How Inconceivable Is the Power of Earth Store Bodhisattva

HOW INCONCEIVABLE IS THE POWER OF EARTH STORE BODHISATTVAMother’s Day is celebrated with flowers, gifts and treats at restaurants for most mothers. Last year, my 20 year-old son woke up very early in the morning, came to my room and wished me “Happy Mother’s Day”, with a beautifully wrapped gift, waiting anxiously for my response as I opened the box. Nestled in the box was a small and beautiful statuette of Earth Store Bodhisattva. The gift gave a poignant feeling, as my children had reminded me about filiality and gratitude to this Great Bodhisattva who had in the past displayed inconceivable power and kindness during times of grave illness. Back in 1995-1997 I was weak and tired due to my illness and constant dreams of demonic attacks. Prior to my illness I was from the Southern school but my husband who had taken refuge with Master Hua persuaded me to attend a full seven-day recitation of Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra at Tze Yun Tung temple in Salak South, Malaysia. I was reluctant as I do not understand Chinese and felt that the chanting would not be effective for someone who does not understand. My husband being undeterred by my excuses, would however send me to the gates of Tze Yun Tung everyday. Everyday I would reluctantly go and everyday without fail he would make sure I was right in front of Tze Yun Tung’s gate. Due to my karmic retribution, attending the assembly was a torture as I felt my whole body being pierced by thousands of needles. However towards dawn on the last day of the assembly I had a strange dream. As if in between my sleeping and waking states, I heard strange resonance of chanting reverberating around me. A group of monks in a rather rough-clothed kind of robes were sitting around me and chanting. I could not understand what they were chanting, it did not sound like Chinese, it wasn’t English, and the sound was strangely powerful. As the mantra-like chanting was reverberating, I broke into cold sweat and I suddenly woke up and vomited. Since that incident I was on my way to recovery. Physically I slowly became stronger and the visions of visiting demonic beings started to disappear. As weeks went by, I soon forgot about my dream until I heard the same mantra being chanted while shopping in a Buddhist bookstore. The same mantra that I heard in my dream resonated. I was flooded with excitement and wanted to know what the mantra was. Upon asking the shop assistant, he presented me with a CD and I was filled with awe because the mantra was actually the Mantra of Earth Store Bodhisattva – but it is in Sanskrit! Though I chanted Earth Store Sutra in Chinese at Tze Yun Tung temple but in my dream I heard the Earth Store Mantra in Sanskrit – how inconceivable is the power and kindness of Earth Store Bodhisattva. Amara