觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 1.40

1.40

The commentary says: Second, explaining the rain of flowers. There are three points: first, the shape of the light; second, the location of the light; third, raining down golden lotus flowers. That the shape of the light was like clouds at sunrise and sunset symbolizes that the Buddha's dharmakāya pervades the dharma-realm, and his nirmāṇakāya accords with beings just like sunrise and sunset clouds, shading the four modes of birth and preaching the rain of Dharma, so that his compassion is like clouds. Pervading Śrāvastī means that Śākyamuni received Sudatta's invitation and bestowed the prophecy upon Maitreya; because the sentient beings of this kingdom all have affinities, and Śrāvastī's abundant virtues symbolize that Maitreya is fully endowed with both mundane and supramundane wealth. Raining down lotus flowers: flowers possess five virtues: first, they can conceal foulness, symbolizing the eradication of all sins; second, they can produce fruit, symbolizing that hearing this sūtra and seeing Maitreya Buddha leads to attaining and realizing the noble path; third, their fragrance is heard from afar, because studying the sūtra and seeing the Buddha causes brilliant renown to resound afar; fourth, they can emerge from water, symbolizing that by hearing the sūtra and so forth, one has already emerged from the ocean of birth and death; fifth, they can blossom, symbolizing that the future Buddha unfolds wondrous meaning.