Earth Treasure Bodhisattva Hall
The Buddhist services at the Earth Treasure (Ksitigarbha) Bodhisattva Hall include chanting the Sutra of the Earth Treasure Bodhisattva’s Original Vows (地藏菩薩本願經) , participating in the Earth Treasure Bodhisattva Repentence Ceremony (地藏懺) and attending dharma talks by monastics.
The Sutra of the Earth Treasure Bodhisattva’s Original Vows is the most commonly known of all the sutras related to Earth Treasure Bodhisattva’s practice. Written in beautiful language and rich in content, it expounds the compassionate vows in delivering sentient beings and great filial piety embodied by the bodhisattva. Born as a Brahman woman and a woman named Bright Eyes respectively, to save their mother who had fallen into hell, Earth Treasure Bodhisattva made a great vow saying,
“ Not until all beings are saved will I attain Bodhi. Not until the hells are emptied will I become a Buddha.” (眾生度盡，方證菩提；地獄未空，誓不成佛。) In order to save her mothers, Earth Treasure Bodhisattva was willing to deliver all beings in the three lower realms ceaselessly, and would not attain Buddhahood until all beings have attained Buddhahood.
Master Lian Chi (蓮池大師) once praised this vow as the greatest example of filial piety of all.
For those who would like to repay the kindness of their parents, practicing the method of Earth Treasure Bodhisattva would be most appropriate, in that it has been developed from his vows to deliver his mothers. Practitioners could transfer the merits accumulated through their cultivation to their parents, praying that by means of the great spiritual strength of the bodhisattva, their parents could enjoy peace and auspiciousness, be liberated from sufferings, and attain joy.
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