The Sutra of Ksitigarbha's Fundamental Vows: A Colloquial Translation

“Bhagavat! These sentient beings who are habitually inclined toward evil will always make some petty evil suddenly grow into an infinite and enormous one. Hence, while they are on the verge of death, their parents and other dependents should help to gather some capital for them so they can have resources to meet the challenges of the journey ahead…

If these dying persons committed many evil deeds, then the deeds will magnetize the evil realms. However, when their relatives and dependents perform the Buddhist rites, their uncountable grave sins will be eradicated.”

If the relatives and dependents of the newly deceased want to do more for the deceased, they can prevalently perform additional meritorious deeds within forty-nine days of the deaths, so that the deceased will forever stay away from the evil paths, and reincarnate in human or celestial realms to enjoy superb happiness. At the same time, those relatives and dependents will also gain infinite benefits for themselves.”

“Therefore, Samantavipula! All of you should know that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has such enormous, unspeakable, great miraculous power that enables Him to accomplish one hundred quadrillion beneficial matters.

Sentient beings of Jambudvipa have very special bonds with this great Bodhisattva. If these sentient beings have heard about the name of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, seen His image and learned about this Sutra – even three words, five words, one gatha or one sentence – they will have superb peace and joy, and for one billion lives in the future, they will be reborn in prestigious families with distinguished appearances.”

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva explained further for Samantabhadra Bodhisattva: “Your Kindness! These hells are perceived by evil-doing beings and magnetized by their karma in Southern Jambudvipa. The karmic force is extremely powerful – its strength is hard to overcome – as high as Mount Sumeru and as deep as the deepest sea. It creates immense barriers for practitioners during their pursuit of virtuous learning.

Therefore, all you sentient beings should never overlook any evil, nor should you consider any trivial harm or petty evil as if sinless. The consequences will appear when this life is over because retributions wait for you after death. Every little evil counts and will bring on suffering!

Even the most intimate relationship between a father and son in the past will not be of any help; upon death, each will go their separate ways, unable to assist one another. If they happen to meet again, neither one will be willing to shoulder any burden for the other.”

Then, the Buddha said to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva: “Before all those sentient beings gain their deliverance, they lack firm disposition and direction. If habitually they lean towards the evil direction, they will tend to attract evil conditions and commit evil karmic deeds. If they habitually lean towards the virtuous direction, they will attract virtuous deeds and obtain innumerable virtuous consequences. 

Nevertheless, all sentient beings are at all times influenced by their environments and are being drawn to do virtuous or evil deeds. Therefore, all sentient beings are continuously reincarnating among the five paths without a moment of rest. After numerous kalpas—as many as all the dust particles added together—have passed, their minds remain confused with obstinate barriers… 

These kinds of sentient beings are my great concern. However, since you are going to fulfill the profound vows that you have asserted over numerous kalpas and will surely and extensively rescue those sinful-suffering beings, I need not worry!”

At that time, Lady Maya, the Buddha’s mundane mother, reverently brought her palms together in front of her chest and asked Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva: “O Holy One, when sentient beings in Jambudvipa commit various karmic deeds, how different in severity are the deeds? And what kinds of retributions will these sentient beings receive?”

Ksitigarbha answered… “In southern Jambudvipa, the five evil deeds that will attract grave retributions are as follows... Noble Mother, if any sentient beings commit the above-mentioned five sinful deeds, they will certainly fall into the Five Unremitting Hells as a consequence, where they cannot even plead for an instance of relief from the suffering.”

At that time, Bhagavat extended His golden-bronze-colored arms to bless and touch the heads of one hundred quadrillion asamkhyeya divided-identical Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, who came from all of the worlds—an unthinkable, indiscussable, immeasurable and unspeakable number. The Buddha said to the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattvas:

“I have taught and influenced many obstinate, hard-to-tame beings in this foul time with the Five Contaminations... However, there are still many untamed beings who will meet their retributions according to their karma. When you see them falling into the evil paths and suffering severe distress, you must remember what I am entrusting to you in this Trayastrimsa Palace: 

‘From now until Maitreya becomes a Buddha in this mundane world, all sentient beings in this Saha World are under your care. You are to rescue and liberate them, so that they can forever depart from suffering, and you are to continue your care until they can encounter a Buddha to anoint them as future Buddhas.’”

At that time, Sakyamuni Buddha said to the Dharma Prince Manjusri Bodhisattva-Mahasattva: “Look at all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, devas, nagas, ghosts and gods, from this Saha World and other worlds, from this land and other lands, now assembled here in Trayastrimsa Heaven to attend this dharma gathering... 

These sentient beings are all related to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva. From past infinite kalpas, some of them have been delivered and transformed; some will be delivered and transformed during this assembly; and some are yet to be delivered and transformed in the future... 

O Manjusri, this Bodhisattva’s grand vows have such inconceivable, majestic and miraculous power.”

As a disciple of the Three Jewels, I __(your name)__ , in front of the image of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva and with utmost sincerity and respect, make the following grand vows:

Namah Ksitigarbhaya Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya!

I vow: that all sentient beings and I will often receive, uphold, study and chant The Sutra of Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows;

I vow: that while receiving, upholding, studying and chanting this Sutra, I will profoundly comprehend the true, dependable meaning of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas;

I vow: to protect and uphold this Sutra and those convenient practices given by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva until all sinful- suffering beings on this earth are transformed and liberated;

I vow: that all my parents, spouses, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, other dependents of my numerous past lives as well as all sinful-suffering beings on this earth will rely on the merits of this Sutra to be rescued and transformed;

I vow: that in all the Buddhas’ worlds where there are hells, all sinful-suffering beings will rely on the merits of this Sutra to be rescued and transformed;

I vow: that at all times and at all places, all sentient beings will make the same pledge as I so that we can be empowered by the miraculous power of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s grand vow to gain the benefits of:

Departing from the Five Unremitting Hells, from all large and small hells, from the three evil realms, from reincarnations amongst the six realms, from the Burning Three Realms, from the suffering sea of births and deaths;

Forever departing from all Eight Sufferings; and

Relying on the Authentic Teachings and Conveniences of Tathagata to reach the Buddha’s realm together, to validate the Buddha’s stage together, and to enjoy the grand Nirvana of true permanence, true happiness, true identity (“I”) and true cleanliness together;

I vow: to follow Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to transform all sinful-suffering beings on this earth until Maitreya Bodhisattva becomes a Buddha;

I vow: with this pledge, to draw and receive the empowerment of Ksitigarbha’s miraculous power generated from this grand vow upon me;

I vow: by relying upon the miraculous power of Ksitigarbha’s grand vow, to completely and satisfactorily accomplish my pledge;

I vow: that with the merits from my pledge, I make:

Respectful offerings to all the Buddhas in the past, present and future,

I vow: that I will attribute the merits of my pledge to all sentient beings of the past, present and future in the ten dharma realms.

Namah Ksitigarbhaya Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya!

We bow deeply before the feet of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva!

We pray that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva will swiftly and urgently rescue ______________ and all newly deceased beings.

We pray that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva will strengthen us with kindness and mercy, deliverance and fearless-miraculous power as we make a vow to study The Sutra of Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows for the sake of delivering ______________ and all newly deceased beings from great suffering and distress!

We pray that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva will strengthen ______________ and all newly deceased beings with bravery and honesty so they can confront all the ten evil deeds of action, speech and thought that they have committed. The evil deeds are—killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, deceptive speech, alienating speech, ill-intended speech, frivolous speech, greed/stinginess, hatred/jealousy and arrogance with erroneous views. Empower them to repent for their sinful deeds so as to cleanse the evil karma and remove all obstacles as they travel onto a new path.

We pray that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva will strengthen ______________ and all newly deceased beings with kindness and mercy, deliverance, fearlessness and miraculous power, so they will have peaceful, benevolent and tender hearts that will enable them to forgive all their foes, forego all of their grievances and consequently cleanse their evil karma and remove all obstacles.

We pray that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva will

Namah* Ksitigarbhaya Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya!

*Namah is a Sanskrit word for “homage.” Namah Ksitigarbhaya means “homage to Ksitigarbha”.

With utmost sincerity, I contemplate the following thoughts:

I solely vow that when I open The Sutra of Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows, it will be as if I am personally attending the assembly in Trayastrimsa Heaven, listening to the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva and many other Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas!

I vow: As I read this Sutra, it will be as if the Buddha, the Bodhisattvas, God of Solid-Firm-Earth, Deva Yamaraja and many ghost kings are directly addressing the dharma to me.

I vow: I will be in full accordance with the dharma taught by those virtuous mentors wholeheartedly, vigilantly and profoundly.

I vow: I will often read and study this Sutra with faith, appreciation, respect and mindfulness; I will contemplate the meaning without forgetting it; I will guard the dharma from extinction; and I will extensively spread the dharma to all beings in the future so that they will also gain the benefits.

I vow: By relying on the merits gained from reading and studying this Sutra, I will attain a firm dharma connection with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.

I vow: I will attribute the merits gained from reading and studying this Sutra to the wisdom and consciousness that have long been hidden and to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

I vow: I will attribute the merits gained from reading and studying this Sutra to the Path of Ten Virtuous Deeds.

I vow: I will attribute the merits gained from reading and studying this Sutra to all sinful, suffering beings, as well as those in the six realms [of existence] and the ten directions [in this universe so that they will gain the same benefits].

I vow: I will attribute the merits gained from reading and studying this Sutra to my past countless number of births and deaths — I vow that all beings and I can swiftly apply the merits of this Sutra to find annulment of all sins accumulated from past infinite kalpas as a result of committing the Ten Evil Deeds, the Four Prohibitions, the Five Rebellious Acts, turning the truth upside down, slandering the Three Jewels and the deeds of Icchantika.

I vow: By relying on the merits gained from reading and studying this Sutra, I will attribute all the merits to ___(insert names of those in concern)___ so that ________________ will rely upon the meritorious power of this Sutra to swiftly eliminate all evil deeds and grave sins, to part from all obstacles, all sufferings and hardships, and to swiftly gain blissful peace and refuge.

I vow: that ________________, all beings and I will soon have Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva’s kind and merciful attention and nurturing; uplifting salvation; and illuminating teaching and guidance.