Volume One

爐香乍爇法界蒙燻諸佛海會悉遙聞隨處結祥雲誠意方殷諸佛現全身

The incense in the burner has just been lit, and the whole Dharma realm is perfumed by it; the sea-like assemblies of the Buddhas can all smell it from afar; auspicious clouds gather wherever it goes, and when sincerity is at its most earnest, the Buddhas show their whole bodies.

南無香雲蓋菩薩摩訶薩（三稱）

I take refuge in the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Incense Cloud Canopy (a Bodhisattva is one who seeks awakening and also saves beings). (Chant three times.)

;淨口業真言

Mantra for Purifying Speech Karma.

唵。修俐修俐。摩訶修俐。修修俐。薩婆訶

This is the mantra for purifying speech karma, which has always been recited and not translated.

;淨意業真言

Mantra for Purifying Mind Karma.

唵。縛日囉。怛訶賀斛。

This is the mantra for purifying mind karma, which has always been recited and not translated.

;淨身業真言

Mantra for Purifying Body Karma.

唵。修哆俐修哆俐。修摩俐修摩俐。薩婆訶

This is the mantra for purifying body karma, which has always been recited and not translated.

;安土地真言

Mantra for Pacifying the Earth.

南無三滿哆。毋馱喃。唵。度魯度魯。地尾薩婆訶

This is the mantra for pacifying the earth, which has always been recited and not translated.

;普供養真言

Mantra for Universal Offering.

唵，誐誐曩，三婆嚩，伐日囉，吽

This is the mantra for universal offering, which has always been recited and not translated.

;覺林菩薩偈

Verse of Bodhisattva Awakening Forest.

華嚴第四會，夜摩天宮，無量菩薩來集，說偈讚佛。爾時覺林菩薩承佛威力，遍觀十方而說頌言：

In the fourth assembly of the Avatamsaka Sutra, in the Yama Heaven Palace, countless Bodhisattvas came together and spoke verses in praise of the Buddha. Then Bodhisattva Awakening Forest, by the Buddha's power, surveyed the ten directions and spoke this verse:

譬如工畫師，分佈諸彩色。虛妄取異相，大種無差別。

It is like a skillful painter, who lays out the many kinds of colors. Falsely grasping at all different appearances, the four great elements in truth have no difference.

大種中無色，色中無大種。亦不離大種，而有色可得。

In the four great elements there is no color, and in color there are no four great elements. Nor is it apart from the four great elements that color can be found elsewhere.

心中無彩畫，彩畫中無心。然不離於心，有彩畫可得。

In the mind there are no colored paintings, and in the paintings there is no mind. Yet apart from the mind, no painting can be found.

彼心恆不住，無量難思議。示現一切色，各各不相知。

That mind never stays still, it is measureless and beyond thought. It displays all forms, each unaware of the others.

譬如工畫師，不能知自心。而由心故畫，諸法性如是。

It is like a skillful painter who cannot know his own mind. Yet because of the mind he paints, and the nature of all dharmas is also like this.

心如工畫師，能畫諸世間。五蘊悉從生，無法而不造。

The mind is like a skillful painter, able to paint all the worlds. The five skandhas (the five groups of body-and-mind factors: form, feeling, perception, formation and consciousness) all arise from it, and there is no dharma it does not make.

如心佛亦爾，如佛眾生然。應知佛與心，體性皆無盡。

As the mind is, so is the Buddha; as the Buddha is, so are beings. You should know that Buddha and mind are both without end in their nature.

若人知心行，普造諸世間。是人則見佛，了佛真實性。

If a person knows how the mind works, it universally creates all the worlds. That person can see the Buddha and understand the Buddha's true nature.

心不住於身，身亦不住心。而能作佛事，自在未曾有。

The mind does not dwell in the body, and the body does not dwell in the mind. Yet they can do the Buddha's work, with a freedom never seen before.

若人欲了知，三世一切佛。應觀法界性，一切唯心造。

If a person wishes to know all the Buddhas of the three times, he should contemplate the nature of the Dharma realm: everything is made by the mind alone.

;地藏讚

Praise of Ksitigarbha.

稽首本然清淨地無盡佛藏大慈尊南方世界湧香雲香雨花雲及花雨

I bow my head to the original pure ground, the greatly compassionate honored one of the inexhaustible Buddha treasury; in the southern world clouds of incense rise, with rain of incense, clouds of flowers, and rain of flowers.

寶雨寶雲無數種為祥為瑞遍莊嚴天人問佛是何因佛言地藏菩薩至

Jeweled rain and jeweled clouds of countless kinds, auspicious and propitious, adorn everywhere; the devas and people ask the Buddha what is the cause, and the Buddha says Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has arrived.

三世如來同讚歎十方菩薩共皈依我今宿植善因緣稱揚地藏真功德

The Tathagatas of the three times praise him together, the Bodhisattvas of the ten directions take refuge together; I, having planted good causes in former lives, now proclaim Ksitigarbha's true merit.

慈因積善，誓救眾生，手中金錫，振開地獄之門。掌上明珠，光攝大千世界。智慧音裡，吉祥雲中，為閻浮提苦眾生，作大證明功德主。大悲大願，大聖大慈，本尊地藏菩薩摩訶薩。

With compassion as the cause he accumulates good, vowing to save beings; with his golden staff in hand, he shakes open the gates of hell. The bright pearl in his palm gathers in its light the great thousand world. In the sound of wisdom, in auspicious clouds, for the suffering beings of Jambudvipa, he is the great witness and master of merit. Of great compassion and great vows, great sage and great kindness, the original honored one, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.

;南無本師釋迦牟尼佛（三稱）

I take refuge in the original teacher Shakyamuni Buddha. (Chant three times.)

;開經偈

Verse for Opening the Sutra.

無上甚深微妙法百千萬劫難遭遇

The unsurpassed, profound and wondrous Dharma is hard to meet in a hundred thousand ten thousand kalpas.

我今見聞得受持願解如來真實義

Now that I see and hear it and am able to receive and uphold it, may I understand the true meaning of the Tathagata.

如是我聞：

Thus I heard the Buddha say:

一時，佛在忉利天，為母說法。爾時，十方無量世界，不可說不可說一切諸佛，及大菩薩摩訶薩，皆來集會。讚歎釋迦牟尼佛，能於五濁惡世，現不可思議大智慧神通之力，調伏剛強眾生，知苦法，各遣侍者，問訊世尊。是時，如來含笑，放百千萬億大光明雲——所謂大圓滿光明雲、大慈悲光明雲、大智慧光明雲、大般若光明雲、大三昧光明雲、大吉祥光明雲、大福德光明雲、大功德光明雲、大歸依光明雲、大讚歎光明雲。放如是等不可說光明雲已，又出種種微妙之音——所謂檀波羅蜜音、尸波羅蜜音、羼提波羅蜜音、離耶波羅蜜音、禪波羅蜜音、般若波羅蜜音、慈悲音、喜捨音、解脫音、無漏音、智慧音、大智慧音、獅子吼音、大獅子吼音、雲雷音、大雲雷音。

Once the Buddha was in the Trayastrimsha Heaven, preaching the Dharma for his mother. At that time, from the measureless worlds of the ten directions, all the unspeakable, unspeakable Buddhas and the great Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas all came to the assembly. They praised Shakyamuni Buddha, who in the evil world of the five defilements could display the power of inconceivable great wisdom and spiritual powers, subduing stubborn beings and letting them know the Dharma of suffering, and each sent attendants to greet the World-Honored One. Then the Tathagata smiled and sent forth hundreds of thousands of billions of clouds of great light: the cloud of great perfect light, the cloud of great compassion light, the cloud of great wisdom light, the cloud of great prajna (pronounced bore, the wisdom that sees into true reality, unlike worldly cleverness) light, the cloud of great samadhi (a state of concentration in which the mind does not scatter) light, the cloud of great auspicious light, the cloud of great merit light, the cloud of great virtue light, the cloud of great refuge light, and the cloud of great praise light. After sending forth such unspeakable clouds of light, he also uttered all kinds of subtle sounds: the sound of dana paramita (giving to the other shore), the sound of shila paramita (keeping the precepts to the other shore; shila is the transliteration of the Sanskrit), the sound of kshanti paramita (patience to the other shore), the sound of virya paramita (diligence to the other shore; the base text has a variant transliteration), the sound of dhyana paramita, the sound of prajna paramita, the sound of compassion, the sound of joy and equanimity, the sound of liberation, the sound of the undefiled, the sound of wisdom, the sound of great wisdom, the lion's roar, the great lion's roar, the sound of cloud-thunder, and the sound of great cloud-thunder.

出如是等不可說不可說音已，娑婆世界及他方國土，有無量億天龍鬼神，亦集到忉利天宮。所謂四天王天、忉利天、須焰摩天、兜率陀天、化樂天、他化自在天、梵眾天、梵輔天、大梵天、少光天、無量光天、光音天、少淨天、無量淨天、遍淨天、福生天、福愛天、廣果天、無想天、無煩天、無熱天、善見天、善現天、色究竟天、摩西首羅天，乃至非想非非想處天，一切天眾、龍眾、鬼神等眾，悉來集會。

After uttering such unspeakable, unspeakable sounds, countless billions of devas, dragons, ghosts and spirits from the Saha world and the lands of other directions also gathered at the Trayastrimsha Heaven Palace. These were the Heaven of the Four Kings, the Trayastrimsha Heaven, the Yama Heaven, the Tushita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformation, the Heaven of Freedom over Others' Transformations, the Brahma Assembly Heaven, the Brahma Ministers Heaven, the Great Brahma Heaven, the Heaven of Lesser Light, the Heaven of Immeasurable Light, the Heaven of Light and Sound, the Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Immeasurable Purity, the Heaven of Universal Purity, the Heaven of Birth of Merit, the Heaven of Love of Merit, the Heaven of Vast Fruit, the Heaven of Non-Perception, the Heaven Without Affliction, the Heaven Without Heat, the Heaven of Good Sight, the Heaven of Good Manifestation, the Akanishtha Heaven, the Heaven of Maheshvara, and on to the heaven of neither perception nor non-perception; all the assemblies of devas, dragons, ghosts and spirits came to the gathering.

復有他方國土，及娑婆世界海神、江神、河神、樹神、山神、地神、川澤神、苗稼神、晝神、夜神、空神、天神、飲食神、草木神，如是等神，皆來集會。

There were also, from lands of other directions and from the Saha world, the sea spirits, river spirits, stream spirits, tree spirits, mountain spirits, earth spirits, spirits of rivers and marshes, spirits of seedlings and crops, day spirits, night spirits, sky spirits, heaven spirits, spirits of food and drink, and spirits of grass and trees; spirits such as these all came to the gathering.

復有他方國土，及娑婆世界諸大鬼王——所謂惡目鬼王、噉血鬼王、噉精氣鬼王、噉胎卵鬼王、行病鬼王、攝毒鬼王、慈心鬼王、福利鬼王、大愛敬鬼王，如是等鬼王，皆來集會。

There were also, from lands of other directions and from the Saha world, the great ghost kings: the Evil-Eyed Ghost King, the Blood-Eating Ghost King, the Essence-Eating Ghost King, the Ghost King who Eats Embryos and Eggs, the Ghost King who Spreads Disease, the Ghost King who Gathers Poison, the Compassionate Ghost King, the Ghost King of Benefit, and the Ghost King of Great Love and Respect; ghost kings such as these all came to the gathering.

爾時，釋迦牟尼佛告文殊師利法王子菩薩摩訶薩：「汝觀是一切諸佛菩薩，及天龍鬼神，此世界，他世界，此國土，他國土，如是今來集會，到忉利天者，汝知數不？」

Then Shakyamuni Buddha said to Manjushri, Prince of the Dharma, Bodhisattva-Mahasattva: "You see all these Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and devas, dragons, ghosts and spirits, from this world and other worlds, this land and other lands, who now come and gather at the Trayastrimsha Heaven; do you know their number?"

文殊師利白佛言：「世尊！若以我神力，千劫測度，不能得知。」

Manjushri said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! Even if I used my spiritual power to measure for a thousand kalpas, I could not know it."

佛告文殊師利：「吾以佛眼觀故，猶不盡數。此皆是地藏菩薩久遠劫來，已度、當度、未度，已成就、當成就、未成就。」

The Buddha told Manjushri: "Even looking with the Buddha's eye I still cannot count them all. These are all those whom Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, from long-distant kalpas until now, has already saved, is about to save, and has not yet saved, and who have already accomplished, are about to accomplish, and have not yet accomplished."

文殊師利白佛言：「世尊！我已過去久修善根，證無礙智，聞佛所言，即當信受。小果聲聞、天龍八部，及未來世諸眾生等，雖聞如來誠實之語，必懷疑惑，設使頂受，未免興謗。唯願世尊，廣說地藏菩薩摩訶薩因地作何行、立何願，而能成就不思議事？」

Manjushri said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! I have long cultivated good roots in the past and have gained unobstructed wisdom, and on hearing what the Buddha says I immediately believe and accept. But shravakas of small fruit, the eight classes of devas and dragons, and beings of future ages, though they hear the Tathagata's true words, will surely harbor doubt, and even if they receive them reverently, they will be unable to avoid giving rise to slander. I only beg the World-Honored One to speak broadly of what practice Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva did and what vows he made at the causal ground, so that he could accomplish inconceivable things."

佛告文殊師利：「譬如三千大千世界，所有草木叢林，稻麻竹葦，山石微塵，一物一數，作一恆河，一恆河沙，一沙一界。一界之內，一塵一劫，一劫之內，所積塵數，盡為劫。地藏菩薩證十地果位已來，千倍多於上喻。何況地藏菩薩在聲聞、辟支佛地。文殊師利！此菩薩威神誓願，不可思議。若未來世，有善男子、善女人，聞是菩薩名字，或讚歎，或瞻禮，或稱名，或供養，乃至彩畫、刻鏤、塑漆形像，是人當得百返生於三十三天，永不墮惡道。」

The Buddha told Manjushri: "Suppose in the three thousand great thousand worlds, all the grasses and trees, thickets and forests, rice, hemp, bamboo and reeds, mountains, rocks and fine dust, each thing is counted as one, and made into a Ganges River; each grain of sand in the Ganges is a world; in each world, each particle of dust is a kalpa; and the number of particles accumulated in each kalpa is all counted as kalpas. Since Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva realized the stage of the Ten Grounds, it has been a thousand times more than the above comparison. How much more so when Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was still at the stage of a shravaka or pratyekabuddha! Manjushri! The awesome spiritual vows of this Bodhisattva are inconceivable. If in future ages any good man or good woman hears the name of this Bodhisattva, or praises him, or looks up and bows to him, or calls his name, or makes offerings to him, or even paints, carves, models or lacquers his image, that person will be born a hundred times in the Thirty-three Heavens and never fall into evil paths."

「文殊師利！是地藏菩薩摩訶薩，於過去久遠不可說不可說劫前，身為大長者子。時世有佛，號曰獅子奮迅具足萬行如來。時長者子，見佛相好，千福莊嚴，因問彼佛：『作何行願，而得此相？』時獅子奮迅具足萬行如來告長者子：『欲證此身，當須久遠度脫一切受苦眾生。』」

"Manjushri! This Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, in the long past, before unspeakable, unspeakable kalpas, was the son of a great elder. At that time there was a Buddha in the world named Tathagata Lion's Speed, Complete in Ten Thousand Practices. The elder's son saw the Buddha's marks and signs, adorned with a thousand blessings, and so asked that Buddha: 'What practices and vows did you make to obtain such a form?' Then Tathagata Lion's Speed, Complete in Ten Thousand Practices, told the elder's son: 'If you wish to realize such a body, you must for a long time save all suffering beings.'

「文殊師利！時長者子，因發願言：『我今盡未來際不可計劫，為是罪苦六道眾生，廣設方便，盡令解脫，而我自身，方成佛道。』以是於彼佛前，立斯大願，於今百千萬億那由他不可說劫，尚為菩薩。」

"Manjushri! Then the elder's son made a vow, saying: 'From now to the end of the future, for countless kalpas, for these sinful and suffering beings of the six paths, I will widely set up skillful means and enable them all to be liberated, and only then will I myself attain the Buddha Way.' Because he made this great vow before that Buddha, up to now, for a hundred thousand ten thousand billion nayutas of unspeakable kalpas, he is still a Bodhisattva."

「又於過去，不可思議阿僧祇劫，時世有佛，號曰覺華定自在王如來。彼佛壽命，四百千萬億阿僧祇劫。像法之中，有一婆羅門女，宿福深厚，眾所欽敬；行住坐臥，諸天衛護。其母信邪，常輕三寶。是時聖女，廣方便，勸誘其母，令生正見。而此女母，未全生信，不久命終，魂神墮在無間地獄。時婆羅門女，知母在世不信因果，計當隨業，必生惡趣。遂賣家宅，廣求香華，及諸供具，於先佛塔寺，大興供養。見覺華定自在王如來，其形像在一寺中，塑畫威容，端嚴畢備。時婆羅門女，瞻禮尊容，倍生敬仰。私自念言：『佛名大覺，具一切智，若在世時，我母死後，儻來問佛，必知處所。』時婆羅門女，垂泣良久，瞻戀如來。忽聞空中聲曰：『泣者聖女！勿至悲哀，我今示汝母之去處。』婆羅門女合掌向空，而白空曰：『是何神德，寬我憂慮。我自失母已來，晝夜憶戀，無處可問知母生界。』時空中有聲，再報女曰：『我是汝所瞻禮者，過去覺華定自在王如來。見汝憶母，倍於常情眾生之分，故來告示。』婆羅門女聞此聲已，舉身自撲，支節皆損。左右扶持，良久方蘇，而白空曰：『願佛慈憫，速說我母生界。我今身心，將死不久。』時覺華定自在王如來告聖女曰：『汝供養畢，但早返舍。端坐思惟吾之名號，即當知母所生去處。』」

"Again, in the past, countless inconceivable asamkhyeya kalpas ago, there was a Buddha in the world named Tathagata Flower of Awakening, Sovereign King of Concentration. That Buddha's lifespan was four hundred thousand ten thousand billion asamkhyeya kalpas. During his Semblance Dharma age there was a Brahmin woman who had deep stores of merit from former lives and was respected by the people; whether she walked, stayed, sat or lay down, the devas protected her. Her mother held false beliefs and often looked down on the Three Jewels. Then the holy woman set up skillful means widely to coax her mother and make her give rise to right views. But the mother of this daughter did not fully come to faith, and soon died, and her spirit fell into the Avichi hell. The Brahmin woman knew that her mother in life had not believed in cause and effect, and reckoned that she must follow her karma and be born in an evil path. So she sold the family house, sought incense, flowers and all kinds of offerings widely, and made great offerings in the pagodas and temples of a former Buddha. She saw the image of Tathagata Flower of Awakening, Sovereign King of Concentration in one temple, a molded and painted majestic figure, dignified and complete. Then the Brahmin woman gazed up in reverence at the honored face, and her respect grew all the more. She thought privately: 'The Buddha is called the Great Awakened One and has all wisdom; if he were in the world, when my mother died, if I were to ask the Buddha, he would surely know where she has gone.' Then the Brahmin woman wept for a long time, longing for the Tathagata. Suddenly she heard a voice in the air saying: 'Weeping holy woman! Do not grieve too much; I will now show you where your mother has gone.' The Brahmin woman joined her palms toward the sky and said to the air: 'What divine power are you, who comfort my worry? Since losing my mother I have thought of her day and night, but there is nowhere to ask in which realm my mother was born.' Then the voice in the air spoke to the daughter again: 'I am the one you are bowing to, the Tathagata Flower of Awakening, Sovereign King of Concentration of the past. Seeing that your remembrance of your mother exceeds that of ordinary beings, I have come to tell you.' When the Brahmin woman heard this voice she threw herself down, and her limbs and joints were all injured. Her attendants supported her, and it was a long while before she revived, and she said to the air: 'May the Buddha take pity on me and quickly tell me in which realm my mother was born. My body and mind will soon die.' Then Tathagata Flower of Awakening, Sovereign King of Concentration, told the holy woman: 'When you have finished making offerings, just go home early. Sit upright and think on my name, and you will know where your mother was born.'"

「時婆羅門女，尋禮佛已，即歸其舍。以憶母故，端坐念覺華定自在王如來，經一日一夜。忽見自身，到一海邊。其水湧沸，多諸惡獸，盡復鐵身，飛走海上，東西馳逐。見諸男子女人，百千萬數，出沒海中，被諸惡獸爭取食噉。又見夜叉，其形各異，或多手多眼，多足多頭，口牙外出，利刃如劍，驅諸罪人，使近惡獸，復自搏攫，頭足相就。其形萬類，不敢久視。時婆羅門女，以念佛力故，自然無懼。」

"Then the Brahmin woman bowed to the Buddha and went back to her home. Because she was remembering her mother, she sat upright and thought on Tathagata Flower of Awakening, Sovereign King of Concentration, for a day and a night. Suddenly she saw herself come to a seashore. The water was boiling, and there were many evil beasts, all with iron bodies, flying and running over the sea, chasing each other east and west. She saw men and women, in hundreds of thousands and tens of thousands, rising and sinking in the sea, being fought over and devoured by the evil beasts. She also saw yakshas, of all different forms, some with many hands and eyes, many feet and heads, with fangs projecting outside and sharp blades like swords, driving the sinners to draw near the evil beasts, and themselves seizing and grappling, heads and feet brought together. Their forms were of ten thousand kinds, so frightful she dared not look at them long. Then the Brahmin woman, by the power of thinking on the Buddha, naturally felt no fear."

「有一鬼王，名曰無毒，稽首來迎，白聖女曰：『善哉！菩薩何緣來此？』時婆羅門女問鬼王曰：『此是何處？』無毒答曰：『此是大鐵圍山西面第一重海。』聖女問曰：『我聞鐵圍之內，地獄在中，是事實不？』無毒答曰：『實有地獄。』聖女問曰：『我今云何，得到獄所？』無毒答曰：『若非威神，即須業力，非此二事，終不能到。』聖女又問：『此水何緣，而乃湧沸？多諸罪人，及以惡獸？』無毒答曰：『此是閻浮提造惡眾生新死之者，經四十九日後，無人繼嗣為作功德，救拔苦難，生時又無善因，當據本業所感地獄，自然先渡此海。海東十萬由旬，又有一海，其苦倍此。彼海之東，又有一海，其苦復倍。三業惡因之所招感，共號業海，其處是也。』聖女又問鬼王無毒曰：『地獄何在？』無毒答曰：『三海之內，是大地獄，其數百千，各各差別。所謂大者，具有十八。次有五百，苦毒無量。次有千百，亦無量苦。』聖女又問大鬼王曰：『我母死來未久，不知魂神當至何趣？』鬼王問聖女曰：『菩薩之母，在生習何行業？』聖女答曰：『我母邪見，譏毀三寶。設或暫信，旋又不敬。死雖日淺，未知生處。』無毒問曰：『菩薩之母，姓氏何等？』聖女答曰：『我父我母，俱婆羅門種。父號屍羅善現，母號悅帝利。』無毒合掌，啟菩薩曰：『願聖者卻返本處，無至憂憶悲戀。悅帝利罪女，生天以來，經今三日。云承孝順之子，為母設供、修福，佈施覺華定自在王如來塔寺。非唯菩薩之母得脫地獄，應是無間罪人，此日悉得受樂，俱同生訖。』鬼王言畢，合掌而退。婆羅門女，尋如夢歸。悟此事已，便於覺華定自在王如來塔像之前，立弘誓願：『願我盡未來劫，應有罪苦眾生，廣設方便，使令解脫。』」

"There was a ghost king named Poisonless, who bowed his head and came to greet her, and said to the holy woman: 'Excellent! For what reason has the Bodhisattva come here?' Then the Brahmin woman asked the ghost king: 'What place is this?' Poisonless answered: 'This is the first ring of sea on the west side of the Great Iron Ring Mountains.' The holy woman asked: 'I have heard that within the Iron Ring Mountains the hells are in it; is this true?' Poisonless answered: 'There truly are hells.' The holy woman asked: 'How can I reach the place of the hells?' Poisonless answered: 'If not by awesome spiritual power, then it must be by karmic force; without these two, one can never reach it.' The holy woman asked again: 'Why is this water boiling? And why are there so many sinners and evil beasts?' Poisonless answered: 'These are people of Jambudvipa who did evil and have newly died; after forty-nine days, if no one has continued their line to make merit for them and rescue them from suffering, and if in life they had no good causes, they must go by their original karma to the hells they have called forth, and naturally first cross this sea. Ten thousand yojanas east of the sea there is another sea, with suffering twice as great as this one. East of that sea there is yet another sea, with suffering twice as great again. What is called forth by the evil causes of the three karmas is all together named the sea of karma, and that place is here.' The holy woman asked the ghost king Poisonless again: 'Where are the hells?' Poisonless answered: 'Within the three seas are the great hells, numbering hundreds of thousands, each different. The great ones number eighteen. Next there are five hundred, with measureless bitter poison. Next there are thousands of hundreds, also with measureless suffering.' The holy woman asked the great ghost king again: 'My mother has not been dead long, and I do not know to which path her spirit must go.' The ghost king asked the holy woman: 'In life, what practices and karma did the Bodhisattva's mother cultivate?' The holy woman answered: 'My mother held false views and mocked and slandered the Three Jewels. Even when she believed for a while, she soon lost reverence again. Though she has been dead only a short time, I do not know where she was born.' Poisonless asked: 'What is the clan name of the Bodhisattva's mother?' The holy woman answered: 'My father and mother are both of the Brahmin caste. My father was called Shila Shanxian, and my mother was called Yue Dili.' Poisonless joined his palms and said to the Bodhisattva: 'I beg the holy one to go back to your original place and not worry, remember and grieve. The sinful woman Yue Dili has been born in heaven for three days now. They say that by a filial son's making offerings and cultivating merit for his mother, and giving alms at the pagodas and temples of Tathagata Flower of Awakening, Sovereign King of Concentration, not only was the Bodhisattva's mother freed from hell, but the sinners of the Avichi hell too all received joy that day, and all were born together.' When the ghost king had finished, he joined his palms and withdrew. The Brahmin woman then felt as though she had come back from a dream. Having awakened to this, she made a great vow before the pagoda and image of Tathagata Flower of Awakening, Sovereign King of Concentration: 'May I, to the end of all future kalpas, for all sinful and suffering beings, widely set up skillful means and enable them to be liberated.'"

佛告文殊師利：「時鬼王無毒者，當今財首菩薩是。婆羅門女者，即地藏菩薩是。」

The Buddha told Manjushri: "The ghost king Poisonless of that time is the present Bodhisattva Head of Wealth. The Brahmin woman is Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva."