爾時地藏菩薩摩訶薩 白佛言 世尊 我觀是閻浮衆生 擧心動念 無非是罪 脫獲善利 多退初心 若遇惡緣 念念增益 是等輩人 如履泥途 負於重石 漸困漸重 足步深邃 若得遇善知識 替與減負 或全與負 是知識有大力故 又復扶助 勸令牢脚 若達平地 須省惡路 無再經歷 世尊 習惡衆生 從纖毫間 便至無量 是諸衆生 有如此習 臨命終時 父母眷屬 宜爲設福 以資前路 或懸旛蓋 及燃油燈 或轉讀尊經 或供養佛像及諸聖像 乃至念佛菩薩 及辟支佛名字 一名一號 歷臨終人耳根 或本識上 是諸衆生所造惡業 計其感果 必墮惡趣 緣是眷屬 爲臨終人修此聖因 如是衆罪 悉皆消滅
Ěr shí dì zàng pú sà mó hē sà bái fó yán shì zūn wǒ guān shì yán fú zhòng shēng jǔ xīn dòng niàn wú fēi shì zuì tuō huò shàn lì duō tuì chū xīn ruò yù è yuán niàn niàn zēng yì shì děng bèi rén rú lǚ ní tú fù yú zhòng shí jiàn kùn jiàn zhòng zú bù shēn suì ruò dé yù shàn zhī shí tì yǔ jiǎn fù huò quán yǔ fù shì zhī shí yǒu dà lì gù yòu fù fú zhù quàn lìng láo jiǎo ruò dá píng dì xū shěng è lù wú zài jīng lì shì zūn xí è zhòng shēng cóng xiān háo jiān biàn zhì wú liàng shì zhū zhòng shēng yǒu rú cǐ xí lín mìng zhōng shí fù mǔ juàn shǔ yí wèi shè fú yǐ zī qián lù huò xuán fān gài jí rán yóu dēng huò zhuǎn dú zūn jīng huò gōng yǎng fó xiàng jí zhū shèng xiàng nǎi zhì niàn fó pú sà jí pì zhī fó míng zì yī míng yī hào lì lín zhōng rén ěr gēn huò běn shí shàng shì zhū zhòng shēng suǒ zào è yè jì qí gǎn guǒ bì duò è qù yuán shì juàn shǔ wèi lín zhōng rén xiū cǐ shèng yīn rú shì zhòng zuì xī jiē xiāo miè
Key Message
When the living read sūtras, invoke the names of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and dedicate the merit to the deceased, that wholesome act becomes a powerful force for extinguishing the transgressions of the departed.
▸The Chapter on the Karmic Responses of Beings in Jambudvīpa is the most practically direct chapter of the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra on what the living can do for the dead, presented as Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva reporting to the Buddha on the condition of beings in Jambudvīpa.
The Chapter on the Karmic Responses of Beings in Jambudvīpa is the most practically direct chapter of the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra on what the living can do for the dead, presented as Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva reporting to the Buddha on the condition of beings in Jambudvīpa. Kṣitigarbha observes that beings in Jambudvīpa are connected to transgression by every thought and action they raise; when they encounter favorable conditions they easily fall back from their initial resolve, and encountering evil conditions their transgressions multiply moment by moment. He compares this to walking a muddy road carrying heavy stones — growing more exhausted and burdened with each step. If one encounters a good teacher (善知識, shàn zhī shí), the burden can be lightened or entirely taken over. At the time of death, if family members erect dharma banners, light oil lamps, recite venerable sūtras, make offerings before images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and call the names of Buddhas and bodhisattvas — so that even one name reaches the ears of the dying person or impresses itself on their consciousness — then however grave the transgressions of the dying person may be and however certainly they might fall into an evil destiny, through the holy causes made by their family on their behalf, all such transgressions are extinguished.