觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 2.103

2.103

贊曰：下廣答。有四：第一答此沒；第二「時兜率陀天七寶臺內」下，答生彼天；第三「閻浮提歲數」下，乘言便故說下生時節，明住彼天之壽量也；第四「佛告優波離是名彌勒」下，總結。初中有七，此文有三。一命終年月。却後十二年者，表聞授記，得度生死十二緣起。二月者，《涅槃經》第三十云「二月名春陽。春陽之月萬物生長，種植根栽花菓敷榮，江河盈滿百獸孚乳，是時眾生多生常想。為破此常，說一切法悉是無常，唯說如來常住無變。於六時中，孟冬枯悴眾不愛樂，陽春和液人所貪愛。為破眾生世間樂故，演說常樂我淨亦爾。言二月者，喻二種法身，謂自性身及智法身。冬不樂者，喻於智者不樂如來無常入於涅槃。二月樂者，喻於智者樂於如來常樂我淨。種植者，喻聞法歡喜，發菩提心種諸善根。河者，喻於十方諸大菩薩來詣我所，諮受如是大涅槃典。百獸孚乳者，喻我弟子生諸善根。花喻七覺，菓喻四果。以是義故，二月涅槃。師子孔言：『初生、出家、成道、轉妙法輪皆以八日，何故涅槃獨十五日？』『善男子！如十五日月無虧盈，諸佛亦爾，入大涅槃無有虧盈，故以十五日入涅槃。如十五日月盛滿時有十一事：一破暗、二令見道非道、三令見邪正、四除欝蒸得清涼、五能破壞螢火高心、六息一切賊盜之想、七除眾生畏惡獸心、八能開敷優鉢羅花、九含蓮花、十發行人進路之心、十一令諸眾生樂受五欲多獲快樂。如來滿月亦復如是，一破無明暗、二演說正道邪道、三開示生死邪險涅槃平生、四令人遠離貪嗔癡熱、五破壞外道光明、六破壞煩惱結賊、七除滅畏五蓋心、八開敷眾生種善根心、九覆蓋眾生五欲之心、十發起眾生進修趣向大涅槃行、十一令諸眾生樂修解脫。故十五日入涅槃。』」義理既同，故涅槃之時與佛無異。上明歲月。

The Eulogy says: Below is the extensive answer. There are four parts: first, answering his passing away here; second, from 'At that time, within the seven-jeweled terrace of Tuṣita Heaven' downwards, answering his birth in that heaven; third, from 'By the count of years in Jambudvīpa' downwards, taking occasion of the words to speak of the time of his descent to birth, clarifying the lifespan of his stay in that heaven; fourth, from 'The Buddha told Upāli, this is called Maitreya' downwards, a general conclusion. Within the first there are seven, and in this passage there are three. First, the year and month of the end of his life. 'Twelve years from now' signifies that having heard the prophecy, he is able to cross over the twelve links of dependent origination in saṃsāra. As for 'the second month,' the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, fascicle thirty, says: 'The second month is called warm spring. In the month of warm spring, the myriad things sprout and grow, planted roots and cuttings, flowers and fruits bloom and flourish, rivers and streams are full, and the hundred beasts nurse their young; at this time sentient beings mostly produce notions of permanence. To destroy this permanence, it is taught that all dharmas are impermanent, teaching only that the Tathāgata is permanently abiding and unchanging. Among the six seasons, early winter is withered and desolate, not loved or delighted in by the multitude, while warm spring is mild and nourishing, coveted and loved by people. To destroy sentient beings' worldly pleasure, the expounding of permanence, bliss, self, and purity is likewise so. Saying "the second month" is an analogy for the two kinds of dharmakāya: the svabhāva-kāya and the jñāna-dharmakāya. Not delighting in winter is an analogy for the wise not delighting in the Tathāgata's impermanence in entering nirvāṇa. Delighting in the second month is an analogy for the wise delighting in the Tathāgata's permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Planting is an analogy for hearing the Dharma with joy, giving rise to the bodhi mind, and planting all wholesome roots. The rivers are an analogy for all the great bodhisattvas of the ten directions coming to my presence to consult and receive such a Great Nirvāṇa scripture. The hundred beasts nursing their young is an analogy for my disciples generating all wholesome roots. Flowers are an analogy for the seven factors of awakening, and fruits are an analogy for the four fruits [of the recluse]. For these reasons, nirvāṇa takes place in the second month. Siṃhanāda said: "Birth, renunciation, attaining awakening, and turning the wonderful wheel of Dharma are all on the eighth day; why is nirvāṇa alone on the fifteenth day?" "Good son! Just as on the fifteenth day the moon neither wanes nor waxes, so it is with all buddhas: entering great nirvāṇa has no waning or waxing; therefore on the fifteenth day they enter nirvāṇa. Just as when the moon is full on the fifteenth day there are eleven things: first, destroying darkness; second, causing one to see the path and what is not the path; third, causing one to see the false and the true; fourth, removing oppressive heat and obtaining cool clarity; fifth, being able to crush the arrogant minds of fireflies; sixth, putting an end to all thoughts of thieves and robbers; seventh, removing sentient beings' fear of vicious beasts; eighth, being able to open the utpala flowers; ninth, closing the lotus flowers; tenth, inspiring in travelers the thought to advance on the road; eleventh, causing all sentient beings to enjoy receiving the five desires and obtain much pleasure. The Tathāgata's full moon is also like this: first, destroying the darkness of ignorance; second, expounding the true path and the false path; third, revealing the false perils of saṃsāra and the level tranquility of nirvāṇa; fourth, causing people to leave behind the heat of greed, anger, and delusion; fifth, destroying the illumination of non-Buddhists; sixth, destroying the thief of the fetters of afflictions; seventh, eradicating the mind that fears the five hindrances; eighth, opening the minds of sentient beings to plant wholesome roots; ninth, covering the minds of sentient beings regarding the five desires; tenth, inspiring sentient beings to advance in cultivating practice towards great nirvāṇa; eleventh, causing all sentient beings to delight in cultivating liberation. Therefore on the fifteenth day he enters nirvāṇa."' Since the principles are identical, the time of his nirvāṇa does not differ from that of the Buddha. The above clarifies the year and month.