Earth Store Bodhisattva or Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva is one of the four Mahasattvas well known to the people in the East Asia. Earth Store Bodhisattva is famous for his Great Vow “I will not become a Buddha if the Hells are not empty.” Ksitigarbha Sutra is one of many Buddhist Sutras that every Buddhist recite at home or at the Buddhist temple. It is relatively easier to understand, and thus usually is used for beginner study of Buddhism.
In Ksitigarbha Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha was preaching in the Heaven Thirty-Three to his mother. And this proclamation was about the Earth Store Bodhisattva. The Sutra tells the story of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Great Vows; how in past life times as an Elder’s son, as a Brahman woman, as a King and as a filial daughter, he made vows to devote all future lives to saving being who suffer. Long known as the “Filial Bodhisattva” Earth Store speaks to the hearts of parents and women, comforts the aged and handicapped, and instructs us in the shadow times of life: sleep, death, child birth and life’s transitions: the havens, the hells, even the perilous journey between death and the next rebirth. Like a window opening into realms rarely dreamed of this scripture gives us comfort instruction, inspiration and wisdom. The base foundation we should build from learning Mahayana Buddhism is the Filial Piety. That’s the first lesson we should take. In the Eastern philosophy, it’s a natural thing to be filial to our parents.
You can listen to Ksitigarbha Sutra translated and published by the Buddhist Text Translation Society and published on the website of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Even if you do not have time, just recite Mantra Hati Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to make your life better : Om Po La Mo Ling Toning Soha .
There are many benefits occurred to read and recital Ksitigarbha Sutra. The following excerpt taken from Chapter 13 (last Chapter) of the Sutra give you a glimpse:
The Buddha told Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara , “Listen attentively, listen attentively! For now I shall tell you about those benefits one by one. In future times, any good men or good women who should see Ksitigarbha’s image and hear this Sutra and, furthermore, read and recite it, and who should also donate incense, flowers, drink, food, clothing and precious treasures as offerings, in addition to giving praise and making obeisance to Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, will gain twenty eight kinds of benefits, namely:
1. Protection and mindfulness of devas and nagas;
2. Daily increase of virtuous fruition;
3. Accumulation of elevated and sacred causes;
4. Nonretrogression from path of Bodhi;
5. Affluence and abundant clothing and food;
6. Non-occurence of diseases;
7. Non-occurence of the calamities of flood or fire;
8. No harassment by robbery and thievery;
9. Admiration and respect of all persons one encounters;
10. Aid and support of deities and demons;
11. Transformation of the female body into the male body at rebirth;
12. Being a royal minister’s daughter if reborn as a female;
13. Possession of a dignified and graceful form;
14. Frequent rebirth in the heaven-realms;
15. Sometimes becoming an emperor or a king;
16. Possession of the miraculous power of knowing one’s previous lives;
17. All prayers will be answered;
18. Delight and happiness for the members of one’s family;
19. Elimination of all unexpected and unpleasant happenings;
20. Permanent eradication of the karmic ways of life;
21. Always passing through safely wherever one travels;
22. Always feeling safety and delight in one’s dreams;
23. Elimination of suffering for one’s departed ones;
24. Rebirth on the strength of previous bliss;
25. Praises by the Holy Ones;
26. Possession of clever wit and healthy organs;
27. Fullness of mercy, pity and compassion;
28. Ultimate attainment of Buddhahood “