諸經要集 1.63

1.63

Furthermore, the Guanfo sanmei jing says: 'At that time, the Bodhisattva Maitreya said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat, we only pray that the Bhagavat, with great loving-kindness and great compassion, take pity on all beings. In future eras, there will be many sentient beings who commit unwholesome karma. When the Buddha is no longer in the world, what can they rely upon to eliminate their sins and faults?" The Buddha told Maitreya: "After the Tathāgata passes into extinction, there will be many sentient beings who commit various evil deeds because they do not see the Buddha. Such persons as these should be made to contemplate an image. If one contemplates an image, it is completely indistinguishable from contemplating my body." While he was speaking these words, all the Buddhas of the ten directions in the sky praised him, saying: "Excellent! Now is precisely the right time; take care not to doubt or hesitate." The Buddha said to Maitreya: "The Tathāgata now, for the sake of the sentient beings of the five sufferings in future eras—bhikṣus who have broken the precepts, evil persons who are unwholesome, those who commit the five heinous crimes and slander [the Dharma], and those who practice the sixteen kinds of evil rules of discipline—for such ones as these, expounds the method for removing sins." At that time, Ānanda said to the Buddha: "How does the Tathāgata expound the method for removing sins?"'