觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 2.131

2.131

The commentary says: Third, explaining the time of the descent to birth—that is, the lifespan while dwelling in that heaven. In Sanskrit it is called Jambu, which is the name of a tree; saying 'Yanfutid' (Jambudvīpa) is merely a corruption. This continent is named after the tree; the origins of the four continents are as explained elsewhere. Four hundred years here corresponds to one day and one night in that heaven; thirty of their days make one month, and twelve months make one year. The lifespan in that heaven is four thousand years. Maitreya exhausts the lifespan of that heaven and only then descends to be born, because he does not die prematurely. When this sūtra says 'fifty-six hundred million years of Jambudvīpa,' it is calculated according to the fourth fascicle of the Yogācārabhūmi, the Sūtra on the Establishment of the World, the Vibhāṣā, and others. Four hundred years here makes one day there; four thousand years here makes ten days there; forty thousand years here makes one hundred days there. One year of that heaven corresponds to one hundred and forty-four thousand years here; ten years of that heaven corresponds to one million four hundred and forty thousand years here; one hundred years of that heaven corresponds to one hundred and forty-four hundred million years here; one thousand years of that heaven corresponds to one thousand four hundred and forty hundred million years here; four thousand years of that heaven corresponds to five thousand seven hundred and sixty hundred million years here. This differs from the sūtra text. Now, reasoning through it, first four hundred human years makes one day and one night there; further, if one calculates in units of one hundred, the count then corresponds. Because one corresponds to one hundred: forty human years makes ten days there; four hundred human years makes one hundred days there; one thousand four hundred and forty human years makes one year there; fourteen thousand four hundred human years makes ten years there; one hundred million forty-four thousand human years makes one hundred years there; fourteen hundred million forty thousand human years makes one thousand years there; four thousand years there corresponds to fifty-seven hundred million sixty thousand human years. In the Western regions there are three reckonings of 'hundred million' (koṭi/ayuta): first, one hundred thousand is a koṭi; second, one million is a koṭi; third, ten million is a koṭi. Reasoning through it, if one calculates with ten million as one hundred million, it then corresponds. Therefore, above the character 'hundred million' in the sūtra, the character 'seven' should be added, and the preceding character 'six' should be placed above 'ten thousand'. One only fears that there was an error of discrepancy in the recitation of the Sanskrit manuscript, or the translators themselves made a mistake. If it were not so, it would fall short by one hundred million fifty thousand years. In principle it definitely must be so; the wise should know this. However, regarding this number of years, four texts differ. The Xianjie dingyi jing says: 'Maitreya will descend to become a Buddha in five hundred million seventy-six thousand years.' Its 'five hundred million' is precisely fifty hundred million: previously, taking ten million as one hundred million made fifty hundred million; here, taking one hundred million as one hundred million makes five hundred million; and 'seventy ten-thousand' is precisely seven hundred million. Because one hundred thousand is one hundred million, the number 'six ten-thousand' is the same, so there is no need to explain it further. Only in this single sūtra, though the additions and subtractions differ, does it agree with the treatise's calculation; all the rest are different. The two-fascicle Nirvāṇa Sūtra says 'one hundred million four thousand years,' which does not correspond at all. This sūtra and the Sūtra on the Compassionate Mind of the Omniscient Radiant Sage say 'fifty-six hundred million ten-thousand years,' which has already been corrected above. The Sūtra on the Bodhisattva Dwelling in the Womb and the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish say 'fifty-six hundred million seventy million years'; its character 'six' should be 'seven', and its character 'seven' should be 'six'. As for its 'ten million', if one calculates taking one million as one hundred million, 'sixty million' is sixty hundred million, and the meaning is not contradictory. Investigating in this manner, although it departs from ancient commentaries, examining the text and investigating the principle should also be free of error. The bodhisattva's lifespan in heaven is never cut short prematurely; he is then born among humans. The Great Sūtra on Attaining Buddhahood says: his lifespan is sixty thousand years, and he fully completes his heavenly years. His lifespan among humans is long because it is fitting to manifest so at that time. It is not like Śākyamuni, who largely completed his heavenly years, but passed away early in the human realm because sentient beings grew weary and his causes for transformation were finished. The Sūtra on Dwelling in the Womb says: Maitreya's lifespan among humans is eighty-four thousand years. If one relies on that statement, no harmonization is needed. As the Sūtra on the Descent to Birth states regarding the events of his descent to birth, when the benefit for the devas is completed and the capacity of humans is mature, he then descends to be born.