Lecture by Venerable Master Hsuan-Hua
A person who follows the Dharma, worships and pays homage to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva sincerely, can obtain ten kinds of benefits. What are the ten kinds of benefits?
First, their lands will be fertile…One, the excellent soil is rich and fertile. Anything planted in this piece of land will grow and be big. Land in Alaska is like this, growing extremely long cucumbers. That is fertile.
Second, their families and homes will always be peaceful…If the place where you live is not safe and happy, what's the use of just fertile land? Therefore, the place where you live should also be safe and happy, and this home will always be safe, which means that the place where you live will always be safe.
Third, their ancestors will be born in the heavens…This means our deceased parents, perhaps as far back as those in seven of our lifetimes, will become reborn in the heavens. How come they will reborn in the heavens? It is due to your worshipping, gazing at, bowing and believing in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. Consequently, our families and homes are forever peaceful, our lands are fertile, and our ancestors become reborn in the heavens.
Fourth, those of the current generation will enjoy benefits and long lives… Some may doubt this: I will not necessarily see the deceased become reborn in the heavens. This may just be your claim. Do you want to see it? Cultivate! When you acquire the Heavenly Eye, you will be able to see. Now let us not talk about what you cannot see; now let us talk about what you can see. Your parents were meant to live until fifty, but are now eighty years old; or if they were meant to live until eighty, but are now 100. Their lifes are extended.
I will tell you a true story. Fortune tellers told a laywoman's father that he will definitely die by the age of 79. He was afraid and came to take refuge. He took refuge with certain conditions; he wanted me to make him live another ten years. I said, "Fine, ten years! No problem." I made him that promise so that he lived until the age of 91, another twelve years. I told him then, "I guarantee that you will live twelve more years if you listen to me and conduct yourself according to the teachings." Who knows whether what I said was true or not, but he did not die at the age of 79. He lived for another twelve years and died at the age of 91. His wife and two daughters also became Buddhists. Everybody knows this story, but there is just a bit of uncertainty: is this real?
Fifth, everything you pray for comes true…Those in the present may enjoy benefits and longer lives, but that is other people. I do not gain anything by it. Now here is something that is good for you. Your wishes come true. For example, one thing that most people think is most critical may be a man or a woman's hope for a good spouse. He or she will get their wish. This is an issue for laypeople. What about monastics? They will be good monks and nuns, getting their wish. If you say, "I'm not interested in any of these." Find something that interests you and the related wishes will come true.
Sixth, they will not encounter disasters of water and fire…They will neither be drowned nor burned; they will not encounter any flood or fire.
Seventh, they will avoid unforeseen calamities… there are no unforeseen calamities of various kinds. Calamities come as a surprise and are unusual. Here, all kinds of disasters, things that you cannot imagine, disappear.
Eighth, they will never have nightmares…people often have nightmares about being hit, killed, eaten by a tiger or taken to see King Yan by the ghost of impermanence. For instance, someone sleeping saw a kumbhanda ghost sit on top of him. He could not talk, make any sound or move his body. He was stuck there. Make offerings to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva or recite Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's name and nightmares will not occur any more.
Ninth, they will be protected by spirits in their daily comings and goings…For instance, you were hit by a car that threw you more than ten yards away, but you walk away unscathed. You should have broken bones and all, but you get up and walk away from the scene. You do not even need to go to the hospital. Why? It is because spirits are protecting you as you go in and out.
Tenth, often encounter Saint causes…What are Saint causes? For example, our summer session is a Saint cause. These six weeks, we focus on lecturing sutras and speaking dharma. We work hard at cultivation. It is impossible to find around the globe, another summer session as difficult as this one. If you do not want to work yourself that hard, you will not encounter a Saint cause. Though this is suffering for you right now, but it is a Saint cause.
Plain Introduction of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Pūrvapraṇidhāna Sūtra
The Earth Spirit Protects the Dharma Chapter 11
瞻禮讚嘆地藏菩薩的十種利益
