Earth Store Bodhisattva holds a position of special authority within the Dark Nether Mansion.
This authority is not a natural part of the mansion, but created by Earth Store Bodhisattva himself.
In Sanskrit, the na is "Kṣitigarbha" which translates to Earth Store. "Earth" refers to the soil, embodying seven anings: (1) The capacity to produce, as soil produces all creatures and plants, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s ability to generate all wholeso dharmas. (2) The capacity to encompass, as soil holds all living beings, allowing them to dwell within the natural world, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s capacity to gather all good dharmas into his great enlightened mind. (3) The capacity to support, as soil bears all minerals, plants, and animals within the world, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s ability to support all sentient beings, transporting them from the agonizing shore of suffering to the cool shore of liberation. (4) The capacity to contain, as soil conceals all minerals and plants, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s ability to contain all wonderful dharmas. (5) The capacity to sustain, as soil nourishes all things, facilitating their growth, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s ability to maintain all wonderful virtues, contributing to their increase. (6) The capacity to serve as a basis, as soil is the foundation all things depend upon, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s role as a foundation for all living beings. (7) The attribute of being solid and unmovable, as soil is firm and immovable, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s mind of enlightennt, as indestructible as diamond, impervious to harm.
"Store" signifies the anings of secrecy, encompassnt, nourishnt, and cultivation. It refers to Earth Store Bodhisattva’s ability to nurture and guide all sentient beings to supre goodness through his profound ditative contemplation. As the world has secret treasuries containing vast amounts of gold and treasures, they can aid the impoverished and benefit humanity. This is analogous to the Bodhisattva possessing the Tathagata’s three secret virtues and boundless wonderful dharmas, which can liberate innurable sentient beings, leading them all to the shores of awakening. The "Earth Store Ten Wheels Sutra" states: "Enduring and immovable like the great earth, his contemplation deep and secret like a treasury, hence he is nad Earth Store."
Why is the Bodhisattva nad Earth Store? According to "The Abridged Record of the Responses of the Three Jewels," when the Tathagāta was at Vulture Peak, Earth Store Bodhisattva traversed various countries, teaching sentient beings. Reaching the base of Mount Pippala, he arrived at the ho of the elder Cho-ti. Inside the elder’s ho, a demon had drained their vitality; all five hundred mbers of the household had fallen into unconsciousness, oblivious to the world for many days. Seeing this sight, Earth Store Bodhisattva thought, "How truly pitiful, how deeply painful; the world contains such unspeakable things. I now take pity on these beings and will rescue them."
Having spoken these words, he swiftly ascended to Vulture Peak to address the Buddha, "World-Honored One! I have seen that in the elder Cho-ti’s household, more than five hundred people have had their vitality seized by an evil ghost, lying insensible on the ground for several days. Seeing this, I have developed a heart of compassion and protection, and I wish for your approval, World-Honored One, to establish a thod of salvation. It would subdue the malevolent ghosts under humankind, allowing spiritual practitioners to control them at will, and restore the elder to his forr state."
At that ti, the Tathagāta emitted a light from his ushnisha tens of thousands of fathoms long, illuminating Earth Store’s body. The assembled congregation said to one another, "Today, the Tathagāta has shone light upon the body of Earth Store; this Bodhisattva is sure to establish a great dharma, teaching living beings." Then Earth Store Bodhisattva addressed the Buddha, "I now have a divine mantra which can remove wicked intentions and command all evil ghosts. I rember the past when there was an imasurably, imnsely long-ago Buddha called ’Burning Light King.’ After his nirvana, during the ti of his dharma-image, I remained in the realm of ordinary beings. There was an ascetic on the mountain Kutadanta who practiced mystical arts.
Observing sentient beings tornted by various ghosts, no different from the elder’s household, I made a vow at that ti: When I et a good spiritual ntor, I would seek to learn the art of subduing them. Thus, I went to Kutadanta Mountain and spoke to the ascetic. The ascetic’s heart filled with joy, and within three days, he taught to foresee all principles and eliminate sins. He gathered all the evil ghosts to my side; following the ntor’s teachings, I tad their minds and inspired in them the aspiration for the path.
In an instant, all suffering beings in the various hells rode upon lotus blossoms, and their tornts ceased. Seeing that I had acquired such divine powers, the ascetic gave his predictions, saying: ’In innurable, boundless worlds, the Buddha will give you the prophecy, and you shall be nad Earth Store. During the turbulent epochs, in the realms of humans, heavenly beings, and hells, you shall manifest in various forms, saving sentient beings, leading them away from calamities. Today’s visit to the elder’s is no different. I shall now go there, exclusively to save and protect them.’" The World-Honored One consented, and the Bodhisattva transford the scene, restoring the five hundred and more people to life at once.
The "Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva" states that Earth Store Bodhisattva accepted an entrustnt from Shakyamuni Buddha to remain in the world after Shakyamuni’s nirvana and before the advent of Maitreya Buddha, in the era devoid of Buddhas, to teach and liberate beings who sink into the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, animals, asuras, humans, and heavenly beings. Moreover, he vowed, "Until the Hells are empty, I vow not to beco a Buddha." Sentient beings who recite his na, worship, and make offerings before his image can receive boundless rit and salvation.
Through these observations, one can see the power of this Earth Store King and his influence over the Dark Nether Mansion, as well as the impact on the people of the world, demonstrating how imnse the power of Earth Store King Bodhisattva truly is.
Therefore, his divine status, in a sense, is the embodint of his own abilities, integrated into the Dark Nether Mansion. Because of his formidable power, the position of authority that his power beca was able to be recognized and, in a stroke, established him as one of the two imperial rulers beneath Emperor Fengdu.
Beneath one and above ten thousand, there is none other, and due to his unique status and imnse strength, he almost imdiately reached a position within the Dark Nether Mansion akin to operating as an independent state, further solidified by the support of the Buddhist community.
Yet, as ti passed, these ancient tales of gods and spirits have dissipated into the long river of history, their truths blurred, with no one certain about their authenticity.
But even if true, with the disappearance of Earth Store King Bodhisattva, the divine position he left behind remains firmly established within the Dark Nether Mansion.
Today, as the Netherworld continues to expand, the seal of authority established by the Bodhisattva has also, over ti, coalesced into being.
Sensing the ergence of this seal, Li Ming stepped forth, having traversed from the endless ocean to find himself within a darkened Buddha-land.
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