[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1772) › 1.12 # 觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 1.12 觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 1.12 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1772.1.12) 第三時分有殊者，劫有多種，如別章說。《觀藥王藥上菩薩經》云「爾時釋迦佛告大眾言：『我曾往昔於妙光如來末法之中出家學道，聞是五十三佛名心生歡喜，復教他人，他人聞已轉轉相教，乃至三千人，異口同音稱諸佛名，一心敬禮，即得超越無量億劫生死之罪。其初千人者，花光佛為首下至毘舍佛，於過去莊嚴劫中得成為佛。毘舍佛者，即七佛中第三毘舍浮佛。此中千佛，拘留孫佛為首下至樓至如來，於賢劫中得成為佛。後千佛者，日光如來為首下至須彌相佛，於未來星宿劫中當得作佛。』」《賢劫經》亦云「過去莊嚴劫有千佛出現世間」，文皆同此。其三千佛，復各自類同修勝業俱時獲果，故別類出。《無垢稱經》第六卷云「過去輪王名為寶蓋，今寶焰如來。輪王千子，今賢劫千佛。月蓋王子，今釋迦是。」《五濁經》云「今當賢劫第九住劫，已有四佛。人壽四萬歲，迦諾迦村陀佛出世。人壽三萬歲，迦諾迦牟尼佛出世。人壽二萬歲，迦葉波佛出世。」《賢劫經》云「人壽一千二百歲釋迦始生都史，人壽一百歲出世作佛。都史天壽四千歲，人間當五十六億七千萬歲。」正法五百年，像法一千年，不論末法，仍云過千五百年後釋迦法盡，獨覺行化。與諸經不同。人命轉促，正法之時人壽不減，像末法中人壽便減至三二十歲，有飢饉、疫病、刀兵次起，人多死盡、國界空疎。仙人相誡，人懷其善，子年倍父，漸漸長壽至八萬四千歲。從增六萬歲至增八萬，皆有轉輪聖王相次而出。八萬歲時王名儴佉，彌勒方出。然論釋云「劫減佛興，劫增轉輪王出。以此撿，彌勒八萬四千劫初減方出，厭生死故。人壽百歲慈氏生天，人壽八萬四千方始下生成佛，當人間五十六億七千萬歲。」以此而推，劫減時長、劫增時短。慈氏光照四十里。《梵志經》云「父名梵手，母名梵經，子曰德力，侍者曰海氏，智慧弟子曰慧光，神足弟子曰賢精進。正法八萬歲，收佛舍利共興一大塔寺。」《賢劫經》云「從迦諾迦忖陀佛至第九百九十九佛共出一大劫，第一千樓至佛獨出一劫，後更十二劫空過無佛。後有一佛名淨光補王，壽十小劫。」即是星宿劫中第一日光佛也，翻名有異，體即一佛，過此以後三百劫中空過無佛。《樓炭經》中明樓至佛獨出一劫，所由廣如彼說。《金剛力士經》云「昔有輪王，千子具足，各發勝心共求作佛。父王試子何者先成佛，香水浴籌令千子取，得第一者即最初成，最後得者即最後成。其最後者為餘者譏：『我等成佛，人已化盡。汝何所度？』小子悲泣復思惟：『世界無邊、眾生無數，諸兄所度何能盡也。願我作佛，度人壽命一等諸兄。』岌然地動，佛即咸記。由是因緣，故後一佛獨出一劫。以啼泣故，名啼泣佛。」和上解云：胡盧支故盧支者，此翻云父愛。父小子偏所愛念，故為名也。於是諸兄願作金剛，擁護小弟。依小乘說，菩薩百劫修相好業。釋迦買五花以供養定光，定光即燃燈也，遂為授記：「汝於來世當得作佛。」又由釋迦、彌勒同事弗沙世尊入火光定滅光恍曜，釋迦讚歎，復超九劫，故先彌勒以得菩提。故經數說，彌勒自言：「我寧千阿僧祇劫都史天說法度人，不能昔時捨身少分。以稽留故，在後成佛。」然釋迦佛百劫修相好中，九十一劫中第一劫逢毘鉢尸佛，第三十劫逢尸棄佛鞞濕婆佛，第九十一劫逢賢劫千佛。有云：住劫中初五劫無佛出世，第六劫有俱留孫佛，第七劫有俱那含牟尼佛，第八劫有迦葉佛，第九劫有釋迦，第十劫有彌勒。有云：四佛並第九劫，四已出訖，并前即為七佛也，彌勒當賢劫第五佛也。即是第三時分有殊。 > Third, regarding 'differences in time periods': kalpas are of multiple kinds, as explained in a separate chapter. The Sūtra on the Contemplation of the Bodhisattvas Bhaiṣajyarāja and Bhaiṣajyasamudgata says: 'At that time, Śākyamuni Buddha addressed the great assembly, saying: "In the past, during the declining age of the Dharma of the Tathāgata Prabhāketu, I went forth to practice the Path. Hearing the names of these fifty-three Buddhas, joy arose in my mind, and I taught them to others; having heard them, others in turn taught them to still others, up to three thousand people. With different mouths but the same voice they recited the names of the Buddhas and single-mindedly paid reverent homage, immediately transcending the sins of birth-and-death of immeasurable kotis of kalpas. Among them, the first thousand, beginning with the Buddha Prabhāketu down to the Buddha Vipaśyin, attained Buddhahood in the past Alaṃkārakalpa. The Buddha Vipaśyin was Viśvabhū Buddha, the third among the Seven Buddhas. The middle thousand Buddhas, beginning with Krakucchanda Buddha down to Rucika Tathāgata, attained Buddhahood in the Bhadrakalpa. The latter thousand Buddhas, beginning with Sūryaprabha Tathāgata down to Merulakṣaṇa Buddha, shall attain Buddhahood in the future Nakṣatrakalpa."' The Bhadrakalpika-sūtra also says: 'In the past Alaṃkārakalpa, a thousand Buddhas appeared in the world.' The texts are identical to this. These three thousand Buddhas each, according to their own class, cultivated superior deeds together and attained the fruit at the same time; therefore, they are classified separately. The sixth roll of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra says: 'In the past, there was a wheel-turning king named Ratnachattra, who is now the Tathāgata Ratnarāśi. The wheel-turning king had one thousand sons, who are now the thousand Buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa. The prince Candrachattra is now Śākyamuni.' The Sūtra on the Five Turbidities says: 'Now, during the ninth abiding kalpa of the Bhadrakalpa, there have already been four Buddhas. When the human lifespan was forty thousand years, Krakucchanda Buddha appeared in the world. When the human lifespan was thirty thousand years, Kanakamuni Buddha appeared in the world. When the human lifespan was twenty thousand years, Kāśyapa Buddha appeared in the world.' The Bhadrakalpika-sūtra says: 'When the human lifespan was one thousand two hundred years, Śākyamuni was first born in Tuṣita; when the human lifespan was one hundred years, he appeared in the world to become a Buddha. The lifespan in Tuṣita Heaven is four thousand years, which corresponds to five billion six hundred and seventy million years in the human world.' The true Dharma lasts five hundred years, and the semblance Dharma lasts one thousand years; it does not mention the declining Dharma, but still says that after one thousand five hundred years, Śākyamuni's Dharma will come to an end, and pratyekabuddhas will carry out conversion. This differs from other sūtras. Human life gradually shortens: during the time of the true Dharma, human life does not decrease; during the semblance and declining Dharma, human life decreases down to twenty or thirty years, and famines, pestilences, and weapons arise one after another, so that most people die and the lands become barren and deserted. Sages admonish one another, people cherish goodness, the lifespan of children doubles that of their fathers, and gradually longevity increases up to eighty-four thousand years. From the increase to sixty thousand years up to the increase to eighty thousand, wheel-turning sage kings appear successively. When the lifespan is eighty thousand years, the king will be named Śaṅkha, and only then will Maitreya appear. However, a commentary explains: 'During the declining kalpa, Buddhas arise; during the increasing kalpa, wheel-turning kings appear. Checking by this, Maitreya will only appear at the beginning of the decrease from eighty-four thousand \[years in the\] kalpa, due to revulsion against birth-and-death. When the human lifespan was one hundred years, Maitreya was born in heaven; when the human lifespan reaches eighty-four thousand years, he will first descend to be born and become a Buddha, which corresponds to five billion six hundred and seventy million years in the human world.' Inferring from this, the time of the declining kalpa is long, and the time of the increasing kalpa is short. Maitreya's light shines for forty li. The Brahmacārin Sūtra says: 'His father's name will be Brahmāyu, his mother's name will be Brahmāvatī, his son's name will be Somottara, his attendant will be named Sāgara, his disciple foremost in wisdom will be named Jñānaprabha, and his disciple foremost in supernatural power will be named Bhadravīrya. The true Dharma will last eighty thousand years, and having gathered the Buddha's relics, they will jointly construct a great stūpa and monastery.' The Bhadrakalpika-sūtra says: 'From Krakucchanda Buddha to the nine hundred and ninety-ninth Buddha, they together appear during one great kalpa; the thousandth Buddha, Rucika, appears alone during one kalpa, and after that, there are twelve kalpas that pass emptily without a Buddha. Afterward, there is a Buddha named Śuddhaprabharājan, whose lifespan is ten small kalpas.' This is the first Buddha of the Nakṣatrakalpa, Sūryaprabha; the translated names differ, but the substance is the same Buddha; after this, three hundred kalpas pass emptily without a Buddha. The Sūtra on the City of Kārkikā explains that Rucika Buddha appears alone in one kalpa, the reasons for which are broadly as stated there. The Vajrapāṇi Sūtra says: 'In the past, there was a wheel-turning king who had a thousand sons, each of whom gave rise to a supreme aspiration to seek Buddhahood together. The father king tested the sons to see who would become a Buddha first: bathing the lots in scented water, he had the thousand sons draw them. The one who drew the first would attain it earliest, and the one who drew the last would attain it last. The one who was last was mocked by the others: "When we become Buddhas, humanity will have already been completely converted. Whom will you cross over?" The youngest son wept and further reflected: "Worlds are boundless, and sentient beings are countless; how could what my elder brothers cross over be exhausted? May it be that when I become a Buddha, the lifespan of the people I cross over will be equal to all my elder brothers combined." Trembling, the earth shook, and the Buddha immediately bestowed a prediction on all of them. Due to these causes and conditions, the last Buddha appears alone in one kalpa. Because he wept, he is called the Weeping Buddha.' The Upādhyāya explains: 'Huluzhi, that is, Rucika, is translated here as "beloved of the father." Being the youngest son of the father, he was particularly cherished and loved, hence the name.' Thereupon, the elder brothers vowed to become vajra-holders to protect their younger brother. According to the Hīnayāna, a bodhisattva cultivates the karma for the marks and signs for one hundred kalpas. Śākyamuni bought five lotus flowers to offer to Dīpaṃkara—Dīpaṃkara is \[also translated as\] Randeng ('Kindler of the Lamp')—who then bestowed a prediction on him: 'In a future age, you shall become a Buddha.' Furthermore, because Śākyamuni and Maitreya together served the World-Honoured One Puṣya, who had entered the fire-radiance samādhi so that extinguishing light shone brilliantly, Śākyamuni praised him and thereby bypassed nine kalpas, attaining bodhi before Maitreya. Therefore, sūtras repeatedly say that Maitreya himself said: 'I would rather spend a thousand asaṃkhyeya kalpas preaching the Dharma and crossing over people in Tuṣita Heaven than give up even a small part of my body as in the past. Because of this lingering, I attain Buddhahood later.' However, during Śākyamuni Buddha's cultivation of the marks and signs for one hundred kalpas, in the first of the ninety-one kalpas he encountered Vipaśyin Buddha; in the thirty-first kalpa he encountered Śikhin Buddha and Viśvabhū Buddha; in the ninety-first kalpa he encountered the thousand Buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa. Some say: 'During the abiding kalpa, in the first five kalpas no Buddha appears in the world; in the sixth kalpa there is Krakucchanda Buddha; in the seventh kalpa there is Kanakamuni Buddha; in the eighth kalpa there is Kāśyapa Buddha; in the ninth kalpa there is Śākyamuni; in the tenth kalpa there is Maitreya.' Some say: 'The four Buddhas are all in the ninth kalpa; four have already appeared, which together with the previous ones makes the Seven Buddhas; Maitreya will be the fifth Buddha of the Bhadrakalpa.' This is the third \[point\], 'differences in time periods.' > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1772.1.11) - [Next: 1.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1772.1.13) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1772.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1772~en-mt.1.12) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.8.12) — 道世, Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1772.1.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1772.1.12) · Pramāṇa