Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva

The theme of this sutra presents a model of filial respect and elucidates Earth Store Bodhisattva’s determination to use every means and expedient available to fulfill those vows. Although virtually unknown in the West, the Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva has been recited for centuries in East Asia in the rituals concerning with death and dying. This sutra recounts the past lives of Earth Store (Kṣitigarbha) Bodhisattva, highlighting the vows he made across different lifetimes. One of the earliest stories tells of how he was once reborn as the daughter of a Brahmin woman who, upon passing, was consigned to the hells due to offenses committed during her lifetime. In an act of filial responsibility and respect, the daughter embarks on a journey to the hells to rescue her mother from its horrors. This act of compassion leads her to make an even greater vow—to liberate all beings suffering in the hells. The vivid depictions of karmic retribution endured by the dead bear