觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 2.61

2.61

The commentary says: The second major section, on the fulfillment of vows, concerns a great deity creating the park. Here there are two parts: first, listing the seven adornments; second, concluding with what is obtained by being born there. In the first part, there are seven: First, the eight-coloured channels. The eight-coloured channels are blue, yellow, red, white, crimson, purple, azure, and green. Second, their being formed of jewel beads. Third, the eight-flavored water, which possesses all of the preceding eight colours. The 'eight flavors' are the water of eight qualities, because its taste is delightful. The water of eight qualities is: 1. clear; 2. light; 3. cold; 4. soft; 5. fragrant; 6. delicious; 7. not harming the throat when drunk; 8. not injuring the belly after drinking. Fourth, the water surging and winding around the beams and generating flowers outside the gates: the eight-coloured water comes forth from the flowers, its water-colours inter-reflecting like a flow of jeweled blossoms. Fifth, that twenty-four heavenly maidens emerge from the flowers: because one observes the seven branches of morality, prevents evil in the three times, and receives it distinctively with three minds, the fruit evoked consists of twenty-four. Sixth, that jeweled vessels emerge from their hands, filled with amṛta: this represents obtaining the flavor of the Dharma, hence they are full of amṛta. Seventh, that these heavenly maidens wear necklaces on the left and carry musical instruments on the right, emerging from the eight-coloured water like auspicious clouds hovering in the sky, their mouths praising the Bodhisattva's pāramitās: this is evoked by observing the seven branches of morality (three of the body and four of speech), conversely cultivating the seven noble treasures, concurrently practicing the seven limbs of awakening, and eliminating the seven latent defilements. These heavenly maidens might not be real women, but rather are manifested jointly by the transformations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas to adorn the bodhimanda; or they may be manifestations evoked by women who in past lives upheld pure morality with diligence and without transgression; this cannot be fathomed by the ordinary mind.