa.......

paperflower SG

Namo Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha....

An Eternal Now SG

Maybe you would like to share about the dog and the six figures Smile

paperflower SG

oh ok... i actually have some questions about the dog and the six figures associated with di zang wang pusa. i read it from a source but unfortunately i lost that url. hope someone can clear my doubts and understandings.

this is what i come across:

di zang wang pusa(not the chaste girl), went into hell and looked for his mother and found out that she had reborned as a dog. he traced her and found her and adopted her, thus always having her (as a dog) through out his journey.

another thing i came across is that di zang wang pusa always has six figures beside him which are: a bodhisattva, asura, demon, ghost, a cow and a horse.

i am not sure how reliable or true are these from the sources which i came across because apart from the sutras and some knowledge about di zang wang pusa, the above is also something new to me.

can anyone please guide or share with me? thanks.

paperflower SG

Ksitigarbha Sutra 11
Protection of the Dharma by the Deities in Charge of the Land

At that time, the Spirit of the strong earth said to the Shakyamuni Buddha, "Honoured of the World. In the past, I have paid homage to innumerable Maha Bodhisattvas who possessed inconceivable honour and wisdom, and who have converted boundless sentient beings. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva made strong and deep vows among these Bodhisattvas. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has great relationship with the sentient beings in Jampudvipa.

Such as Manjusri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Maitreya Buddha, all of whom make hundreds of thousands of transformations to convert the erring beings of the six Directions of Reincarnation and their vows have already been achieved. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva made strong vows, as many as the grains of sands of the Ganges River, to convert the sentient beings of the six Directions of Reincarnation.

Honoured of the World, I can see that the sentient beings of the present and future can make images of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in iron, brass, silver, gold or simple drawings, and enshrine them in cases either of earth, stone, bamboo or wood and keep the cases in a neat place in the south of their residence of purity, and pay homage to the Bodhisattva with the deepest reverence and earnest admiration and make scented offerings, such pious persons will receive ten kinds of benefits around their residences.

paperflower SG

What are the ten kinds of benefits? They are as follows:

1. Their soil will be rich by producing good harvest.

2. The whole family will be in peace forever.

3. All deceased relatives will be born in the heavens.

4. All the living relatives will have longevity.

5. All of their aspirations will be achieved.

6. They will never suffer the danger of flood and fire.

7. All bad becomings will be done away with.

8. They will never have bad dreams.

9. They will be protected by guardians wherever they go.

10. They will always come across holy conditions.

« Previous Page Next Page »