The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva

本来无一物，何处惹尘埃

2010-01-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

Recently I was rewatching the drama series
Journey to the West
In one of the episodes, Master told Monkey
"菩提本无树，明镜亦非台，本来无一物，何处惹尘埃"

Thought it to be pretty inspiring and meaningful
So I did a bit of research

This video is about how it originates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukeuNJawrW8

在南北朝的时候，佛教禅宗传到了第五祖弘忍大师，弘忍大师当时在湖北的黄梅开坛讲学，手下有弟子五百余人，其中翘楚者当属大弟子神秀大师。神秀也是大家公认的禅宗衣钵的继承人。弘忍渐渐的老去，于是他要在弟子中寻找一个继承人，所以他就对徒弟们说，大家都做一首畿子（有禅意的诗），看谁做得好就传衣钵给谁。这时神秀很想继承衣钵，但又怕因为出于继承衣钵的目的而去做这个畿子，违法了佛家的无为而作意境。所以他就在半夜起来，在院墙上写了一首畿子身是菩提树，心为明镜台。时时勤拂拭，勿使惹尘埃。这首畿子的意思是，要时时刻刻的去照顾自己的心灵和心境，通过不断的修行来抗拒外面的诱惑，和种种邪魔。是一种入世的心态，强调修行的作用。而这种理解与禅宗大乘教派的顿悟是不太吻合的，所以当第二天早上大家看到这个畿子的时候，都说好，而且都猜到是神秀作的而很佩服的时候，弘忍看到了以后没有做任何的评价。因为他知道神秀还没有顿悟。
而这时，当庙里的和尚们都在谈论这首畿子的时候，被厨房里的一个火头僧—慧能禅师听到了。慧能当时就叫别人带他去看这个畿子，这里需要说明的一点是，慧能是个文盲，他不识字。他听别人说了这个畿子，当时就说这个人还没有领悟到真谛啊。于是他自己又做了一个畿子，央求别人写在了神秀的畿子的旁边，菩提本无树，明镜亦非台，本来无一物，何处惹尘埃。有这首畿子可以看出慧能是个有大智慧的人（后世有人说他是十世比丘转世），他这个畿子很契合禅宗的顿悟的理念。是一种出世的态度，主要意思是，世上本来就是空的，看世间万物无不是一个空字，心本来就是空的话，就无所谓抗拒外面的诱惑，任何事物从心而过，不留痕迹。这是禅宗的一种很高的境界，领略到这层境界的人，就是所谓的开悟了。
弘忍看到这个畿子以后，问身边的人是谁写的，边上的人说是慧能写的，于是他叫来了慧能，当着他和其他僧人的面说：写得乱七八糟，胡言乱语，并亲自擦掉了这个畿子。然后在慧能的头上打了三下就走了。这时只有慧能理解了五祖的意思，于是他在晚上三更的时候去了弘忍的禅房，在那里弘忍向他讲解了《金刚经》这部佛教最重要的经典之一，并传了衣钵给他。然后为了防止神秀的人伤害慧能，让慧能连夜逃走。于是慧能连夜远走南方，隐居10年之后在莆田少林寺创立了禅宗的南宗。而神秀在第二天知道了这件事以后，曾派人去追慧能，但没有追到。后来神秀成为梁朝的护国法师，创立了禅宗的北宗。

被鬼压床 Pressed by ghosts in sleep

2009-10-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

Ever experienced being pressed by ghosts in sleep?
Common symptoms are:
1. you wake up in the middle of your sleep
2. you are stationary and however you struggle you cannot move
3. you may open your eyes and look around but you can't turn your head/neck
4. you open your mouth to scream but no voice comes out

Scientist argues that this is caused by pressure/stress before sleep
or probably pressure on your chest during sleep
or unconscious state of mind being unstable.
Paranormal or Medical? You decide!

I believe in 鬼压床 because I often experience this when
many years back, continuously for years
The last time it came, it lets me see its appearance.
It was a lady in red with long hair that floats in an anti-gravity manner.
Then it never came back..
I supposed I had offended her in my previous life, maybe I took her life.
Another Catholic friend of mine saw a old male spirit
with skin likened to tree bark during her sleep.

I came across this article
and thought it would be helpful for those who are in this situation;
pardon me for the bad translation though.

[SOLUTION]

晚上常常梦到恶鬼、家亲眷属，或受到魇鬼压身，或者共鬼神游，
Often dreaming of
1. ferocious ghosts/spirits
2. spirits of deceased family members
3. resentful ghosts pressing one's body in sleep
4. touring/floating around with spirits.

这一类的，第二天早晨，在佛菩萨像前，将地藏菩萨本愿经恭恭敬敬地念一遍，回向给他，非常有效。
For people who are suffering from the above symptoms, you may read the Ksitigarbha sutra respectfully once, in front of a bodhisattva statue the next morning. Dedicate the sutra recitation to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva will prove very useful.
(Ksitigarbha Sutra is available here - http://www.dizang.org/xj/dz01.htm; for those who are poor in mandarin and requires pinyin assistance like myself, you may visit here - http://www.chandao.com/zangchuanfojiao/79/106951.htm)

第二夜就非常平安，再也不会梦到鬼神。
The following night will be peaceful, he/she will not dream of spirits.

我出家两年受戒后，有一个过去的同事，他太太是佛教徒，曾经告诉我，她在一星期中曾梦到邻居的太太三次。
Two years after accepting monkhood, an ex-colleague's who is a buddhist once told me that she dreamt of her neighbour's deceased wife thrice a week.

邻居也是同事，全家信基督教，太太过世了。她梦到过世的这个太太很可怜，好像生活很困难的样子，求她帮助，向她要钱。
The neighbour was also her colleague, whose family are Christians. She dreamt that the deceased neighbour was in a pitiful and difficult state and begged her for help and money.

她在梦中忘记她已死了，问她：‘你应该向你先生要钱，怎么向我要呢？’这个太太告诉她：‘我先生没有钱，求你帮助。’一星期梦了三次，她忽然想到，她先生是基督徒，不烧纸钱。
In the dream, she had forgotten that the neighbour had already passed away, asked her "you should ask your husband for money instead, why do you approach me instead?"
the neighbour replied "my husband doesn't have any money, please help me."
Having the same dream thrice a week, she recalls the family being Christians and does not practice buring of incense paper/money.

我告诉她，给这个太太烧点纸钱。此后就不再梦到了。所以，这个基督徒没有生天，还在饿鬼道，找学佛的人要钱。这是真实的事情。
I instructed her to burn some paper money for the deceased neighbour to cease the nightmare. This incident reflects that the Christian neighbour failed to go to heaven and still lingers in the Hungry Ghost Realm, looking for Buddhists to seek monetary aid. This is a true story.

烧纸钱对饿鬼道有用，其他道没用。印光大师对于这桩事情，不反对也不赞成。为什么不赞成？因为佛教不烧纸钱。
Burning paper money only works with spirits in the Hungry Ghost Realm, it is not applicable to other realms. Monk Ying Guang responded that he does not agree or disagree with the solution.
Why disagree? Because Buddhists does not practice burning paper money.

不反对是因为万一他堕在鬼道，对他就有用处。有人过世，替他诵经念佛回向才是正确的，也要替他做好事。
Why agree? Becaue if the deceased happen to end up at the Ghost Realm, he would have use with the paper money. The correct procedure/solution is to chant Buddhist sutras and dedicate the merit to the deceased; in addition, do good deeds with/under the name of the deceased.

article taken from
http://www.dizang.org/dzjd/qishi/p23.htm
poorly translated by
your humble blog author T_T

[Additional Information]
I have also read from Ksitigarbha Sutra that upon dedication of merits to the deceased,
the deceased can only receive 1/8 of the merit
7/8 of the merit will be received by the family members who chants the sutra or does the good deeds
From here we can see that it is a very difficult and tedious process
to transfer merits to the deceased (kind of like bank interests, yes?)
So the morale of this post is -
Accumulate merits when you are STILL ALIVE!

Do you believe in Karma?

2009-10-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

四天王，
Then Shakyamuni Buddha spoke again to the four Deva Kings, saying:

地藏菩萨若遇杀生者，说宿殃短命报。
"If Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva encounters beings who commit sin by killing, he helps them to realise that such sins shorten their lives.

若遇窃盗者，说贫穷苦楚报。
If he encounters thieves and robbers, he will lead them to understand that such evil actions will bring suffering and poverty to those who commit them.

若遇邪淫者，说雀鸽鸳鸯报。
When he meets adulterers, he tells them that they will be reborn as pigeons which are inseparable.

若遇恶口者，说眷属斗诤报。
He tells those addicted to harsh language that they will be born into quarrelsome families.

若遇毁谤者，说无舌疮口报。
If scandalmongers are met, then he warns them of the danger of being born without tongues or with horrible boils in their mouths.

若遇瞋恚者，说丑陋癃残报。
He assures those with hot temper that they may risk being reborn with ugly faces and deformed bodies.

若遇悭吝者，说所求违愿报。
Misers will not be successful in gaining their wishes,

若遇饮食无度者，说饥渴咽病报。
greedy beings who have no control over their diets will suffer hunger and thirst, and sickness of the throat.

若遇畋猎恣情者，说惊狂丧命报。
When he encounters hunters, he warns them that they are in danger of dying by terrible violence.

若遇悖逆父母者，说天地灾杀报。
Those who are guilty of disrespect for their parents will die in warfare or natural disasters.

若遇烧山林木者，说狂迷取死报。
Those who burn forests will die mentally unbalanced or suicide.

若遇前后父母恶毒者，说返生鞭挞现受报。
Those who are unkind to step-children will eventually receive the same treatment.

若遇网捕生雏者，说骨肉分离报。
Those who catch living things in nets will be separated from their children and families.

若遇毁谤三宝者，说盲聋喑哑报。
Those who despise the Triple-gems will be reborn deaf, dumb and blind.

若遇轻法慢教者，说永处恶道报。
Those who have no respect for the Teachings of the Buddha are always reborn in the evil realms of suffering.

若遇破用常住者，说亿劫轮回地狱报。
Those who steal from temples will be reborn in Hells for kalpas and kalpas.

若遇污梵诬僧者，说永在畜生报。
Monks and nuns guilty of sexual misconduct will be reborn as animals endlessly. Also the laity will be included in this punishment if they are well instructed in the precepts but violate them.

若遇汤火斩斫伤生者，说轮回递偿报。
Those beings who harm people with boiling water, fire, cutting or otherwise injuring them will, in their next life, receive the same treatment.

若遇破戒犯斋者，说禽兽饥饿报。
Those who encourage others to break the precepts shall be reborn as animals- always suffering from hunger.

若遇非理毁用者，说所求阙绝报。
Those who are guilty of stupid extravagance will never get their wishes fulfilled.

若遇吾我贡高者，说卑使下贱报。
Those who are proud and look down on others will have low births.

若遇两舌斗乱者，说无舌百舌报。
Gossips and tale-bearers will be reborn without tongues or else with one hundred tongues.

若遇邪见者，说边地受生报。
Those who cling to wrong views will be reborn in uncivilised places and endure suffering.

《地藏菩萨本愿经》经文(阎浮众生业感品第四)
Chapter Four: Evil Actions and Retributions of Human Beings of the Samsara World

PAINT YOUR OWN KSITIGARBHA!

2009-09-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

Foreword:
This is something I like to do
during my free time.
I am not an expert in technology
the following steps explains how i usually
paint my ksitigarbha bodhisattva
with Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop CS3

this is how our final painting will look like
after 10 simple steps! =)

step 1:
open microsoft paint
draw "circles" and "rectangles" with the given templates
for the collars i used the "line" template
to draw out the outlines
then use "fill" to colour the collars blue

step 2:
using an orange "line"
i draw out roughly where i want the robe to be
also i added a little "rectangle" for the bottom of the robe

step 3:
next i added ears using the "circle" template
and "fill" the robe with red and light orange

step 4:
then i used the brown "paintbrush"
to draw ksitigarbha's face
i drew a smiling face
you may want your ksitigarbha with a serious face
next i used yellow "line" to draw brick-like patterns on his robe

step 5:
this is how your ksitigarbha should look like by now
pat yourself on the shoulder for the effort

step 6: (optional)
you may want to give your ksitigarbha a crown
i used orange "line" again to draw the outline

step 7:
next i used "fill" to colour the crown light orange
and the background with a nice contrasting blue
remember to fill the insides of his jingle staff
which he will be using to alert small insects and animals
of his approaching so as to not harm them accidentally
(also to force open the gates of hell)

step 8: (optional)
using adobe photoshop cs3
i copied a layer
and using filter > render > lens flare
to make his wish-fulfilling jewel shine
aim the cross hair on his jewel
i've selected "movie prime" at 205% brightness

step 9: (optional)
to create his aura
i placed an oval over his head
right-click the layer, razterised the shape
and adjusted the opacity to 25%
finally select layer > flatten image

step 10:
i went back to paintbrush and added the caption
in fact everything can be done with photoshop alone
but i'm such am idiot at technology

here we have our D.I.Y. Ksitigarha Bodhisattva.
congratulations! =)

this is a simple way
for people of all ages and experiences
to draw their own ksitigarbha
with much practice and creativity
you may draw him professionally.

added a few cartoon buddha and bodhisattva
if anyone is interested in getting templates
for you to print out
to let your kids colour, do drop me a comment! =)

looks awesomely adorable on your desktop wallpaper too!

Who is Ksitigarbha?

2009-09-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

Kṣitigarbha is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism, usually depicted as a Buddhist monk in the Orient. The name may be translated as "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix", or "Earth Womb." Kṣitigarbha is known for his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied; therefore, he is regarded as the bodhisattva of hell beings. Usually depicted as a monk with a nimbus around his shaved head, he carries a staff to force open the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness.

Kṣitigarbha is one of the four principal bodhisattvas in East Asian Mahayana Buddhism. The others are Samantabhadra, Manjusri, and Avalokitesvara.

At the pre-Tang Dynasty grottos in Dunhuang and Longmen, he is depicted in classical bodhisattva shape. After the Tang Dynasty, he became increasingly depicted as a monk, carrying rosaries and a staff.

His full name in Chinese script is (traditional Chinese: 大願地藏菩薩; simplified Chinese: 大願地藏菩萨; pinyin: Dàyuàn Dìzàng Púsà), or the Bodhisattva King Dizang of the Great Vow, pronounced as Dayuan Dizang Pusa in Mandarin Chinese, Daigan Jizō Bosatsu in Japanese.

This is a reference to his pledge, as recorded in the sutras, to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in six worlds, in the era between the death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya Buddha. Because of this important role, shrines to Kṣitigarbha often occupy a central role in any Oriental Mahayana temples.

地藏菩萨（梵文：क्षितिगर्भ，Kṣitigarbha），或称地藏王菩萨，曾音译为“乞叉底蘗沙”。因其“安忍不动如大地，静虑深密如秘藏”，故名地藏。为佛教四大菩萨之一，与观音、文殊、普贤一起，深受世人敬仰。以其“久远劫来屡发弘愿”，故被尊称为大愿地藏王菩萨。

据《地藏菩萨本愿经》记载，地藏菩萨在忉利天宫受释迦牟尼佛的咐嘱，在释迦牟尼佛涅槃后至弥勒佛降生人间前这段时间内，六道一切众生皆由地藏菩萨来教化。祂无数次发出无以复加的大悲弘愿，自誓度尽六道一切众生自己最后成佛：“地狱未空，誓不成佛；众生度尽，方证菩提”

The Benefit Through Sight and Hearing

2009-09-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8zAxFC-wGE
13:20

Sakyamuni Buddha told Avalokitsevara Bodhisattva:
"If sentinent beings of the six categories of beings of the present and the future in different worlds, hear the name of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva at their dying stage, they will never be reborn to the three evil realms. If parents or relatives of the dying person sell all of his belongings, riches, properties, and use the money to make images of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, then the dying person comes to know the meritorious deeds done on his behalf, although the person should suffer a severe disease according to his own Karma, instead he fully recovers very quickly and has longevity.

If the dying person loses his life according to his Karma and should be cast into the evil realms, due to the meritorious deeds done on his behalf, all of his punishments will be extinguished and he will be born as a devaor human being, enjoying great bliss."

Chapter 12 - The Benefit Through Sight and Hearing
Sutra on Ksitigrabha Bodhisattva

复次观　世　音：
若　未　来　现　在　诸　世　界　中　，
六　道　众　生　临　命　终　时　，得闻　地　藏　菩　萨名　
，一声　历耳根　者。　是　诸　众　生　，永　不历
三　恶道　苦。何况　临　命　终　时　，父母眷　属　
，将　是　命　终　人　舍　宅、财　物、宝　贝　、衣
服，塑画　地藏　形　像。　或　使　病　人　未　终　之　
时，眼　耳见　闻　，知　道　眷　属　将　舍　宅　、宝
贝　等　为　其自身　塑画　地藏　菩萨形　像。　是　
人　若　是　业报　合受　重　病　者，承　斯功　德，
寻　即除　愈，寿　命　增　益。是　人　若　是　业报　
命　尽　，应　有　一切　罪　障　业障　，合堕　恶趣
者。　承　斯功　德，命　终　之　后　，即生　人　天
，受　胜　妙　乐，一切　罪　障　，皆　悉消　灭　。

见闻利益品第十二
地藏菩萨本愿经