THE BODHISATTVA KISHITIGARBHA

he Bodhisattva Kishitigarbha Vow Sutra

Was first translated from the Sanskrit into Chinese in the 7th
century A.D. T'ang Dynasty. The English here has been faithfully
translated directly from the original archaic Chinese. In China
this sutra has for hundreds of years been one of the most
well-known and popular Buddhist sutras, but compared to such
Bodhisattvas as Avalokiteshvara and Manjushri, the name
Kishitigarbha appears to be relatively unknown in the West.
According to one Chinese authority on Kishitigarbha, the reason for
this obscurity lies in an ancient prophecy foretelling that this
sutra would not be known outside of China and Tibet for 2500 years
after the time of Buddha - until the Dharma-Ending Age - our
present age - which would be ready to receive and understand it.
The sutra would then be revealed and spread to distant lands.
Regardless of any mystique surrounding this explanation, the fact
is that together with Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Samantabhadra,
Kishitigarbha is one of the most revered and celebrated
Bodhisattvas. Respectively they personify the four basic Mahayana
qualities of Great Compassion, Great Wisdom, Great Meritorious
Deeds, and in Kishitigarbha: the Great Vow - the vow to save all
sentient beings, including the hungry ghosts and the hell
beings.



The literal translation of the Bodhisattva's Sanskrit name is
"Earth-Store". The name in one sense indicates that any undesirable
or troublesome thoughts 'stored' or hidden deep in one's mind or
heart may be uncovered and released with the help of
Kishitigarbha's divine power - thereby freeing the person from
their negative influence. A less literal translation, which more
accurately communicates its complex significance to Western
readers, could be to render it as "Earth-Treasure". In this freer
sense his name expresses the many marvellous aspects of the earth
and his mysterious connection with it: the earth is vast, it
supports all living beings, it is impartial, it receives the
life-giving rain, it produces trees and crops, it holds all planted
seeds which will ultimately ripen and come to fruition, it holds
many treasures, it produces medicines for suffering humanity, it is
not moved by storms. And the earth too, is in its own way a
sentient being.