觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 2.59

2.59

The commentary says: Next below is the second, the creation of the balustrades; third, the miraculous birth of devaputras and devakanyās; fourth, lotus flowers produced from hands; fifth, the presence of immeasurable light; sixth, musical instruments in the light sounding spontaneously without needing to strike drums; seventh, once the musical sounds move, the maidens rising in song and dance; eighth, the song and dance performing no worldly play of birth and death, but all expounding the practice of the ten wholesome actions and the four great vows. As for the four great vows: first, for those who have not yet escaped suffering, the vow that they may escape; second, for those who have not yet attained joy, the vow that they may attain it; third, for those who have not yet aroused bodhicitta to sever evil and cultivate the good, the vow that they may quickly arouse the mind, sever evil, and cultivate the good; fourth, for those who have not yet become Buddhas, the vow that they may quickly become Buddhas. They are also said to be: knowing suffering, severing the origin, realizing cessation, and cultivating the path. Having heard this, the devas aroused the Mahāyāna mind. This is karmically attained through the noble practices of the eight branches of the noble path and the bliss of the eight liberations, and by ordinary beings observing the eight precepts: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, not drinking alcohol, not using fragrant garlands to smear the body or performing songs and dances, not sitting on high, broad, or large beds, and not eating at improper times, in their respective order. It is brought together and completed by the manifold practices of āryas and ordinary beings assisting correct wisdom and the like. It is arranged and adorned with wisdom leading the way, and can thus bring about this. Were it not so, by what condition could such an extraordinary place exist?