Chapter 13 - Entrusting People and Devas

 爾時，世尊舉金色臂，又摩地藏菩薩摩訶薩頂，而作是言：「地藏！地藏！汝之神力，不可思議；汝之慈悲，不可思議；汝之智慧，不可思議；汝之辯才，不可思議。正使十方諸佛，讚歎宣說汝之不思議事，千萬劫中，不能得盡。

At that time, the World Honored One raised his golden arm and touched Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva mahāsattva head and said, “Kṣitigarbha! Kṣitigarbha! Your spiritual powers are inconceivable. Your compassion is unimaginable. Your wisdom is unfathomable. Your eloquence is unbelievable. Even all the Buddhas of the Ten Directions could not finish praising your inconceivable actions in ten million kalpas.

地藏！地藏！記吾今日在忉利天中，於百千萬億不可說不可說一切諸佛菩薩、天龍八部大會之中，再以人天諸眾生等，未出三界，在火宅中者，付囑於汝。無令是諸眾生，墮惡趣中一日一夜，何況更落五無間及阿鼻地獄，動經千萬億劫，無有出期？

“Kṣitigarbha! Kṣitigarbha! Remember that today at Trāyastriṃśa Heaven in front of a hundred trillion, indescribable number of buddhas, bodhisattvas, and eight kinds of demigods in the assembly that I again entrust all the sentient beings who have not yet left the Three Realms and are still in the burning house to your care. Do not let any of the sentient beings fall into any of the evil realms in one day and one night, much less someone from committing one of the Five Unpardonable Sins, which would cause them to fall into Avīci Hell and stay there for a trillion kalpas without any hope of escape.

「地藏！是南閻浮提眾生，志性無定，習惡者多，縱發善心，須臾即退，若遇惡緣，念念增長。以是之故，吾分是形，百千億化度，隨其根性而度脫之。

“Kṣitigarbha, the dispositions of the sentient beings in Jambudvīpa are not steady. Those with bad habits are many. Those that are benevolent regress in a moment. If they meet with evil conditions then their involvement increases. For this reason I transform myself into trillions of emanations to save people, using their own fundamental natures to liberate them.

地藏！吾今殷勤以天人眾，付囑於汝。未來之世，若有天人，及善男子、善女人，於佛法中，種少善根，一毛一塵，一沙一渧。汝以道力，擁護是人，漸修無上，勿令退失。

“Kṣitigarbha, I entrust all the people and spirits to you. In future worlds there may be celestial beings and good men and women who have a few good roots in the Dhárma, perhaps as much as a hair, a speck of dust, a grain of sand, or a drop of water. Use your spiritual strength to protect these people, so that they can gradually cultivate supreme way. Do not let them regress.

復次，地藏！未來世中，若天若人，隨業報應，落在惡趣。是諸眾生，汝以神力，方便救拔。於是人所，現無邊身，為碎地獄，遣令生天，受勝妙樂。」

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, devas or people in the future may follow their karmic retribution and fall into an evil realm. When they are about to fall into one of these realms or be at the gate if they can recite one Buddha's name, one bodhisattva's name, or one sentence or one verse from a Mahāyāna sūtra then you should use your spiritual power to use a skillful means to save them. Manifest a boundless body for these people to small the hells and lead them to be born in a heavenly realm and enjoy supreme wonderful bliss.”

爾時，世尊而說偈言：

At that time, the World Honored One spoke this gatha

「現在未來天人眾，　　吾今殷勤付囑汝，

“I entrust people and devas in the present and future to you.

以大神通方便度，　　勿令墮在諸惡趣。」

Use your great spiritual power and skillful means to save them. Do not allow them to fall into the evil realms.”

爾時，地藏菩薩摩訶薩胡跪合掌，白佛言：「世尊！唯願世尊，不以為慮。未來世中，若有善男子、善女人，於佛法中，一念恭敬，我亦百千方便，度脫是人，於生死中，速得解脫。何況聞諸善事，念念修行？自然於無上道，永不退轉。」

At that time, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Mahāsattva kneeled on one knee, joined palms, and said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, I only hope that the World Honored One will rest assured. If there are good men and women in the future who even have a single thought of respect for the Dhárma then I will use a hundred thousand skillful means to save them and liberate them from Saṃsāra. How much more for those that have heard of these benevolent actions and been inspired to cultivate? They will naturally follow the supreme path, never to regress.”

說是語時，會中有一菩薩，名虛空藏，白佛言：「世尊！我自至忉利，聞於如來讚歎地藏菩薩威神勢力，不可思議。未來世中，若有善男子、善女人，乃及一切天龍，聞此經典，及地藏名字，或瞻禮形像，得幾種福利？唯願世尊，為未來現在一切眾等，略而說之。」

After this was said a bodhisattva in the assembly called Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva who said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, Since I have arrived at Trāyastriṃśa Heaven I have heard the Tathāgata praise Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's great, inconceivable spiritual strength. If there are good men and good women in the future, or the eight kinds of demigods hear this sūtra and Kṣitigarbha's name and revere and bow to his image how many kinds of benefit will they attain? I only hope that the World Honored One would briefly explain this for the benefit of all the people of the present and future.”

佛告虛空藏菩薩：「諦聽！諦聽！吾當為汝分別說之。若未來世，有善男子、善女人，見地藏形像，及聞此經，乃至讀誦，香華飲食、衣服珍寶，布施供養，讚歎瞻禮，得二十八種利益：一者天龍護念，二者善果日增，三者集聖上因，四者菩提不退，五者衣食豐足，六者疾疫不臨，七者離水火災，八者無盜賊厄，九者人見欽敬，十者神鬼助持，十一者女轉男身，十二者為王臣女，十三者端正相好，十四者多生天上，十五者或為帝王，十六者宿智命通，十七者有求皆從，十八者眷屬歡樂，十九者諸橫銷滅，二十者業道永除，二十一者去處盡通，二十二者夜夢安樂，二十三者先亡離苦，二十四者宿福受生，二十五者諸聖讚歎，二十六者聰明利根，二十七者饒慈愍心，二十八者畢竟成佛。

The Buddha said to Ākāśagarbha, “Listen carefully! Listen carefully! I will describe the different benefits to you. If there are good men and good women in the future who, when seeing Kṣitigarbha's image or hear this sūtra and then recite the sūtra and practice dāna by offering incense, flowers, food and drink, clothes, and gems, praise, revere, and bow then they will obtain twenty eight kinds of benefit. (1) the eight kinds of demigods will protect them; (2) the karmic results of their good actions will increase daily; (3) they will accumulate causes for becoming a sage; (4) they will attain enlightenment without regression; (5) they will have abundant food and clothing; (6) they will not suffer from epidemics; (7) they will not be affected by floods and fires; (8) they will not be threatened by thieves; (9) they will be given admire and respect; (10) they will be protected by spirits and ghosts; (11) a woman can take the form of a man's body; (12) a woman can be reborn as the daughter of a king or minister; (13) they will have a perfect appearance; (14) they will often be reborn in heavenly realms; (15) they may become a monarch; (16) they will obtain knowledge of their previous lives; (17) they will attain what they seek; (18) their family members will be joyful; (19) they will avoid an untimely death; (20) they will leave bad karmic paths forever; (21) they will travel safely wherever they go; (22) they will sleep in peace; (23) their forebears will not suffer; (24) they will enjoy blessing for merit obtained in previous lives; (25) sages will praise them; (26) they will be clever and have sharp powers of intelligence; (27) they will have an abundantly compassionate mind; (28) in the end they will become a Buddha.

「復次，虛空藏菩薩！若現在未來，天龍鬼神，聞地藏名，禮地藏形，或聞地藏本願事行，讚歎瞻禮，得七種利益：一者速超聖地，二者惡業銷滅，三者諸佛護臨，四者菩提不退，五者增長本力，六者宿命皆通，七者畢竟成佛。」

“Furthermore, Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva, if any of the eight kinds of demigods, spirits and demons in the present and the future hear Kṣitigarbha's name and bow to an image of Kṣitigarbha or hear the story of Kṣitigarbha's vow and actions and then praise, revere, and worship him then they will have seven different kinds of benefit: (1) they will quickly ascend through the levels of sagehood; (2) they will eliminate bad karma; (3) all the Buddhas will watch over and protect them; (4) they will be enlightened and not regress; (5) their strength will increase; (6) they will know their past lives; (7) in the end they will become a Buddha.

爾時，十方一切諸來不可說不可說諸佛如來，及大菩薩、天龍八部，聞釋迦牟尼佛，稱揚讚歎地藏菩薩，大威神力，不可思議，歎未曾有。是時忉利天，雨無量香華，天衣珠瓔，供養釋迦牟尼佛，及地藏菩薩已。一切眾會，俱復瞻禮，合掌而退。

“At that time, an indescribable number of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and eight kinds of demigods from the Ten Directions after hearing Śākyamuni Buddha commending and praising Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's great, inconceivable spiritual strength exlaimed at this unprecedented event. Then an immeasurable amount of incense, flowers, and pearl necklaces, rained down in Trāyastriṃśa heaven as an offering to Śākyamuni Buddha and Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. All the beings in the assembly repeatedly bowed, joined palms, and withdrew.

地藏菩薩本願經捲下

End of the Sūtra of the Great Vow of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Scroll 2