三彌勒經疏 1.201

1.201

問：前後經其指何？答：一云彌勒三經互為前後。一云不然，於三經隨指何經名為前後者，前後者不可了故。應說此經以前諸處處經，彌勒作佛事可得，故云前後。是故《增一經》云「佛在舍衛國說彌勒成佛事」，又在迦毘羅國家珠師，佛說彌勒成佛事。又如《上生經》中所引，佛昔於毘尼及諸經藏說阿逸多次當作佛。如是前前諸教，前後所說可引起問。是解最勝，順聖教故。

Question: To what do "previous and subsequent sūtras" refer? Answer: One says that the three Maitreya sūtras mutually serve as previous and subsequent. Another says this is not so: if one arbitrarily points to any of the three sūtras as "previous and subsequent," the sense of "previous and subsequent" would be unclear. One should say that prior to this sūtra, in various places throughout various sūtras, Maitreya's performing Buddha-activities can be found; hence it says "previous and subsequent." Therefore, the *Ekottarika Āgama* states, "The Buddha was in Śrāvastī and spoke of the matter of Maitreya's attainment of Buddhahood," and also at the jewel master's house in Kapilavastu the Buddha spoke of the matter of Maitreya's attainment of Buddhahood. Furthermore, as cited in the *Ascent Sūtra*, the Buddha in the past, in the Vinaya and various sūtra piṭakas, spoke of Ajita being next to become a Buddha. Such earlier and earlier teachings, spoken earlier and later, could provoke this question. This explanation is the most superior, because it accords with the holy teachings.