Buddhist Ksitigarbhas Vows Embody Compassion for All Beings

Have you ever contemplated the immense power and compassion embodied in the phrase, "Until hell is empty, I vow not to attain Buddhahood"? The Ksitigarbha Sutra , a foundational Buddhist scripture, serves as a key to unlocking the profound vows of this revered bodhisattva. Today, we delve into the depths of this text to explore the boundless wisdom and mercy of Ksitigarbha.

The name "Ksitigarbha" originates from the Sanskrit term "Kṣitigarbha." Breaking it down, "Kṣiti" signifies "earth" or "land," symbolizing the foundation that nurtures and sustains all life. "Garbha" carries multiple meanings, including "womb," "treasury," or "hidden chamber."

Thus, "Kṣitigarbha" can be interpreted as "Earth Treasury" or "Earth Womb," representing the earth's infinite capacity to nurture, protect, and provide. Like the earth, which silently bears all things while selflessly giving, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva embodies unwavering resolve to alleviate the suffering of all beings.

In The Miraculous Records of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva , Master Sheng Yen elaborates that "Ksitigarbha" signifies the ability to endure and uphold. The term "earth" here denotes stability and support, much like the earth itself, which steadfastly carries all existence.

The Sutra of the Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva , translated by the renowned monk Xuanzang, describes Ksitigarbha as "unshakable as the earth, profound in meditation like a hidden treasure." This encapsulates the bodhisattva's patience, vast compassion, and deep meditative power—qualities that enable him to shoulder the monumental task of liberating all sentient beings without exception.

The full title of the Ksitigarbha Sutra is The Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva , emphasizing its focus on the bodhisattva's foundational vows. In the sixth chapter, the Buddha states: "This sutra has three names: The Original Vows of Ksitigarbha , The Original Practices of Ksitigarbha , and The Original Resolve of Ksitigarbha . For countless eons, this bodhisattva has made great vows to benefit all beings."

According to the sutra, Ksitigarbha made four specific and extraordinary vows in past lifetimes, each rooted in the welfare of sentient beings:

• First Vow: To Liberate All Suffering Beings in the Six Realms
  In a distant past, Ksitigarbha was the son of a nobleman. Upon encountering the majestic appearance of the Buddha "Lion’s Roar of Complete Deeds," he inquired how to attain such splendor. The Buddha replied that one must make vast vows and tirelessly save suffering beings across countless eons. Moved, the nobleman’s son vowed: "From this day forward, for immeasurable eons, I will devise countless means to deliver all suffering beings in the six realms, ensuring their liberation before I attain Buddhahood." This is the origin of Ksitigarbha’s famous vow: "Only when all beings are liberated will I achieve enlightenment."
• Second Vow: To Rescue His Mother from the Lower Realms
  In another life, Ksitigarbha was a Brahmin girl whose mother rejected the Buddha’s teachings and slandered the Dharma. After her mother’s death, the girl, knowing her mother’s negative karma would lead her to hell, sold her possessions to make offerings at a temple of the Buddha "King of Meditative Concentration." Through her devotion, not only her mother but all beings in hell were liberated that day. The girl then vowed: "In future eons, I will employ infinite means to rescue all beings suffering from negative karma." This vow transformed personal filial piety into universal compassion.
• Third Vow: To Delay Buddhahood Until All Beings Are Liberated
  Eons ago, two kings—one aspiring to Buddhahood to save his people, the other vowing to delay enlightenment until all lost beings were freed—made opposing resolutions. The latter king, later reborn as Ksitigarbha, remains a bodhisattva to this day, fulfilling his pledge to guide wandering souls.
• Fourth Vow: "Hell Will Not Be Empty Until I Attain Buddhahood"
  As a filial daughter named Bright Eyes, Ksitigarbha witnessed her mother’s descent into hell due to unwholesome deeds. She proclaimed: "From this moment until eternity, I vow to rescue all beings in the hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms. Only when all are freed will I achieve Buddhahood." This iconic vow reflects Ksitigarbha’s unyielding commitment to the damned.

The Ksitigarbha Sutra was delivered by the Buddha three months before his parinirvana, during a discourse in the Trayastrimsa Heaven to repay his mother’s kindness. Yet, the sutra focuses less on Queen Maya and more on Ksitigarbha’s deeds. Why?

As explained in Commentaries on the Ksitigarbha Sutra , the Buddha entrusted Ksitigarbha with the salvation of beings during the 567 million years between his departure and the advent of Maitreya Buddha. This act of filial gratitude resonated with Ksitigarbha’s own compassion, drawing him to the assembly.

The celestial gathering included innumerable buddhas, bodhisattvas, devas, spirits, and guardians of the earthly and underworld realms. When the Buddha asked Manjushri Bodhisattva to count the attendees, even his divine vision failed. These beings, the Buddha revealed, represented all whom Ksitigarbha had saved, would save, or would inspire—proof of his omnipresent mercy across the six realms.

Through dialogues with the Buddha, Ksitigarbha’s vows and methods were expounded to the assembly, which included Queen Maya, Samantabhadra, Avalokiteshvara, the Four Heavenly Kings, and Yama, lord of the underworld. This diversity symbolizes Ksitigarbha’s tireless efforts throughout time and space to alleviate suffering wherever it exists.