In view of this Sakyamuni, the Buddha of the Present, held a conclave shortly before his earthly extinction at which he particularly entrusted to Ksitigharbha the task of ensuring the salvation of all sentient beings until the advent of Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, after the passage of 56 kalpas. This great commission demonstrates the high honor in which Ksitigharbha was held.
正因地藏在諸佛菩薩中「悲願第一」，而「願力」又是一切正知正行的根本，因此「現在佛」佛祖釋迦牟尼在知道自己即將入滅前，特別召開法會，在諸天諸佛菩薩面前，再三囑咐地藏菩薩要為祂負起「廣度眾生」的重責大任，直到「未來佛」佛祖彌勒降生為止。