The Di Zhang Jing is famous for its graphic descriptions of the Hells. The text details "Hells within Hells," boiling cauldrons, iron walls, and mountains of blades.
One of the most striking features of the Di Zhang Jing is its structural adaptation to the Chinese cultural milieu. Buddhism, upon entering China, was often criticized by Confucian scholars for encouraging monasticism, which was seen as a dereliction of familial duty (unfilial behavior).
The scripture spans traditionally categorized into three major sections: Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Birthday - Dharma Drum Mountain di zhang jing
Within the text, Kṣitigarbha’s past lifetimes are revealed. In several lifetimes, he manifested as a devoted daughter who made massive spiritual offerings to rescue her mother from the agonizing torment of the lower hell realms.
"If I do not enter the hells, who will enter them? Only when the hells are entirely emptied will I attain Bodhi; as long as sentient beings suffer, I shall not achieve Buddhahood." 3. The Mechanics of Karma and Retribution The Di Zhang Jing is famous for its
This paper examines the Sutra of the Past Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (often referred to as the Di Zhang Jing ), a foundational text of East Asian Mahayana Buddhism. While often categorized as a text dealing primarily with death and the underworld, this study argues that the Di Zhang Jing functions as a sophisticated sociological and psychological treatise. It explores the text's unique synthesis of Indian karmic philosophy with Chinese Confucian values of filial piety ( xiao ). By analyzing the text's structural narrative, its depiction of the "Ten Wheels," and the concept of the "Bodhisattva of the Great Vow," this paper posits that the Di Zhang Jing offers a pragmatic framework for ethical living through the mechanism of radical empathy.
The text posits that safety is found not in escaping the world, but in engaging with its deepest suffering. Ksitigarbha’s famous vow, "Hell is not empty; I will not become a Buddha," serves as a radical statement of solidarity. It transforms the Bodhisattva from a distant deity into a co-sufferer. The Di Zhang Jing remains a relevant text not because it scares the reader with visions of hellfire, but because it offers a profound hope: that no matter how deep the pit, compassion has the power to descend and lift one out. Buddhism, upon entering China, was often criticized by
The Di Zhang Jing neutralizes this criticism by framing the narrative around filial devotion. In the First and Fourth Chapters, Ksitigarbha is presented in his past lives as a Brahmin maiden and a noblewoman. In both instances, his motivation for spiritual practice is the salvation of his mother, who has fallen into the Avici Hell due to slander and unwholesome deeds.