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Sutra Of The Great Vows Of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva




Presented in the form of a seemingly mythic dialogue between the Buddha and Kṣitigarbha, the teaching takes place in a certain heaven called Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, located on the top of the Sumeru mountain, in front of a vast multitude of Buddha s, Bodhisattvas , Gods and Ghost s. Immediately prior to his departure from this world, the Buddha manifested in the Trāyastriṃśa heavens so that he might repay the kindness of his mother, Māyā , who dwelt there by speaking the Dharma on her behalf.

This sutra is fundamentally a teaching concerning karmic retribution, graphically describing the consequences one creates for oneself by committing undesirable actions. This sutra also deals with Filial Piety - not only that between oneself and one's parents, but also in an ultimate sense of a universal code of duty or responsibility for all living beings.