恭逢地藏菩萨圣诞 |祂是把一切众生当成父母的不退转菩萨

The Great Vow of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva

“安忍不动如大地，静虑深密如秘藏。”在佛教里，地藏菩萨是一切诸佛愿力的体现，代表无处不在的法身，如同大地一样安稳不动。于我们这个生灭的世界，上承释迦佛陀的教法，直至弥勒佛成道，于此中间住持佛法，救度众生，作冥阳教主。

"Steadfast and unmoving as the great earth; profound and serene as a hidden treasure." In Buddhism, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva embodies the aspirations and compassionate vows of all Buddhas, representing the omnipresent Dharmakāya, the Dharma body, stable and immovable like the earth itself. In this transient world of birth and death, Kṣitigarbha has inherited and passes on the teachings of Śākyamuni Buddha until Maitreya attains enlightenment, upholding the Dharma, and guiding and liberating all sentient beings, serving as the sovereign teacher of both the realms of the living and the dead.

地藏菩萨代表什么？地藏代表僧宝，佛陀入灭了，把法咐嘱给地藏菩萨，所以现在地藏菩萨是人天教主、冥阳教主，不但管人间，还管三恶道，六道一起管。地藏菩萨恒现声闻形，现出家人形象，手拿锡杖，圆顶方袍，袈裟披身，“明珠照彻天堂路，金锡振开地狱门”。

What does Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva represent?

Kṣitigarbha embodies the Sangha. When the Buddha entered Nirvana, Parinirvana, he entrusted the Dharma to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. Thus, Kṣitigarbha is now the teacher of both humans and devas, the sovereign of both the living and the dead. He not only governs the human realm but also the three evil paths, six realms of existence altogether.

Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva often manifests in the form of a Śrāvaka, adopting the appearance of a monastic, with a staff in hand, a rounded cap, and a wearing a kāṣāya – a monk’s square hemmed robe, draped over his shoulders. “The radiant pearl in his hand illuminates the path to heaven, while the golden staff resounds and shakes open the gates of hell.”

地藏菩萨代表法身佛的状态，只要有一个众生在无明状态当中，祂的工作就没有完成。《地藏经》里讲“地藏菩萨曾经做等觉菩萨，不可称计”，地藏菩萨用佛法的术语来说是“等觉”、“等持地”，不仅境界上达到等觉、等持，祂的大悲愿力永无止尽，地藏菩萨具足无量无边的福德。

On the Auspicious Occasion of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's Birthday

当我们依着本然净心地，为了一切如母众生去行菩萨道的时候，会迅速积累无边的资粮，我们可以发愿快速成佛度众生，也可以学习地藏菩萨发大愿：“地狱不空，誓不成佛，众生度尽，方证菩提。”

因为一切轮回的众生，都是我们过去的父母。如果我们能够修行，地藏菩萨就来给我们“作大证明功德主”，用自己转凡成圣的经历给我们作大证明——如果我们发菩提心，广修菩萨道，我们也能成为地藏菩萨。释迦牟尼佛成道时三转四谛法轮也为我们作证明——“苦，此是苦，汝当离；此是苦，我已离。”

作为三宝弟子，如果我们真实地修行，也可以成为地藏菩萨在人间的传播者。就像地藏菩萨手中的那颗明珠，“明珠照彻天堂路”，我们的悲愿、我们的力量，也可以震开地狱门，“金锡震开地狱门”，执持佛法，四生六道如母众生皆得度。

As disciples of the Triple Gem, if we practice sincerely, we, too, can become the emissaries of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva in this world. Just as the luminous pearl in Kṣitigarbha's hand "illuminates the path to the heavens," so can our compassion and resolve shake open the gates of hell, like the "golden staff that opens the gates of hell." By upholding the Dharma, we can ensure that all sentient beings across the four forms of birth and the six realms, who are as dear to us as our mothers, can attain liberation.