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The month of July of the Lunar calendar is regarded as the month of filial piety in Buddhism. In addition to the story of Venerable Moggallana saving his mother, another main reason is the compassionate wish of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha to save all sentient beings in hell.
"If hell is not empty, I will not become a Buddha; once all sentient beings are saved, I will realize Bodhi." This is the impression most people have about Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
Regarding the meaning behind Ksitigarbha, the "Ksitigarbha Ten Wheel Sutra" says: "Being unmoved is like earth; meditating deeply is like a secret treasure of wisdom."
"Earth" refers to the earth that can give birth to all things (can be born), and is the source of nutrients that all things depend on (can be nourished). Human being rely on mother earth for clothing, food, shelter, and travel (can sustain). The first incomparable wish of this Bodhisattva is endurance. Even though the masses repeatedly commit evil acts and fall into hell, he still does not abandon anyone. His endurance is like the earth, so it is called "Earth".
"Zang" refers to treasures, which means that this Bodhisattva saves all sentient beings, cultivates all merits and virtues when he sees them, collects all merits and virtues, just like collecting treasures. Another interpretation is that Bodhisattva has unrevealed treasures, which refers to his profound wisdom and the highest meditation power. It can also be interpreted as the Tibetan Tathagata Bodhisattva, that is, the Buddha Nature.
As for the origin of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, according to the "Ksitigarbha Sutura", the girl in the sutra is kind and generous, and often helps the poor. Her mother often kills and speaks harshly. This karma leads to hell. The kind girl was eager to save her mother, and so sold her property and gave alms to her mother. Then she was guided by the Buddha and learned that her mother had ascended to heaven and escaped the suffering of hell after receiving the merit. The kind girl is the present Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
It is also mentioned in "Biography of Divine Monks" and "Biography of Song Gaoseng" that there was a prince Jin in the Western Regions during Emperor Tang Gaozong era. Although he was the heir to the throne, he has no interest in politics or fame. he became a monk, took the name "Ksitigarbha" and sailed to China. He settled on Mount Jiuhua and practiced devotedly. He was respected and supported by an honorable elderly name Min Gong and the mountain god.
Monk Ksitigarbha asked Min Gong to bestow a piece of land to build a temple. With his supernatural power he let the cassock cover the peak of Mount Jiuhua. Therefore, Min Gong happily offered this mountain to him as a dojo for Ksitigarbha to spread the Dharma.
Monk Ksitigarbha lived on Mount Jiuhua for 75 years to promoted the Dharma. He has taught countless people and left many touching stories about how he propagated the Dharma. On July 30th, in the year Kaiyuan 26 (emperor Tang Xuanzong reigned from 713-741), right before his passing, the image of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva emerged. He is recognized by later generations as the incarnation of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
Every July 30th of the Lunar calendar is the anniversary of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
農曆孝道月祈福
農曆七月，佛教視為孝道月。除先前所提目犍連尊者救母的故事，另一主要原因，就是受地藏菩薩救度地獄眾生的慈心悲願所致。「地獄不空，誓不成佛；眾生度盡，方證菩提。」是一般人對地藏菩薩最深刻的印象，也是地藏菩薩於過去世身為光目女所發的大願。
關於地藏名號的意義，《地藏十輪經》曰：「安忍不動，猶如大地；靜慮深密，猶如秘藏。」
「地」，指大地能生萬物（能生），是萬物所依賴的養分來源（能育），人類衣、食、住、行，亦皆不離大地（能載）；而這位菩薩大願第一、忍力第一，縱使大眾一再造惡墮入地獄，他仍不捨棄任何一個人，其安忍力量猶如大地一般，故稱為「地」。
「藏」指寶藏，指這位菩薩救度一切眾生，見功德就修，修集一切功德，像是收集寶藏一樣；另一解釋為菩薩具有秘藏，這秘藏指的是他的靜慮高深，具有高深的禪定力；另可解釋為菩薩的如來藏，也就是佛性。
至於地藏王菩薩的由來，據《地藏經‧忉利天宮神通品》所說，光目女樂善好施，經常濟助貧困的人，但她的母親卻時常殺生、惡口，往生後，依此業報墮入地獄。光目女救母心切，變賣家產，廣為布施，以此功德回向母親，隨後蒙佛指引，得知母親在領受功德後，已升天脫離地獄之苦。光目女即現今地藏菩薩的前生。
又《神僧傳》及《宋高僧傳》提到，唐高宗時代西域有位王子金喬覺，雖為王位繼承人，但對政治與名位毫無興趣，因此決定出家，法號「地藏」，後航海到中國，至安徽九華山苦修，感得地主閔公長者及山神恭敬供養。地藏比丘向閔公化緣一袈裟地建寺，他以神通力，讓袈裟覆蓋九華山峰，閔公因此歡喜地將此山供養他，作為地藏比丘弘法的道場。
地藏比丘在九華山駐錫弘法七十五年間，度眾無數，且留下許多感人的弘化故事；他於唐玄宗開元二十六年七月三十日示寂，臨終前，曾顯現地藏菩薩像，後人咸認其為地藏菩薩的化身，而以農曆七月三十日為地藏菩薩的聖誕紀念日。