The Kṣitigarbha Sutra
Thirteen chapters, spoken by the Buddha in the Trayastriṃśa heaven for his mother. What follows is the structure of the sutra and a few passages; the full text is linked at the end.
The thirteen chapters
- 1 · Miracles in the Heaven of the Thirty-ThreeThe Buddha teaches in the Trayastriṃśa heaven for his mother; the assembly gathers; Kṣitigarbha is entrusted with beings.
- 2 · The Assembly of EmanationsCountless emanations of Kṣitigarbha return from the worlds and gather in one place.
- 3 · The Karma of BeingsMāyā, the Buddha's mother, asks about the sufferings of hell.
- 4 · The Karma of the Beings of JambudvīpaThe four heavenly kings ask; the stories of Guangmu and the two kings are told.
- 5 · The Names of the HellsSamantabhadra asks, and the hells are named.
- 6 · The Buddha's PraiseThe Buddha praises Kṣitigarbha and the merit of making offerings.
- 7 · Benefit for the Living and the DeadMaking merit on behalf of the dead; the forty-nine days.
- 8 · Praise by Yama and His RetinueYama and the ghost-kings praise Kṣitigarbha's vow.
- 9 · Calling the Names of BuddhasThe merit of reciting the names of buddhas.
- 10 · Comparing the Merit of GivingHow the merit of giving differs by recipient and intention.
- 11 · The Earth Spirit Protects the DharmaFirm Earth vows to protect those who keep the sutra.
- 12 · The Benefits of Seeing and HearingAvalokiteśvara asks, and the benefits are described.
- 13 · Entrusting Gods and HumansThe Buddha entrusts beings to Kṣitigarbha; Ākāśagarbha asks how many.
A few passages
For countless kalpas to come, I will devise every means to liberate the beings of the six paths who suffer for their offences — and only then will I myself attain buddhahood.
Chapter 1, the vow of the elder's son
Every gesture and every stirring of thought of the beings of this world is karma; every one of them is an offence.
Chapter 3
Your power is inconceivable, your compassion is inconceivable, your wisdom is inconceivable, your eloquence is inconceivable.
Chapter 13
The four-line vow “until hell is empty, I will not become a Buddha” is a Chinese summary, not a line in the sutra. The full Chinese text (Taishō 412) is available at CBETA.