大願地藏王菩薩，他的願力大。什麼叫願力大呢？因為他有「無緣大慈，同體大悲。」，這個無緣大慈，不是單單度有緣的，誰和他無緣他也度，所以無緣大慈。他不計較眾生對他有沒有緣，遇機會、因緣，都度。同體大悲，他看著眾生，就像他自己一樣––看見眾生沒有飯吃，就像他自己沒有飯吃一樣；看眾生沒有衣服穿，好像他自己沒有衣服穿一樣的；看眾生不睡覺，也就好像他自己沒有睡覺一樣。所以他必須要安樂眾生，令眾生都得到安樂了，那麼也可以說捨己為人。他寧可自己辛辛苦苦的到處去救眾生，來幫助眾生，把自己忘了，所以叫大願地藏王菩薩。
「菩薩處處示現」：他不是單單說是到新羅國，我們中國很多地方他都示現，不過不那麼引人注意，也沒有顯那麼多靈感，所以處處他都示現。不論中國、外國，乃至於每一個角落，每一粒微塵裡，都有他的誓願，都有他的化身。「時時救人」：他時時刻刻都是在救人的。
「於唐初時」：在唐朝初年的時候，「示現新羅國王室」：他示現在高麗國王的王宮裡頭，那時候也「姓金」，和金日成是一家族。「名喬覺」：名字叫喬覺。喬，這個喬就是個大，意思就是大覺。「少年時」：他年紀很輕的時候，「視其姊結婚」：就看他的姊姊結婚，「啟示生死迅速」：他就悟到命是無常的，生死是很快的。他看這個世界上，父一代，子一代，孫一代，那麼爺爺又一代，這不過就像個輪迴似的，那麼轉來轉去的，究竟有什麼好呢？也談不到。都是轉眼之間，沒有什麼大的意思。所以他就覺悟到，就結婚之後也不過是在生死輪迴裡頭很快的轉來轉去。「決心出家修道」：所以他就發心，要發菩提心，修無上道了。
「於二十四歲時」：於二十四歲那個時候，「航海至九華山」：他航海到安徽的九華山。到九華山那兒，「岩洞潛修」：就隱居在一個岩石的洞裡邊，在那兒潛心修行。
「山下住民有閣老閔公」：山下有一位是明朝的閣老––閔公。「虔誠信仰佛教」：這一位也是信佛的，「每次供齋百僧」：他常常是備齋，預備齋菜去供養僧人。他的供養呀！不是供千僧，是供百僧。在那席間，「留一虛席」：他留一個空的坐位，他的意思就是「供養洞僧」：供養在山洞裡頭那位老修行。「閔公樂而捨全山」，「作為菩薩道場」：作為道場。「又令其子出家」：他於是乎就好像裴丞相似的（裴丞相就是裴休），就令他兒子也去出家，拜溈山老人作師父。閔公就叫他兒子去跟著這位菩薩出家修行，作為他的一個侍者，「法名道明」。「後來閔公善根成熟」：以後，閔公也是想要修道，所以就「拜了其子為師」：拜了他兒子作師父，「成為佛門佳話」：成為佛教一段的公案。
「住洞七十五載」：他在洞裡頭住了七十五年，「世壽九十九」：他的壽命是九十九歲，「於七月三十日示寂」：在七月三十日那一天，他示寂，他圓寂了。「三年不腐」：那麼三年啊！他的屍首也不腐爛，「面目如生」：面目也像是活著一樣。據說頭髮也長出來了，鬍子也長出來了，又要剃鬍子、剃頭髮。有人又說：「地藏王菩薩，每一年七月三十日，都有頭髮、有鬍子長出來，要給他再剃一剃。」究竟是不是這樣子？我是沒有親眼見過；不要問我這個拿不出證據來的事，因為我自己沒有去看過，不知道。我是姑妄言之、姑妄聽之，是道聽而塗說。總而言之，就是長鬍子、長頭髮，這也不出奇的，沒有什麼特別的。「成金剛之體」：他因為不壞，所以就有肉身。「靈異頗多」：他的靈異很多。「今有肉生殿存焉」。
「受世尊之囑」：因為他在《地藏經》上，受佛的囑咐，「教化眾生」：教化彌勒菩薩還沒降生以前這所有的眾生。「曾發誓言」：他也發過誓願，說：「眾生度盡，方證菩提」：眾生度盡那時候才成佛，成正等正覺。「地獄不空，誓不成佛」：什麼時候地獄要是不空，他不成佛道，故成為大願地藏王菩薩。
贊曰：
大願無盡 至德無聞
視人如己 與眾浮沉
誓入地獄 同出苦門
稱頌名號 菩薩現前
「大願無盡」：他的大願，沒有窮盡的時候，沒有完的時候。「至德無聞」：他這種德行，在以前從來也沒有聽見過的。「視人如己」：他有同體大悲，看人就像自己一樣。「與眾浮沉」：他在這個世界，和眾生都一樣的在六道輪迴裡頭來輪轉。
「誓入地獄」：他誓願要到地獄去救地獄的苦眾生。「同出苦門」：令地獄的眾生，都出離這個苦的門口。「稱頌名號」：如果有人稱念他的名號。「菩薩現前」：你誠心了，菩薩就會現身，來給你說法。
又說偈曰：
三塗八難俱離苦 四生三有盡沾恩
地獄空時成佛道 眾生度盡願始佛
明珠照破黑暗界 金錫震開地獄門
真仁真孝真慈悲 空劫未有大聖人
「三塗八難俱離苦」：三塗，地獄、餓鬼、畜生這三塗。八難，就是盲聾瘖啞難、佛前佛後難、北俱盧洲難、長壽天難、世智辯聰難、地獄難、餓鬼難、畜生難，總起來有八種。這八種，所以叫八難。俱離苦，你若稱念地藏王的名號，都會離苦得樂。
「四生三有盡沾恩」：四生：飛、潛、動、植；三有：欲界有、色界有、無色界有。這統統都得到地藏菩薩的恩德。「地獄空時成佛道」：什麼時候地獄完全空了，地藏菩薩才成佛道。
「眾生度盡願始佛」：眾生都度完了，他才滿願。「明珠照破黑暗界」：他手中的明珠，把黑暗的世界，和痛苦的眾生，都給照破了。
「金錫震開地獄門」：那錫杖把生死的門戶，都給打開了。「真仁真孝真慈悲」：這位地藏菩薩，可以說是真正的仁慈，真正有仁愛人的心，也真正有孝順父母的心，也有真正的慈悲心。
「空劫未有大聖人」：空劫未有這麼一位大聖賢僧。空劫，就是在還沒有劫以前，在無始劫以前。
|
|
Earth Store Bodhisattva is the Bodhisattva of great vows, and his vow power is immense. How immense? He has great kindness towards those with whom he has no affinities, and with great compassion he shares the same substance. "Kindness towards those with whom he has no affinities" means that he not only rescues those with whom he has affinities, but rescues those who have no affinities with him as well. He isn't concerned with whether or not living beings have affinities with him; as long as there is a chance or the conditions are conducive, he will save them. "With great compassion he shares the same substance" means that he cares about living beings in just the same way as he cares about himself. When he sees living beings without any food to eat, he feels as if he himself had nothing to eat; when he sees living beings without any clothes to wear, he feels as if he himself had no clothes; when he sees living beings going without sleep, he feels as if he himself had not slept at all. He wants to make living beings feel safe and happy. In making all living beings happy and blissful you could say that he renounces himself for the sake of others. Toiling and going everywhere to save all living beings and to help them, he totally forgets about himself.
This Bodhisattva manifests at all times and places to save people. Not only did he manifest in Korea, he also appeared in many places in China. However, he doesn't make himself conspicuous. In fact he manifests everywhere--in China, in other countries, in every corner of the globe, in every mote of dust. His vows and transformation bodies are everywhere, saving people at all times.
At the beginning of the Tang dynasty, during the first years of the Tang dynasty (c. 620 a.d.), he manifested in the royal family of the country of Xinluo (the kingdom of Silla in present-day South Korea). He was born in a palace in Korea. At that time his family name was Jin, so he was of the same family as Jin Rechan, and his first name was Qiao Jue. The Chinese character qiao means great, so Qiao Jue means great enlightenment. When he was young he saw his sister get married and realized the swiftness of birth and death. Right then and there, he realized that life is impermanent, that birth and death come fast. He contemplated the world as a wheel that turns from the fathers' generation to the sons' generation, passing on to the grandchildren's generation-- what's so great about it? It's nothing to talk about. It happens in the blink of an eye; it's meaningless. He realized that after marriage there is still the matter of birth and death to resolve, one continues turning in the wheel of birth and death. Thus he made up his mind to leave the home-life to cultivate the Way. He made the Bodhi resolve to cultivate the unsurpassed path. At the age of twenty-four he traveled to Jiuhua (Nine Flowers) Mountain. He sailed to Jiuhua Mountain in Anhui Province and secluded himself in a cave to cultivate. He entered seclusion in a mountain cave and cultivated with great concentration.
At the foot of the mountain lived a senior official called Min who was a devout Buddhist. The elder official frequently sponsored vegetarian meal offerings to the Sangha. Every time he offered food to a hundred members of the Sangha, he always reserved a seat for the monk living in the cave. When he made an offering, it wasn't to thousands of Sanghans, but to a hundred Sanghans. Among the hundred seats, he always saved a seat for the old cultivator who lived in the cave. Senior official Min was glad to offer the entire mountain to the Bodhisattva to serve as a Way-place. He also had his son leave the home-life and become the Bodhisattva's attendant. Just as Minister Pei Xiu ordered his son to leave home and bow to the Old Man of Mount Wei as his teacher, the elder Min made his son follow this Bodhisattva to leave the home life to cultivate the Way, and to be his teacher's attendant. His son was given the Dharma name Dao Ming ('Understanding the Way'). Afterwards, the elder Min's good roots ripened and he also wanted to cultivate the Way, and so he bowed to his own son as his teacher. This became a popular story in Buddhism.
The Bodhisattva lived in the cave for a total of seventy-five years, and at the age of ninety-nine he manifested stillness on the thirtieth of the seventh month. After three years his body still had not decayed, but had become a Vajra body. His facial expression was lifelike. His face looked as if he were still alive. People said that even his hair and beard had grown, and so he had to have his head and beard shaved. Someone said that Earth Store Bodhisattva's hair and beard are still growing and that they need to be shaved on the thirtieth of the seventh month every year. I don't know whether this is true or not, because I haven't seen it myself. Don't come asking me about things that cannot be proven. Since I didn't see it myself, I really don't know anything about it. I'm just telling you what I've heard. Actually, it wouldn't be so surprising for the hair and beard to grow, it's not anything special. Since his body has not decayed, it is still preserved. There were many efficacious responses. Many stories about his efficacious responses circulate. Today, his flesh body is still kept in the hall.
The World Honored One entrusted Earth Store Bodhisattva... in the Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva the Buddha entrusted him with the responsibility of teaching and transforming living beings. He is responsible for teaching and transforming all living beings until Maitreya Bodhisattva appears in the world. This Bodhisattva made the vow, "Only when living beings have all been saved will I attain to Bodhi." When all living beings have been taken across, he will then become a Buddha and accomplish the Unsurpassed, Proper, and Equal Enlightenment. "Only when the hells are emptied will I become a Buddha." As long as the hells are not emptied, he will not accomplish the Buddha Way; that's why he became Earth Store Bodhisattva of Great Vows.
A verse in praise says:
Countless are his great vows; unprecedented is his utmost virtue.
Regarding others as the same as himself, he goes up and down with the multitude.
With his vow to enter into the hells, all can leave suffering behind.
Reciting and praising his name causes the Bodhisattva to manifest.
Commentary:
Countless are his great vows. His great vows are infinite and without end. Unprecedented is his utmost virtue. His virtuous conduct is unprecedented. Regarding others as the same as himself, seeing them as being identical in substance and caring for them as he does for himself, he goes up and down with the multitude. In this world, he turns together with all living beings in the revolving wheel of the six paths.
With his vow to enter into the hells, all can leave suffering behind. His vow is to go to the hells to save the living beings suffering there. He causes all those beings dwelling in the hells to come out from the door of suffering. Reciting and praising his name causes the Bodhisattva to manifest. If you are sincere, the Bodhisattva will manifest and speak Dharma for you.
Another verse says:
Those of the three paths and the eight woes are all freed from suffering; The four kinds of life and the three realms all receive his kindness.
When the hells are empty, he shall realize the Buddha Path; When all living beings are saved, his vows will be fulfilled.
His bright pearl illuminates the realm of darkness; His golden staff shakes wide open the gates of hell.
True humaneness, true filiality, true kindness and compassion--In ages past there had never been such a great sagely Sanghan.
Commentary:
Those of the three paths and the eight woes are all freed from suffering. The three paths refer to the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals. The eight woes refer to the eight difficulties of (1) being blind, deaf, or mute; (2) being born at a time when there is no Buddha in the world; (3) being born in Uttarakuru, the northern continent; (4) being born in the Heaven of Long Life; (5) being too clever in a worldly way; (6) dwelling in the hells, (7) becoming a hungry ghost, and (8) becoming an animal. If you can recite the name of Earth Store Bodhisattva, you can leave suffering and attain bliss.
The four kinds of life and the three realms all receive his kindness. The four kinds of life refer to flying creatures, aquatic creatures, land animals, and plants. The Three Realms are the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. They all benefit from the kindness and virtue of Earth Store Bodhisattva.
When the hells are empty, he shall realize the Buddha Path. Only when the hells are completely empty will Earth Store Bodhisattva accomplish the Buddha Path. When all living beings are saved, his vows will be fulfilled. When living beings have all been taken across, his vows are fulfilled.
His bright pearl illuminates the realm of darkness: The bright pearl he holds breaks through the darkness and relieves the suffering of living beings. His golden staff shakes wide open the gates of hell. It opens wide the door of birth and death. True humaneness, true filiality, true kindness and compassion. Earth Store Bodhisattva is truly humane; he has a truly loving heart. He also has a truly filial heart towards his parents, and a heart of true kindness and compassion.
In ages past there had never been such a great sagely Sanghan. Since time without beginning--throughout limitless kalpas--there has never been any other great sage or worthy Sanghan such as he. |
