三寶感應要略錄 3.25

3.25

北印度烏長那國（或云馮杖）達麗羅川中有精舍。刻木彌勒像。金色靈異潛通長十丈餘。佛滅度後。末田地大阿羅漢之所造也。尊者作是念。釋迦大師。以滅度弟子。遠彌勒三會脫者。多釋迦遺法中。一稱南無者。一摶施食人也。菩薩上生兜率。眾生依何見真容。但恐造像。不似妙體。即以神力。携引工匠。昇兜率天。面見真相三返。以後方就造功。在天之時。彌勒告末田地言。我以天眼。觀見三千大千世界。其中有造我像者。密遣青衣。冥資其功。彼人決定。不墮惡道。我成佛時。其像為前導。來至我所。爾時讚言。善哉汝等眾生。釋迦正像末。我相似像引來至我所。爾時像昇虛空。放光說偈。聞者流淚。得三乘道果。末田地恭受旨誨。功乃畢焉。自有佛法僧法流東土矣。

In the country of Uḍḍiyāna in North India (also called Fengzhang), in the Darel Valley, there is a vihāra with a carved wooden image of Maitreya, golden in colour, whose miraculous powers secretly penetrate; it is over ten zhang tall. After the Buddha passed into extinction, it was crafted by the great arhat Madhyāntika. The Venerable One had this thought: 'The Great Master Śākyamuni entrusted his deceased disciples to be delivered in the three assemblies of Maitreya in the far future; most are those who uttered "Namo" once or gave a single ball of food under Śākyamuni's bequeathed Dharma. The Bodhisattva was reborn above in Tuṣita; by what shall sentient beings see his true form? I only fear that in making an image, it will not resemble his wonderful body.' He then used his supernormal powers to lead and conduct craftsmen up to the Tuṣita Heaven, seeing his true face three times, after which he completed the work of crafting it. While in heaven, Maitreya told Madhyāntika: 'With my divine eye, I observe the three-thousand-great-thousandfold world; if there are those who make my image therein, I secretly dispatch blue-clad youths to unseenly assist their work. That person will definitely not fall into the evil paths. When I become a Buddha, their image will serve as a guide to come to my presence. At that time I will praise them: "Excellent, you sentient beings! In the True, Semblance, and Final Dharma of Śākyamuni, my resembling image led you to come to my presence."' At that time the image rose into empty space, emitted light, and spoke verses; those who heard wept and attained the fruits of the three vehicles' paths. Madhyāntika reverently received these instructions, and the work was then accomplished. Since then, the Dharma of the Buddha and the Dharma of the Saṅgha flowed to the eastern land.