Sutra on the Original Vows of Bodhisattva Earth TreasureIn abbreviation, also known as Sutra of Earth TreasureTranslated into Chinese by
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Table of Contents |
| Lower Volume |
Chapter Ten : Comparison of Connections between Almsgiving and Merits |
| Chapter Eleven : Earth God to Protect the Dharma |
Chapter Twelve : Benefits of Seeing or Hearing Earth Treasure |
Chapter Thirteen : Entrusting with Welfare of Humans and Heavenly Beings |
Then Great Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, through the awesome spirit of the Buddha, rose up from his seat, knelt down on his knees, folded his palms together, and said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, as I have observed sentient beings in the karmic realms and compared their almsgiving, some are light and some are heavy. Some would receive benefits for one lifetime, some would receive benefits for ten lifetimes, and some would receive great benefits for one hundred or one thousand lifetimes. How are such matters settled? Only wish that the World Honored One would explain it for my sake." Then the Buddha told Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, "Now at the Palace of Dao Li Heaven in the assembly of all associates I will expound on the comparison of weights of merits for varieties of almsgiving in Jambudvipa. You should listen attentively; I am saying it for your sake." Earth Treasure said to the Buddha, "I have had doubts about this matter. I am willing and eager to hear about it."
The Buddha told Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, "In South Jambudvipa there are kings, premiers, high officials, great elders, great Kshatriyas, great Brahmans, etc. If they encountered people of the lowest social status, the poor, or even those with all kinds of disabilities such as having a bumpback, being disabled, voiceless, mute, deaf, retarded, or eyeless, when these kings and their like would like to do almsgiving, if they could sustain great mercy and compassion, with a humble attitude and a smiling face, personally perform it to each and every recipient, or ask others to do the giving, and use tender speeches to comfort and guide, then these kings and their like would obtain meritorious benefits as much as having performed almsgiving to as many Buddhas as sands in one hundred Ganges Rivers. Why is it so? It is due to the fact that these kings and their like have developed great merciful mind for those poorest and of lowest status, as well as for those disabled, therefore the meritorious benefits are as such rewards; for hundreds of thousands of lives they would constantly possess seven treasures completely, not to mention clothing, foods and other enjoyments.
"Furthermore, Earth Treasure, if in the future there would be kings, down to Brahmans, etc., that would, upon encountering Buddhist pagodas or monasteries, images of Buddhas, or even images of Bodhisattvas, Sravakas, or Pratyeka-Buddhas, personally arrange offerings and almsgiving, then these kings and their like would obtain the body of Sakra-devanam-indra for three kalpas and receive supreme wondrous pleasures. If they could dedicate the meritorious benefits of this almsgiving to the Dharmadhatu, then these great kings and their like would constantly be Mahabrahman for ten kalpas. Furthermore, Earth Treasure, if in the future there would be kings, down to Brahmans, etc., that would, upon encountering pagodas or monasteries of earlier Buddhas, or even Sutras or holy images that have been damaged or in ruin, raise the intention to repair and restore them, and for these kings and their like, either they would arrange matters personally or persuade others, even up to hundreds of thousands of people, to engage in the project through making contributions, then these kings and their like would constantly obtain the body of a wheel-turning king for hundreds of thousands of lives. As to those others who would engage in the same projects through making contributions, they would constantly obtain the body of a minor king for hundreds of thousands of lives. If, in addition, they could dedicate the merits to the Dharmadhatu in front of these pagodas or monasteries, then such kings and all other participants would accomplish the Buddhist path because the fruitful consequences of such dedication are immeasurable and boundless.
"Furthermore, Earth Treasure, in the future if there would be kings, down to Brahmans, etc., who would, upon seeing those senile or sick people or women in delivery, instantly possess great merciful mind, and freely provide medical treatments, medicines, drinks, foods, and bedding to them so as to render them secure and happy, then the meritorious benefits of such activities would be most inconceivable. For one hundred kalpas they would constantly be the master of Pure-Abode Heaven; for two hundred kalpas they would constantly be the master of Six-Levels-of-Heavens in the Desire Sphere; and ultimately they would attain Buddhahood. They would never fall into bad realms, and even for hundreds of thousands of lives their ears would not hear sounds of suffering. Furthermore, Earth Treasure, if in the future there would be kings, down to Brahmans, etc., that would indeed perform such almsgiving, then they would obtain merits immeasurable. If, in addition, they could dedicate the merits, whatever the amount, to the Dharmadhatu, then they would ultimately attain Buddhahood, not to mention the rewards of becoming Sakra-devanam-indra, Mahabrahman, or a wheel-turning king. Therefore, Earth Treasure, universally pursuade sentient beings that they should learn to practice like this.
"Furthermore, Earth Treasure, in the future if there would be a good man or good woman that would plant little bit of good roots in the Dharma, as tiny as wool, hair, sand, or dust, then the meritorious benefits they would receive could not be described even through analogies. Furthermore, Earth Treasure, in the future if there would be a good man or good woman that would, upon encountering images of Buddhas, images of Bodhisattvas, images of Pratyeka-Buddhas, or images of wheel-turning kings, donate offerings, then such a person would obtain immeasurable merits, and would constantly stay among humans or heavenly beings and receive supreme wondrous pleasures. If such a person could dedicate the merits to the Dharmadhatu, then the meritorious benefits of this person could not be described even through analogies. Furthermore, Earth Treasure, in the future if there would be a good man or good woman that would, upon encountering Mahayana Sutras, or listening to or hearing one gatha or one sentence therein, raise a mind of reverence and esteem, exclaim praises, show respect, and donate offerings, then this person would obtain great fruitful rewards that are immeasurable and boundless. If this person could dedicate the merits to the Dharmadhatu, then the merits could not be described even through analogies.
"Furthermore, Earth Treasure, if in the future there would be a good man or good woman that would, upon encountering Buddhist pagodas, Monasteries or Mahayana Sutras that are new, donate offerings, view them with reverence, exclaim praises, and respectfully fold palms together; and if those encountered are old or damaged, then the person would repair or manage them, either all alone or persuade many people to join in the efforts. For people such as these, they would constantly be minor kings for thirty lifetimes, while the donor would constantly be a wheel-turning king and employ good teachings to convert these minor kings. Furthermore, Earth Treasure, in the future if there would be a good man or good woman that would cultivate good roots in the Dharma such as donating offerings, repairing pagodas or monasteries, or binding and arranging Sutras, even if it is only as tiny as one hair, one dust, one sand, one drop, such good deeds, as long as the merits are dedicated to the Dharmadhatu, would yield merits for this person to receive supreme wondrous pleasures in hundreds of thousands of lives. If the dedication would only be toward one's own family members or personal profits, then the fruit of such dedication would be to receive pleasures for three lifetimes, and to receive ten-thousand-fold of what one has renounced. Therefore, Earth Treasure, the matter of causal conditions of almsgiving is as described above."
Then Earth God Sturdy said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, since the past I have viewed with reverence and made prostration to immeasurably many Great Bodhisattvas, all of whom are with extremely inconceivable supernatural powers and wisdom, and have extensively converted sentient beings. When compared with these Bodhisattvas this Great Bodhisattva Earth Treasure would stand out as one with profound and heavy vows. World Honored One, this Bodhisattva Earth Treasure has had great causal connections with Jambudvipa. In cases of Bodhisattvas such as Manjusri, Universal Goodness, Observing Sounds and Maitreya, they also transformed into hundreds of thousands of bodies and forms to conduct salvation in the six realms, and yet their vows still have final conclusion. This Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, in order to teach and convert all sentient beings in the six realms, has developed vows over as many kalpas as sands in thousands of hundreds of billions of Ganges Rivers.
"World Honored One, I observe that, for sentient being at present or in the future, if at their residence a shrine room made of mud, stone, bamboo or wood is constructed on a clean spot in the southern direction, and inside the room a painted, sculpted, or molded even out of gold, silver, brass or iron, image of Earth Treasure is set up, and it is offered with burning incenses, viewed with reverence, saluted to and adored with exclamation of praises, then such a person's residence would obtain ten kinds of benefits. What are those ten kinds of benefits? One, the ground would be fertile. Two, the household would forever be safe. Three, deceased family members would be born in heavenly realms. Four, the life span of those living here would be lengthened. Five, wishes would be fulfilled. Six, absence of calamities of water or fire. Seven, wasteful drains would be avoided and eliminated. Eight, no more nightmares. Nine, entering or exiting would be protected by gods. Ten, frequently encounter holy causes. World Honored One, for sentient beings at present or in the future, if they could conduct such offerings at their residence in the proper direction, then they would obtain such benefits."
Again he said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, in the future if there would be a good man or good woman who would have this Sutra and an image of the Bodhisattva at the residence, and in addition, this person would repeatedly recite the Sutra and make offerings to the Bodhisattva, then I would constantly, day and night, guard and protect this person with my own spiritual power so that all bad things, even including flood, fire, robbery, burglary, serious calamities and minor accidents, would be extinguished." The Buddha told Earth God Sturdy, "Your great spiritual power could hardly be matched by other gods. Why is it so? All lands in Jambudvipa are under your protection, and even things that come from earth, such as grass, trees, sands, rocks, paddy, hemp, bamboo, reed, grains, rice, and treasures, are all due to your power. In addition, you have carried on the matter of commending and publicizing the benefits of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure. Your merits and supernatural powers are hundreds of thousands of times greater than those of ordinary earth gods. If in the future there would be a good man or good woman that would make offerings to the Bodhisattva, recite this Sutra repeatedly, and be single-mindedly devoted to practicing in accordance with this Sutra on the Original Vows of Earth Treasure, then you should protect and support such a person with your own spiritual powers, and not allow any calamity or undesirable matter to be even heard by such a person, not to mention to let it happen to such a person. It is not only you alone that would protect this person; there would also be retinues of Sakra-devanam-indra, retinues of Mahabrahman, and retinues of heavenly beings to protect and support this person. Why would this person obtain protection and support from such holy and capable beings? It is all due to viewing with reverence and saluting images of Earth Treasure, and reciting repeatedly this Sutra on Original Vows, naturally one would eventually escape the ocean of suffering, and attain the joy of Nirvana. For these reasons, great support and protection are obtained."
Then the World Honored One emitted from the top of his head hundreds of thousands of myriads of billions of lights of great clockwise spiral brow-form. They were the so-called white brow-form light, great white brow-form light, auspicious brow-form light, great auspicious brow-form light, jade brow-form light, great jade brow-form light, purple brow-form light, great purple brow-form light, indigo brow-form light, great indigo brow-form light, blue brow-form light, great blue brow-form light, red brow-form light, great red brow-form light, green brow-form light, great green brow-form light, golden brow-form light, great golden brow-form light, celebrative-cloud brow-form light, great celebrative-cloud brow-form light, thousand-disk brow light, great thousand-disk brow light, precious-disk brow light, great precious-disk brow light, sun-disk brow light, great sun-disk brow light, moon-disk brow light, great moon-disk brow light, palace brow light, great palace brow light, ocean-cloud brow light, great ocean-cloud brow light.
Having emitted from the top of his head brow-form lights such as these, he spoke in wondrous sounds to the assembly, "Heavenly beings, dragons, and the rest of the eight departments of protectors, humans, non-human beings and the rest, listen to me. Today at the Palace of Dao Li Heaven I will commend, publicize and exclaim praises on Bodhisattva Earth Treasure by referring to his deeds among humans or heavenly beings that are beneficial, inconceivable, superior to other holy causes, attaining to the tenth stage of Bodhisattvas, or ultimately free from regress from unsurpassable right and full enlightenment."
As these words were spoken a Great Bodhisattva among the assembly, named "Observing Worldly Sounds," rose from his seat, knelt down on his knees, folded his palms together, and said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, this Great Bodhisattva Earth Treasure possesses great mercy and compassion, and have pity for sentient beings suffering from sins. As to all the merits and inconceivable power of awesome spirit as exemplified through his transformation into thousands of myriads of billions of bodies in thousands of myriads of billion of worlds, I heard the World Honored One and immeasurably many Buddhas in the ten directions exclaiming praises, in same sound from different mouths, on Bodhisattva Earth Treasure by saying that, even if all Buddhas in the past, present or future were to expound on his merits, they still could not exhaust the account. Further, a short while ago the assembly was blessed with the World Honored One's announcement that you would commend and publicize the beneficial deeds of Earth Treasure. Only wish that the World Honored One would, for the sake of all sentient beings at present or in the future, commend and publicize the inconceivable deeds of Earth Treasure so that heavenly beings, dragons and the rest of the eight departments of protectors may obtain merits by viewing him with reverence or saluting to him." The Buddha told Bodhisattva Observing Worldly Sounds, "You have great causal connections with the Saha world. Be it heavenly beings or dragons, men or women, gods or ghosts, or even sentient beings in the six realms that are suffering from sins, for those who hear your name, see your image, adore you, or exclaim praises about you, all such sentient beings would definitely never regress on the unsurpassable path, and would constantly be born among humans or heavenly beings to completely receive wondrous pleasures. When causal fruits would be about ready to ripe they would encounter some Buddha to foretell their coming enlightenment. Now with great mercy and compassion and pity for sentient beings and heavenly beings, dragons and the rest of the eight departments of protectors, you would listen to my proclamation on inconceivable beneficial deeds of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure. You should listen attentively; I am going to say it now." Observing Worldly Sounds said, "Certainly, World Honored One, I am willing and eager to hear about it."
The Buddha told Bodhisattva Observing Worldly Sounds, "In the worlds at present or in the future, there are heavenly beings that have exhausted their shares of heavenly happiness, and exhibit the five signs of decay or have fallen into some bad realm. For such a heavenly being, male or female, when the signs appear if the being sees an image of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure or hears the name of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, with one glance and one salute the heavenly merits of such a being will increase so as to receive great enjoyment and will never fall into the retribution of three bad realms, not to mention, upon seeing or hearing the Bodhisattva, to donate offerings of all sorts of incenses, flowers, clothing, drinks, foods, treasures and jewelry, the meritorious benefits thus accrued will be immeasurable and boundless.
"Furthermore, Observing Worldly Sounds, if in the worlds at present or in the future sentient beings in the six realms, when the end of their lives is near, could hear the name of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, one repetition through their ears, all these sentient beings would never experience the suffering of three bad realms. Not to mention, when the end of one's life is near, the parents and family would use the dying person's houses, properties, treasures and clothing to have images of Earth Treasure molded or painted, or let the sick person, before passing away, seeing through eyes and hearing through ears, know that the family is using the houses, treasures, etc., for the person's own sake, to have images of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure molded or painted. If this person, due to karmic retribution, were to experience severe illness, thanks to such merits would soon recover from illness and have life span lengthened. If this person, due to karmic retribution, had exhausted the life span, and according to all sinful hindrances and karmic hindrances should fall into bad realms, thanks to such merits the person would be born, after end of this life, among humans or heavenly beings to receive supreme wondrous pleasures, and all sinful hindrances would be extinguished.
"Furthermore, Bodhisattva Observing Worldly Sounds, if in the future there would be a man or woman that lost parents, brothers or sisters during the period of suckling, or before the age of three, five or ten, and when this person has grown up, and misses parents and family members for not knowing which realm they had fallen into, which world they had been born in, or which heaven they had been born in, then if this person could have images of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure molded or painted, or even upon hearing the name, could have paid one glance of respect and made one salute, and for one day up to seven days not to regress from the earlier attitude, upon hearing the name or seeing the image would view with reverence, salute, and make offerings, then the family members of this person, suppose that, due to their karmas, they should fall into bad realms for kalpas, thanks to merits accrued through molding, painting, viewing with reverence, or saluting images of Earth Treasure by their son, daughter, elder brother, younger brother, elder sister or younger sister, would immediately become liberated and be born among humans or heavenly beings to receive supreme wondrous pleasures. The family members of this person, if by the power of their karmic merits they would have already been born among humans or heavenly beings to receive supreme wondrous pleasures, then thanks to such merits would increase their causes for holiness and experience immeasurable happiness. If, in addition, this person could, for three consecutive seven-day periods, single-mindedly view with reverence and salute images of Earth Treasure, and repeat his name for ten thousand times, then there should be an appearance of the boundless body of the Bodhisattva to inform this person completely about the realms of births of the family members, or in dreams the Bodhisattva would demonstrate great supernatural power by personally leading this person to visit various worlds and see the family members there. If, furthermore, the person could daily repeat the Bodhisattva's name for one thousand times, up to one thousand consecutive days, then this person would be blessed with the Bodhisattva's sending local ghosts and gods to guard and protect for life, and in this life this person would enjoy abundance of clothing and foods, be free from illnesses or suffering, and up to any accidents would not enter the door, not to mention to reach the body. This person would eventually be blessed with the Bodhisattva's caressing the top of head and foretelling the attainment of Enlightenment.
"Furthermore, Bodhisattva Observing Worldly Sounds, if in the future there would be a good man or good woman that wants to aspire toward extensive merciful mind to rescue all sentient beings, wants to cultivate unsurpassable Bodhi, or wants to escape from the Three Spheres, and all such persons, upon seeing images of Earth Treasure and hearing the name, would wholeheartedly take refuge therein, or view with reverence, salute, and make offerings of incenses, flowers, clothing, treasures, drinks or foods, then such good men or good women would soon accomplish their goals and never encounter hindrances.
"Furthermore, Observing Worldly Sounds, if in the future there would be a good man or good woman that aspires to hundreds of thousands of myriads of billions of wishes at present or in the future, and seeks fulfillment of hundreds of thousands of myriads of billions of matters at present or in the future, such a person should simply take refuge in images of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, view them with reverence, salute them, make offerings and exclaim praises to them. Thus whatever the person wishes for or seeks after would all be accomplished. If, in addition, the person wishes that, 'Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, with great mercy and compassion, would support and protect me forever,' then the person, during sleep or in a dream, would be blessed with the Bodhisattva's caressing the top of head and foretelling the attainment of Enlightenment.
"Furthermore, Bodhisattva Observing Worldly Sounds, if in the future there would be a good man or good woman that deeply reveres Mahayana Sutras and develops the inconceivable aspiration to read and recite them, even though such a person has met a learned teacher that teaches this person to read till familiar, as soon as it is learned it will be forgotten right away, often after months and years such a person still could not read nor recite the Sutras. Such a good man and the like have had karmic hindrance from the past that are not extinguished yet, therefore to Mahayana Sutras they lack the propensity to read or recite. For such a person, upon hearing the name of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure or seeing images of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, the person should respectfully report in full the original aspiration, and, in addition, make offerings to the Bodhisattva by presenting incenses, flowers, clothing, drinks, foods, and all sorts of things for entertainment. Place a cup of clean water in front of the Bodhisattva, after one day and one night and then, with palms folded together, request permission to drink it. Turn the head toward south, and when the water is about to enter the mouth, wholeheartedly regard it as most precious. After drinking the water is completed, carefully avoid five kinds of pungent food, drinking wine or liquor, eating meat, illicit sexual behaviors, irresponsible speeches, and all sorts of killing or hurting. After one or three consecutive seven-day periods such a good man or good woman would, during sleep or in a dream, see clearly Bodhisattva Earth Treasure appearing in boundless body, and bestowing initiation water to such a person. This person, right after waking up from such a dream, would obtain cleverness so that all such Sutras, once heard through ears, would be memorized forever, and the person would never forget even one sentence or one gatha therein.
"Furthermore, Bodhisattva Observing Worldly Sounds, if in the future there would be people that are either lacking in clothing and food, frustrated in their pursuits, full of illnesses, full of tragic degeneration, lacking peace in the household, facing dispersion of family members, having all kinds of accidents against the body, or full of scary fears during sleep or in dreams, for such people, upon hearing the name of Earth Treasure or seeing images of Earth Treasure, if they could wholeheartedly revere it and recite the name for ten thousand times, then all those undesirable matters would gradually extinguish, and they would obtain security and happiness, with abundance of clothing and foods, and even during sleep or in dreams would be all peaceful and pleasant.
"Furthermore, Bodhisattva Observing Worldly Sounds, if in the future there would be a good man or good woman that, due to either engagements for livelihood, public or personal affairs, matters of birth or death, or urgent matters, would enter mountains or forests, cross over rivers, oceans, even up to floods, or pass through dangerous paths, then this person should, in advance, repeat the name of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure for ten thousand times. Afterwards wherever this person would pass the local ghosts and gods would guard and protect so that during walking, standing, sitting and lying there would always be security and happiness maintained, and even upon encountering tigers, wolves, lions, or any kind of venomous affliction, nothing could damage this person."
The Buddha told Bodhisattva Observing Worldly Sounds, "This Bodhisattva Earth Treasure has great causal connections with Jambudvipa. If one were to give an account of the benefits to sentient beings for seeing or hearing him, one could not exhaust the account in hundreds of thousands of kalpas. Therefore, Observing Worldly Sounds, you should use supernatural power to propagate this Sutra so that sentient beings in the Saha world would constantly enjoy security and happiness for hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas."
Then the World Honored One spoke the gatha:
As I observe the awesome spiritual power of Earth Treasure
Could not be fully accounted in Ganges-River-sands kalpas.
Within one instant of seeing, hearing, revering or salutation,
Countless benefits to humans or heavenly beings assembled.
For men or women, dragons or gods, as life span exhausted,
They would fall into bad realms for their karmic retribution.
By wholeheartedly taking refuge in images of the Great One,
Their life span would be extended and hindrances abolished.
Those who had lost parents or other loved ones in childhood
Would not know of which realm their consciousness went to.
Elder or younger brothers or sisters, and relatives of all sorts,
They have never gotten acquainted since birth to this instant.
By having images of the Great Bodhisattva molded or painted,
To admire and view with reverence and salute without ceasing,
And for three seven-day periods sustain repetition of his name,
The Bodhisattva would then appear, revealing boundless body,
Indicate or show the realms where the relatives were born into,
Even had they fallen into a bad realm, they would soon escape.
If such devotion, once started, could stay firm without regress,
The top of head would be caressed and enlightenment foretold.
Whosoever wants to put into practice the unsurpassable Bodhi,
And even up to escaping from sufferings in the Three Spheres,
Such a person, having generated the great compassionate mind,
First of all, should view and salute images of Great Bodhisattva.
All aspirations would then speedily become well accomplished;
There would never be any karmic hindrance that could obstruct.
Someone has aspired to recite the Sutras of Mahayana teachings,
In order to help deluded beings to reach the shore of awakening.
Even though such an aspiration of inconceivable merits is erect,
Whatever read would as soon be forgotten, much effort wasted.
Such a person has karmic hindrances that would curtail and cut
Capability to memorize words and content of Mahayana Sutras.
To Earth Treasure all kinds of offering should be made of foods,
Drinks, clothing, incenses, flowers, jewelry, gems or playthings.
Place a cup of clean water in front of an image of the Great One,
After one day and one night, then request permission to drink it.
With solemn and reverent attitude carefully avoid pungent herbs,
Wine or liquor, meat, illicit sexual behaviors, and senseless talks.
For three seven-day periods do not kill or hurt any sentient being,
Wholeheartedly just repeat and recall the name of Earth Treasure,
Then in dream one would see boundless body of the Bodhisattva,
Upon awakening one would possess ears of sharp hearing senses
Such that teachings in Sutras, once heard, will never be forgotten
For thousands of myriads of lifetimes; that this person can obtain
Such wisdom, 'tis due to inconceivable merits of the Bodhisattva.
Poor and destitute sentient beings, those suffering from illnesses,
Households undergoing tragic decline, relatives facing separation,
Both during sleep and in dreams there is neither ease nor release,
Whatever one pursues would run into hindrances and fall through,
By wholeheartedly viewing and saluting images of Earth Treasure,
All bad things would soon end, even up to having peaceful dreams,
Abundance of foods and wear, and protection by gods and ghosts.
Upon entering mountains or forests, or crossing over rivers or sea,
Facing malignant and fierce birds or beasts of prey, sinful persons,
Evil deities, malicious ghosts, violent winds, and any catastrophes,
All sorts of suffering and sorrows, one should view with reverence,
Salute and make offerings to images of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure.
Then in those mountains, forests, rivers and seas all evils disappear.
Observing Worldly Sounds, listen wholeheartedly to what I'm saying,
Endless deeds of inconceivable merits of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure
Couldn't be fully stated in hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas,
One should extensively proclaim that the Bodhisattva has such power.
If a person, upon hearing the epithet of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, or
Upon seeing the image, would revere and salute it, and make offerings
Of incenses, flowers, clothing, drinks, foods, jewelry, or any treasures,
For hundreds of thousands of lives one will enjoy wondrous pleasures.
If the merits could be dedicated to all sentient beings in Dharmadhatu,
Ultimate enlightenment, transcending birth and death, will be attained.
Therefore, Observing Worldly Sounds, you should know this well and
Universally declare such merits to lands as numerous as Ganges-sands.
Then, the World Honored One raised his golden-color arm, again caressed the top of head of Great Bodhisattva Earth Treasure, and said the following words, "Earth Treasure, Earth Treasure, your supernatural power is inconceivable, your compassion is inconceivable, your wisdom is inconceivable, and your ability to debate is inconceivable. Even if all Buddhas in the ten directions were to exclaim praises on and proclaim your inconceivable deeds, in thousands of myriads of kalpas such accounts could not be exhausted. Earth Treasure, Earth Treasure, do remember that, today in Dao Li Heaven, in the assembly of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, heavenly beings, dragons and the rest of the eight departments of protectors, that are hundreds of thousands of myriads of billions of inexplicably, inexplicably many in number, I again entrust you with human beings, heavenly beings and those sentient beings that have not escaped from the Three Spheres and are still staying in the burning house. Do not let these sentient beings fall into bad realms for one day and one night, not to mention to fall into the Five-Unintermittent or Unintermittent Hell that is usually for a duration of thousands of myriads of billions of kalpas without a date for release.
"Earth Treasure, these sentient beings in South Jambudvipa have neither steady aspiration nor definite propensity. Many among them are accustomed to evil ways. Even when they raised some good intentions, instantaneously they would regress. If they encountered bad connections, thought after thought the bad would get worse. Therefore, I have dispersed this form into hundreds of thousands of billions of transformations to teach and convert them, and to rescue beings through conversion in accordance with their propensities. Earth Treasure, now I earnestly entrust you with heavenly beings, human beings and other sentient beings. In the future if there would be some heavenly being, good man or good woman that would cultivate, in accordance with Buddhist teachings, a little bit of good root, as tiny as one hair, one dust, one sand or one drop, you should employ your Dharma power to support and protect such a being so that the being would gradually practice toward the unsurpassable, and you should not let the being regress or get lost.
"Furthermore, Earth Treasure, in the future if there would be humans or heavenly beings that, as retribution for their karmas, would fall into bad realms, while they would be descending into those realms, or even when they would have already reached the door, if these sentient beings could recall the name of a Buddha, the name of a Bodhisattva, a sentence or a gatha from some Mahayana Sutra, then you should employ your supernatural power to rescue these sentient beings through some helpful means. At where such a being would be you should appear in boundless body to crumble the hell and send that being to be born in some heaven to receive supreme wondrous pleasures."
Then the World Honored One spoke the gatha:
Heavenly, human or any other beings, at present or in the future,
Now I earnestly entrust you, Earth Treasure, with their salvation.
Use great supernatural powers to convert them by helpful means,
Do not allow any sentient being to fall into bad realms of sorrow.
Then, Great Bodhisattva Earth Treasure knelt down on his knees, folded his palms together, and said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, only wish that the World Honored One would be free from such worries. In the future if there would be a good man or good woman that has ever had one thought of reverence to things related to Buddha Dharma, then I would also convert and rescue such a person through hundreds of thousands of helpful means so that liberation would soon be attained from among births and deaths, not to mention those that, once having heard about the good deeds, would sustain thoughts, one after the other, only about engaging in Dharma practices, they would naturally never regress on the unsurpassable path."
As these words were spoken, among the assembly there was a Bodhisattva, named "Empty Sky Storage," that said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, since I arrived at Dao Li I have heard the Tathagata exclaiming praises on how inconceivable the awesome spiritual powers of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure are. In the future if there would be a good man or good woman, or even any heavenly being or dragon, that hears about the name of this Sutra and that of Earth Treasure, or views with reverence and salutes the images, then what kinds of meritorious benefits would they accrue? Only wish that the World Honored One, for the sake of all sentient beings at present or in the future, would briefly describe them." The Buddha told Bodhisattva Empty Sky Storage, "Listen attentively, listen attentively, I will describe them individually for your sake.
"If in the future there would be a good man or good woman that sees images of Earth Treasure and hears about this Sutra, and even reads or recites it, donates offerings of incenses, flowers, drinks, foods, clothing, jewelry or treasures to them, exclaims praises on, views with reverence and salutes them, then such a person would obtain twenty-eight kinds of benefits. One, Protection and care from heavenly beings and dragons. Two, Daily increase of fruits of good deeds. Three, Accumulation of holy and supreme causes. Four, No regress from Bodhi. Five, Abundance of clothing and foods. Six, Diseases and epidemics would not arrive. Seven, Away from calamities of water or fire. Eight, No predicament of robbers or thieves. Nine, People, upon seeing, would respect. Ten, Gods and ghosts would help and support. Eleven, Female body transforms into male one. Twelve, Born as daughter of king or official. Thirteen, Having proper and good features and shape. Fourteen, Often born in heavens. Fifteen, Being an emperor or king. Sixteen, Having the supernatural ability to know about past lives. Seventeen, All wishes would be complied. Eighteen, Family members are happy and joyful. Nineteen, All accidents extinguished. Twenty, Forever free from karmic realms. Twenty-one, Wherever one goes there is no hindrance. Twenty-two, Nightly dreams are peaceful and joyful. Twenty-three, Deceased family members escape from suffering. Twenty-four, Born of merits accumulated in past lives. Twenty-five, All holy ones exclaim praises. Twenty-six, Smart with sharp faculties. Twenty-seven, Full of merciful and compassionate feelings. Twenty-eight, Ultimately attaining Buddhahood.
"Furthermore, Bodhisattva Empty Sky Storage, if at present or in the future heavenly beings, dragons, ghosts and gods hear the name of Earth Treasure, salute images of Earth Treasure, or, upon hearing the deeds and stories of Earth Treasure's original vows, exclaim praises, view with reverence or salute, then they would obtain seven kinds of benefits. One, Rapidly transcending holy states. Two, Bad karmas extinguished. Three, All Buddhas arrive to protect. Four, No regress from Bodhi. Five, Increasing and growing original power. Six, Knowing all past lives. Seven, Ultimately attaining Buddhahood."
Then, all inexplicably, inexplicably many Buddhas, Tathagatas that came from the ten directions, and Great Bodhisattvas, heavenly beings, dragons, and the rest of the eight departments of protectors, having heard Buddha Sakyamuni commending, proclaiming and exclaiming praises on how inconceivable the great awesome spiritual powers of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure are, exclaimed that it was indeed unheard of before. At this time the master of Dao Li Heaven showered immeasurably many incenses, flowers, heavenly clothing, and pearl necklaces as offerings to Buddha Sakyamuni and Bodhisattva Earth Treasure. Afterwards, all in the assembly again viewed them with reverence and made prostration to them. Then, they folded their palms together and retired.
Translation, after four months, completed on October 25, 2002
El Cerrito, California