注維摩詰經 4.14

4.14

[Dao]sheng says: When Maitreya previously expounded practice, his intention was merely to guide them by means of the prophecy [of buddhahood]; he was not expounding the prophecy for its own sake. Yet those [gods] gave rise to clinging sentiments and forthwith grew greedy for a prophecy by virtue of having practice; this again was seeing bodhi as something that can be attained. Therefore, Vimalakīrti directly reduced Maitreya's prophecy to nonexistence in order to rebuke his intention in expounding practice and dispel their clinging; only then did he further resolve their mind that holds a view of bodhi. A prophecy must be constituted through four factors, and when examined one by one, all are nonexistent. As for the four factors: first, taking the person receiving the prophecy as primary; second, taking the embodiment of suchness as the basis; third, having no immeasurable births [remaining]; fourth, attaining buddhahood within a single birth. If it occurs within a single birth and one receives the prophecy by means of it, one must certainly first examine this 'single birth'. A 'single birth' refers to a lifespan of eighty thousand years, of which only a single thought-moment is present, while the remainder are past and future. Hence he says: 'By means of which birth did you receive the prophecy, Maitreya?'