我
誦《地藏經》到現在已經快兩年了，幾乎有一年的時間是一天一部，另一年的時間是只在十齋日才誦；不長也不短，跟《六祖壇經》裡法達法師誦《法華經》三千部，那是小巫見大巫。但是對我罪業這麼重的人而言，卻好像走了一段漫長的路。這期間我所經歷大大小小的感應，是一時也說不完的，《地藏經》講的二十八項利益裡，只有五、六項未知外，其他我都親身體驗到了，我就來說一些，希望大家能夠更有信心。
有一回，一個朋友得了病要開刀，我勸他多念地藏菩薩聖號。結果晚上就夢到一個年輕人，怒氣沖沖地問我為何多管閒事，就在這個時候，出現了一位相貌堂堂的中年人，身旁還有兩位隨從，就跟他說：「這是我兄弟，你不要找他麻煩！」這個年輕人一看就跑了。隨後空中有聲音說：「他是青龍幫幫主
」。「天龍護念」真是如此！
又有一天，我太太夢到往生不久的母親，顯得很漂亮、很高興的樣子，跟她說：「地藏菩薩說我可以走了！」隨後，我太太就看到地藏菩薩非常莊嚴的法像；而她的母親生前是個基督徒。這就是「先亡離苦」，不是嗎？
另有一次，我第一次夢見了我已過世二十年的父親。那時正拜著《梁皇寶懺》，當我誦到糞尿地獄時，突然觀想到我父親的相貌，但身體都如同廁所裡的蛆蟲；我哭了！我才發覺父親「真的」墮在糞尿地獄（因為他生前最喜歡喝酒）！爾後的誦經期間，我就夢到他躺在床上，已恢復人身，但兩隻手臂卻沒有了。戒律上說：「過酒器與人，五百世無手」，「真的」是如此！我用「真的」二字，是因為以前實在無法深信因果這麼厲害！
所以各位同修，我們生生世世的父母眷屬，都仰望著我們救拔他們；有時在夢中，有時讓你生病，有時讓你出點事……。假如你在夢中夢到人，穿著厚厚的灰衣服在晦暗的空間，面容枯萎，這都是在幽冥界跟你有緣的眾生；假如你夢到大蟒蛇、章魚……被關在籠子裡，這也是你往昔的眷屬；假如你身體老是冰冷，這或許你有親人在寒冰地獄受苦……。種種境界，事實上一般人都不知道的。我就有一位信佛的朋友，她女兒有天膝蓋很痛，去醫院檢查，結果醫生說關節膜發炎，要開刀，她憂心忡忡，幸好她遇到一位老修行的出家人，告訴她：「妳的祖先要皈依，去幫他們皈依就行了！」果然辦完皈依（授幽冥戒），他女兒的病就好了。種種因緣，如果你誦《地藏經》，誦久了，慢慢你就會明白了！
無量劫來，我們又怎麼知道呢？《普賢行願品》裡說得非常清楚「若業有體相者，盡虛空不能容受。」你能深信嗎？難怪《地藏經》中，文殊師利菩薩說：「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。」《藥師經》也說到：「一切未登地菩薩，皆不能如實信解。」是故，在《占察善惡業報經》裡，堅淨信菩薩就請問於佛，末法時，眾生睹世災難，心常怯弱，憂畏己身及諸眷屬，眾多因緣障礙故，於佛法中，鈍根少信；請問如來，設何方便，開示化導？佛便開示他，有個菩薩摩訶薩，名曰地藏，在很久以前，已成就了佛陀的究竟圓滿智慧，只因為隨順本願自在力的緣故，權巧示現菩薩的身形，來應化十方眾生，能速滿一切所求，能滅一切重罪，除諸障礙，現得安穩。所以，我們若《地藏經》誦久了，就自然會感應到種種因緣果報，明白種種境界，也自然就會信心增長；有堅固的信心，也才會有毅力在修行的路上努力不懈！
而蕅益大師也說過，我們這娑婆世界，與六十二億恆河沙大菩薩所有的因緣，不如與觀世音菩薩那麼深；而與觀世音菩薩的因緣，又不如與地藏菩薩來得更深！何以得知？佛說過，得人身者，就如他手上那一把泥土，盡大地是三惡道。而三惡道都是仰仗地藏菩薩來救度他們的！
修行是點點滴滴的，你想開「楞嚴」的智慧？你想悟「法華」的實相？或者入「華嚴」的義海？《占察善惡業報經》說得非常清楚：「若未來世諸眾生等，欲求度脫生老病死，始學發心修習禪定無相智慧者……，不得即學禪定智慧，應當先修懺悔之法。」你想修淨土法門嗎？地藏菩薩說：「若人欲生他方現在淨國者，應當隨彼世界佛之名字，專意誦念，一心不亂，如上觀察（及地藏菩薩所教的法門），決定得生彼佛淨國，善根增長，速獲不退。」（《占察善惡業報經》）當知自己在地獄的眷屬不度，業債不還，而想修禪定，想往生西方，那是無有是處的！
《楞嚴經》云：「理則頓悟，事須漸修。」有了觀世音菩薩的慈悲，才能發出地藏菩薩的大願；有了堅固願力，才能進入普賢菩薩的大行，如是也才能達到文殊師利菩薩的大智。就看師父上人，守墓三年，沙彌時也是誦《地藏經》。此外，虛雲老和尚為報親恩，歷經了多少苦難，也是誦《地藏經》。
至於我自己能學習日中一食，也是母親所成就的。本來我不吃早餐就會餓得發慌，冒虛汗，受不了的，因為業障太重了；由於母親往生，遂發願在七七守日中一食，結果一直學到現在也有兩年多了！這也讓我親身體會到，雖然業力之大，能障聖道。同樣地，堅固的願力即能轉一切的業力，在利益別人的同時，也成就了自己。
而今末法之際，說是修行，事實上，我們大多數只是在還債，走走跌跌的，而地藏菩薩以他堅固的本願力，以種種神通，種種方便，來帶領我們避開險坑，來成就一切的眾生。惟願諸學人都能如實信解，「欲修無上菩提者，乃至出離三界苦，是人既發大悲心，先當瞻禮大士像，一切諸願速成就，永無業障能遮止。」
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I
have been reciting the Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva for almost two years. I recited the whole Sutra once a day for about a year, and once on the ten vegetarian days of each month for another year. Two years is not very long, but it is not short either. Compared to Dharma Master Fa Da (Dharma Penetration) in the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, who recited the Dharma Flower Sutra three thousand times, it is nothing. However, to a person of such heavy karma as myself, it is like having walked a long, long distance. During these two years, I have experienced countless great and small responses. The Earth Store Sutra mentions twenty-eight benefits from reciting the Sutra, and I have personally experienced all but five or six of them. Let me mention just a few, in the hope that they will inspire everyone’s faith.
One time, a friend of mine became ill and had to undergo surgery. I urged him to recite the holy name of Earth Store Bodhisattva. That night, I dreamed of a young man who asked me angrily, “Why do you meddle in other people’s business?” Just then, a distinguished-looking middle-aged man appeared, followed by two attendants. He said to the young man, “This is my brother. Don’t give him any trouble.” The young man took a look and ran away. Later a voice in space said, “He is the leader of blue dragon gang!” The first of the twenty-eight benefits says, “Gods and dragons will be mindful of them and protect them.” It is truly so!
Another time, my wife dreamed of her mother, who had passed away not long before. Appearing elegantly dressed and in high spirits, she said to my wife, “Earth Store Bodhisattva says that I can leave now.” My wife then saw the adorned image of Earth Store Bodhisattva. Her mother was a Christian when she was alive. The twenty-third benefit says, “Their deceased ancestors will leave suffering behind!” Is it not so?
On another occasion, I saw my deceased father for the first time since he passed away over twenty years ago. It was when I was bowing the Jeweled Repentance of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty. When I recited the Sutra section about the Hell of Excrement and Urine, I suddenly saw my father’s face. But his body was that of the maggot. I wept as I discovered that my father had truly fallen into the Hell of Excrement and Urine! (He was very fond of drinking when he was alive.) Then when the Sutra was being recited, I dreamed that he was lying on a bed. He had regained a human body, but his two arms were missing. In the Brahma Net Sutra it says, “By passing a glass of wine to others, one incurs the retribution of being born without hands for five hundred lives.” It is truly the case. I said “truly” because in the past I was never able to deeply believe that cause and effect is so severe!
Fellow cultivators, our parents and relatives of past lives are all hoping for us to save them. They may show up in your dreams, make you ill, or cause you to have some accidents.... If you see people wearing thick gray garments in a dark space, their faces dry and wrinkled, they are beings from the dark world who have affinities with you. If you dream of large pythons, octopuses, or other creatures locked up in cages, those are your relatives from past lives. If your body is always icy cold, then perhaps you have relatives suffering in the Cold Hells. There are many states that are unknown to ordinary people. I have a Buddhist friend whose daughter felt severe pain in the knees one day. She brought her to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor said it was an inflammation of the joint membrane and that surgery was required. My friend was worried. Fortunately, she met a monk, an experienced cultivator, who said to her, “Your ancestors want to take refuge. Just go and take refuge on their behalf, and it will be fine.” That was exactly what happened. Right after she took refuge (during a transmission of precepts for the deceased) on their behalf, her daughter’s knees got well. There are all kinds of causes and conditions... If you recite the Earth Store Sutra for a period of time, you will gradually understand.
For limitless kalpas, how could we possibly have known about these things? It says very clearly in the Chapter on Universal Worthy Bodhisattva’s Conduct and Vows, “If karma took form or shape, it couldn’t be accommodated even to the ends of empty space.” Can you have deep faith in these words? No wonder Manjushri Bodhisattva said in the Earth Store Sutra, “Sound Hearers of small attainment, gods, dragons, and the remainder of the Eightfold Division, as well as other living beings of the future, may hear the Tathagata’s true and actual words but will certainly harbor doubts.” The Medicine Master Sutra also says, “Bodhisattvas who have not ascended to the ten grounds are not able to understand and believe this truth.” Therefore, in the Sutra of Divining and Investigating Good and Evil Karma, the Bodhisattva Solid, Pure Faith asked the Buddha, “During the Dharma-ending Age, living beings, upon seeing the world disasters, will constantly be in fear as they worry over themselves and their relatives. And due to the obstruction of myriad causes and conditions, living beings’ faculties will be dull, and few will have faith. Will the Tathagata please tell us what expedients there are to instruct, transform, and guide them?” The Buddha instructed him, “There is a Bodhisattva Mahasattva named Earth Store who attained the Buddha’s ultimate and perfect wisdom a long time ago. It is only because of his past vows that he manifests in the body of a Bodhisattva to respond to and transform living beings in the ten directions. He can quickly grant all wishes, extinguish all heavy offenses, eradicate all obstacles, and cause living beings to attain peace in this very life. Therefore, if we recite the Earth Store Sutra for a period of time, we will spontaneously receive the response of different causes, conditions, and retributions, as well as understand different states, and our faith will increase naturally. With strong faith, we will have the will-power to persistently apply effort on the path of cultivation.
Great Master Ouyi said, “As living beings in the Saha world, our affinities with great Bodhisattvas as many as the sand grains in sixty-two billion Ganges Rivers are not as deep as our affinities with Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. And our affinities with Guanshiyin Bodhisattva are not as deep as our affinities with Earth Store Bodhisattva. How do we know this? The Buddha said, ‘Those who have gained a human body are like the soil in my hand, while the soil of the great earth represents beings in the three evil paths.’ And living beings in the three evil paths all depend on Earth Store Bodhisattva to save them!”
Cultivation is done bit by bit. Do you want to develop the Shurangama wisdom? Do you want to awaken to the real mark of the Dharma Flower? Do you want to enter the sea of the Flower Adornment? The Sutra of Divining and Investigating Good and Evil Karma clearly says, “Living beings of the future who seek liberation from birth, old age, sickness, and death; and those who have made the initial resolve to cultivate dhyana-samadhi and markless wisdom...should not begin their cultivation by learning dhyana-samadhi wisdom. They should first cultivate the dharma of repentance.” Do you want to cultivate the Pure Land Dharma-door? Earth Store Bodhisattva has said, “If there are people who want to attain rebirth in the Pure Land, they should be mindful of the name of the Buddha of that world with one mind unconfused. Those who have contemplated as mentioned above (i.e. the Dharma-door taught by Earth Store Bodhisattva), will certainly attain rebirth in the Pure Land of that Buddha, increase their good roots, and soon attain the position of non-retreat.” (The Sutra of Divining and Investigating Good and Evil Karma) We should understand that if our relatives in the hells have not been saved and our karmic debts have not been repaid, it is useless to cultivate samadhi and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
It is said in the Shurangama Sutra, “There can be sudden enlightenment to the principle, but the specifics must be cultivated gradually.” Only when we have the kindness and compassion of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva will we be able to bring forth the great vow of Earth Store Bodhisattva. Only when we have strong and firm vow power can we enter the great conduct of Universal Worthy Bodhisattva and thus achieve the great wisdom of Manjusri Bodhisattva. Take a look at our teacher, the Venerable Master. He lived by his mother’s grave and practiced filiality for three years. When he was a Shramanera, he recited the Earth Store Sutra. Furthermore, the Venerable Hsu Yun underwent myriad hardships in order to repay his parent’s kindness and also recited Earth Store Sutra.
As for me, it is also due to my mother that I can now practice eating one meal a day. Before, I could not live without eating breakfast. If I didn’t have breakfast, I would be so hungry that I would panic and break out in a cold sweat. It was all because of my heavy karmic obstacles. When my mother died, I made the vow of eating only one meal a day for seven weeks after her death. As it turns out, I have maintained the practice even up to now—and it has been over two years. From this incident, I have learned that, although the power of karma is great and can obstruct us from walking the holy path, the power of a strong vow can overcome the power of all karma. So when we do things to benefit others, we are also helping ourselves.
During this Dharma-ending Age, although we say we are cultivating, in fact most of us are just working to pay off our debts and stumbling along the way. Earth Store Bodhisattva, with the solid power of his past vows, his various spiritual powers and expedients, guides us to avoid falling into dangerous pits and brings all living beings to accomplishment. I hope all students of Buddhism will be able to believe and understand that, “Those who want to cultivate to attain unsurpassed Bodhi, leave behind the suffering of the Triple Realm, and bring forth the resolve of great compassion should first gaze upon and worship the image of this great Bodhisattva.All their wishes will soon be fulfilled, and they will not be bound by karmic hindrances.”
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