佛說觀彌勒菩薩上生兜率天經 1

English (machine translation) 1

Language: English

1.1

Translated by the Layman Juqu Jingsheng under the Liu Song dynasty

At one time, the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī at the Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍada's Park. At that time, in the first watch of the night, the World-Honoured One emitted a golden light from his entire body. The light circled the Jeta Grove seven times and illuminated Sudatta’s house, turning it golden as well. There was a golden light resembling layered clouds, and everywhere throughout the kingdom of Śrāvastī golden lotus blossoms rained down. Within that radiance were immeasurable hundreds of thousands of great manifested Buddhas, who all called out with one voice: “Now among this assembly there are a thousand bodhisattvas: the first to achieve Buddhahood is named Krakucchanda, and the last to achieve Buddhahood is named Ruci.” Having spoken these words, the Venerable Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya arose from meditation together with his retinue of two hundred and fifty people; the Venerable Mahākāśyapa together with his retinue of two hundred and fifty people; the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana together with his retinue of two hundred and fifty people; the Venerable Śāriputra together with his retinue of two hundred and fifty people; the nun Mahāprajāpatī together with her retinue of a thousand nuns; the Elder Sudatta together with three thousand upāsakas; the Mother Viśākhā together with two thousand upāsikās; furthermore, a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Bhadrapāla together with his retinue of sixteen bodhisattvas; and the Dharma Prince Mañjuśrī together with his retinue of five hundred bodhisattvas. The entire assembly of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and others, beholding the Buddha’s radiance, all gathered like clouds.

1.4

At that time, the World-Honoured One manifested the mark of a broad and long tongue and emitted a thousand rays of light. Each ray of light had a thousand colours, and within each colour were immeasurable manifested Buddhas. With different mouths but one voice, these manifested Buddhas all preached the pure, profound, and inconceivable dhāraṇī teachings of the great bodhisattvas: namely, the Anantamukha Dhāraṇī, the Emptiness-Wisdom Dhāraṇī, the Unhindered Nature Dhāraṇī, and the Great Liberation Signless Dhāraṇī. At that time, with a single sound, the World-Honoured One expounded a hundred koṭis of dhāraṇī gateways. When he had finished speaking these dhāraṇīs, a bodhisattva in the assembly named Maitreya heard what the Buddha taught and immediately attained a hundred million koṭis of dhāraṇī gateways. He then arose from his seat, straightened his robes, joined his palms with fingers clasped, and stood before the Buddha.

1.5

At that time, Upāli also arose from his seat, bowed his head to the ground in reverence, and addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-Honoured One! In the past, in the Vinaya and in various sūtra collections, the World-Honoured One declared that Ajita would next become a Buddha. Yet this Ajita possesses the body of an ordinary person and has not extinguished the contaminants. When this person dies, where will he be reborn? Although he has now gone forth as a monastic, he does not cultivate meditation nor does he sever afflictions. The Buddha prophesied that this person will achieve Buddhahood without doubt. In which land will this person be reborn after death?”

1.6

The Buddha said to Upāli: “Listen attentively, listen attentively, and reflect well upon it. The Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One now proclaims in this assembly the prophecy of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi for the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Maitreya. Twelve years from now, when this person dies, he will definitely be reborn up in the Tuṣita Heaven. At that time, in the Tuṣita Heaven, there are five hundred million koṭis of devaputras. Each devaputra cultivates the profound dāna-pāramitā. In order to make offerings to the bodhisattva bound to one last birth, by the power of their divine merit they construct palaces. Each takes off his sandalwood mani jewel crown, kneels long, joins his palms, and makes this vow: ‘Now, holding this priceless jewel and celestial crown, I make offerings to this great-minded sentient being. In a future lifetime this person will soon achieve anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi; if I am to receive a prophecy in that Buddha’s adorned realm, may my jewel crown transform into implements of offering.’ All these devaputras thus kneel long and make great vows in like manner.

1.7

“When the devaputras have made this vow, these jewel crowns transform into five hundred million koṭis of jewel palaces. Each jewel palace has seven tiers of walls, each wall made of the seven treasures. Each treasure emits fifty billion rays of light, and within each ray of light are fifty billion lotus blossoms. Each lotus blossom transforms into fifty billion rows of trees made of the seven treasures. Each leaf has fifty billion jewel colours, and each jewel colour has fifty billion rays of Jambūnada gold light. From within each ray of Jambūnada gold light emerge fifty billion divine jewel maidens, each jewel maiden standing under a tree holding a hundred koṭis of jewels and countless necklaces. They produce wondrous music, and within the music they expound the practices of the turning of the Dharma wheel of the non-retrogressive stage. The fruits borne by those trees are like crystal in colour; all manner of colours enter into the crystal colour. These lights swirl gracefully to the right, flowing forth various sounds, and these various sounds expound the Dharma of great benevolence and great compassion. Each enclosing wall is sixty-two yojanas high and fourteen yojanas thick. Fifty billion nāga kings encircle these walls, and each nāga king rains down fifty billion rows of trees of the seven treasures to adorn the walls. Naturally a breeze stirs these trees; striking against one another, they expound suffering, emptiness, impermanence, non-self, and the various pāramitās.

1.8

“At that time, there is a great deity in this palace named Raudrabhadra. He immediately arises from his seat, bows everywhere to the Buddhas of the ten directions, and makes a great vow: ‘If my merit is fit to build a Good Dharma Hall for Bodhisattva Maitreya, may a pearl emerge spontaneously from my forehead.’ Having made this vow, fifty billion jewel pearls spontaneously emerge from his forehead, possessing all colours of lapis lazuli and crystal without exception, shining through inside and out like purple-blue mani. The light of this mani swirls in the air and transforms into a subtle, wondrous jewel palace of forty-nine storeys, with each railing constructed together from ten thousand koṭis of brahma-maṇi jewels. Between the railings, nine hundred million devaputras and fifty billion devīs are spontaneously born by transformation. In the hands of each devaputra appear by transformation countless koṭis and myriads of lotus blossoms of the seven treasures, and atop each lotus blossom are countless koṭis of lights. Within that light are all kinds of musical instruments. These celestial instruments play spontaneously without being struck. When this sound comes forth, the maidens spontaneously take up various musical instruments and vie with one another in singing and dancing. The songs they sing expound the ten good deeds and the four great vows, and all the devas who hear them resolve upon the unsurpassable mind of enlightenment.

1.9

“Then in the gardens there are eight-coloured lapis lazuli conduits, each conduit formed from fifty billion jewel pearls, and in each conduit flows water of eight tastes, complete with eight colours. The water surges upward, flowing between the beams and pillars, and outside the four gates it produces four flowers by transformation, the water flowing out of the flowers like streams of jewel blossoms. On each flower are twenty-four devīs whose bodily appearance is subtle and wondrous, like the adorned physical marks of bodhisattvas. In their hands spontaneously appear fifty billion jewel vessels, each vessel naturally overflowing with divine amṛta. Over their left shoulders they wear countless necklaces, and on their right shoulders they bear countless musical instruments; abiding in the air like clouds, emerging from the water, they praise the bodhisattva’s six pāramitās. If anyone is reborn in the Tuṣita Heaven, they will naturally obtain these devīs to attend and serve them. There is also a great lion throne of the seven treasures, four yojanas high, adorned with Jambūnada gold and immeasurable treasures. At the four corners of the throne grow four lotus blossoms, each lotus blossom formed from a hundred treasures, and each treasure emitting ten billion rays of light. Their light is subtle and wondrous, transforming into fifty billion variegated flowers of mixed treasures to adorn a jewel canopy.

1.10

“At that time, hundreds of thousands of Brahmā kings from the ten directions each hold a wondrous treasure of the Brahmā heaven to make jewel bells suspended above the jewel canopy. Lesser Brahmā kings hold various celestial treasures to form a netting spread over the canopy. Then, hundreds of thousands of countless devaputras and devīs and their retinues each hold jewel blossoms to scatter over the throne. From all these lotus blossoms spontaneously emerge fifty billion jewel maidens, holding white chowries in their hands, standing in attendance inside the canopy.

1.11

“At the four corners supporting the palace are four jewel pillars, and on each jewel pillar are hundreds of thousands of pavilions intertwined with brahma-maṇi beads. In these pavilions are hundreds of thousands of devīs, their beauty peerless, holding musical instruments in their hands. In their musical sounds they expound suffering, emptiness, impermanence, non-self, and the various pāramitās. Such a celestial palace has a hundred billion myriads of immeasurable jewel colours, and each maiden likewise shares these jewel colours.

1.12

“At that time, immeasurable devas in the ten directions, when their lives end, all vow to be reborn in the Tuṣita celestial palace.

1.13

“At that time, there are five great deities in the Tuṣita celestial palace:

1.14

“The first great deity is named Ratnaketu; from his body he rains down the seven treasures, scattering them within the palace walls. Each jewel bead transforms into immeasurable musical instruments, suspended in the air and playing spontaneously without being struck, producing immeasurable sounds that delight the hearts of the assembly. The second great deity is named Puṣpaguṇa; from his body he rains down diverse flowers covering the palace walls, which transform into flower canopies, each canopy guided by hundreds of thousands of banners and pennants. The third great deity is named Gandhasvara; from the pores of his body rains down subtle and wondrous coastal sandalwood incense, its scent gathering like clouds of a hundred jewel colours that circle the palace seven times. The fourth great deity is named Prītisukha; he rains down wish-fulfilling jewels, each jewel naturally resting atop banners and pennants, clearly expounding immeasurable taking of refuge in the Buddha, taking of refuge in the Dharma, taking of refuge in the Bhikṣu-Saṅgha, as well as expounding the five precepts, immeasurable wholesome dharmas, and the various pāramitās, benefiting and encouraging those who aspire to bodhi. The fifth great deity is named Samyaksvara; from the pores of his body flow forth various waters. Upon each water are fifty billion flowers, upon each flower are twenty-five jade-like maidens, and from all the pores of each maiden emerge all sounds, superior to any music of the queen of Māra.”

1.15

The Buddha said to Upāli: “This is called the place of superior and wondrous merit, the retribution of the ten good deeds in the Tuṣita Heaven. Even if I were to remain in the world for a minor kalpa to explain extensively the retributions of a bodhisattva bound to one last birth and the fruits of the ten good deeds, I could not exhaust them. Now I have explained them briefly for you all.”

1.16

The Buddha said to Upāli: “If there are bhikṣus and all in the great assembly who do not weary of birth-and-death and delight in being born in heaven, who love and revere the unsurpassable bodhicitta, and who wish to become disciples of Maitreya, they should practice this contemplation. Those who practice this contemplation should uphold the five precepts, the eight abstinences, and the full monastic precepts; with body and mind make energetic progress without seeking to sever the fetters; cultivate the ten good dharmas; and reflect one by one upon the supreme, wondrous delights in the Tuṣita Heaven. Those who practice this contemplation are called right contemplators; if any contemplate otherwise, it is called wrong contemplation.”

1.17

At that time, Upāli immediately arose from his seat, straightened his robes, bowed his head to the ground in reverence, and addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-Honoured One! In the Tuṣita Heaven there are such supremely wondrous and joyful matters; when will this Great Being pass away from Jambudvīpa and be born in that heaven?”

1.18

The Buddha said to Upāli: “Maitreya was previously born in the great brahmin household of Bāvarī in the village of Kappāli, in the realm of Vārāṇasī. Twelve years hence, on the fifteenth day of the second month, he will return to his original place of birth, and sit cross-legged as if entering the absorption of cessation. His body, purple-golden in color, will radiate brilliant and blazing light like a hundred thousand suns, reaching up to the Tuṣita Heaven. His bodily relics will be like a cast gold statue, motionless and unmoving; within the halo of his body, the letters and meanings of the Śūraṅgama Samādhi and the Prajñāpāramitā will shine forth resplendently. At that time, humans and gods will immediately erect wondrous towers of manifold jewels to make offerings to the relics. Meanwhile, upon a maṇi palace within the terrace of the seven treasures in the Tuṣita Heaven, a lion throne will suddenly manifest through transformation, and he will appear seated cross-legged upon a lotus blossom, his body like the gold of the Jambu River, sixteen yojanas in height, fully endowed with the thirty-two marks and eighty minor signs. The fleshy protuberance upon his crown will have hair of dark sapphire lapis lazuli; śakrabhilanga-maṇi and hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of kiṃśuka jewels will adorn his celestial crown. That celestial jewel crown will possess a million koṭis of colors; within each color there will be immeasurable hundreds of thousands of transformed Buddhas, with transformed bodhisattvas as their attendants; furthermore, there will be great bodhisattvas from other lands, performing the eighteen transformations with ease and residing at will within the celestial crown. Between Maitreya's eyebrows there will be a white ūrṇā hair mark, radiating light that pours forth manifold beams of a hundred jewel-colors. Within each of the thirty-two marks there will be five hundred koṭis of jewel-colors, and each minor sign will likewise have five hundred koṭis of jewel-colors; from each mark and sign there will blaze forth eighty-four thousand radiant clouds of light. Seated together with the devaputras each upon flower seats, throughout the six periods of the day and night, he will constantly preach the practice of the wheel of the Dharma of the stage of non-retrogression; in the course of a single period, he will bring five hundred koṭis of devaputras to accomplishment, causing them not to backslide from anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. Residing thus in the Tuṣita Heaven, day and night he constantly preaches this Dharma, delivering the devaputras. When fifty-six hundred million years of Jambudvīpa time have elapsed, only then will he descend to be born in Jambudvīpa, as recounted in the Sūtra on Maitreya's Descent.”

1.19

The Buddha said to Upāli: “These are called the causes and conditions of Maitreya Bodhisattva passing away from Jambudvīpa and taking birth in the Tuṣita Heaven. After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, if there are disciples of mine who diligently cultivate manifold merits, keep their deportment unimpaired, sweep stupas and smear the ground, make offerings of manifold famed incenses and wondrous flowers, practice manifold samādhis, deeply entering right concentration, and recite the scriptures—such people should be sincere in mind; though they have not severed their defilements, they will be as if having attained the six supernatural powers. They should fix their mindfulness on the Buddha's form and invoke Maitreya's name. If people such as these, for even the span of a single thought, observe the eight precepts of the fast, cultivate pure deeds, and give rise to broad vows, then after their lives end, just as quickly as a strong person bends or extends their arm, they will immediately attain rebirth in the Tuṣita Heaven. Seated cross-legged upon a lotus blossom, a hundred thousand devaputras will play celestial music, holding celestial mandārava and mahāmandārava flowers to scatter over them, and praise them, saying: ‘Excellent, excellent, good sons! In Jambudvīpa you extensively cultivated meritorious deeds and have come to be born here. This place is called the Tuṣita Heaven, and the lord of this heaven is named Maitreya; you should take refuge in him.’ Responding to the words, they will immediately pay homage; having paid homage, they will attentively contemplate the light of the white ūrṇā hair mark between his eyebrows, and thereby immediately transcend the sins of birth and death of ninety koṭis of kalpas. At that time, in accordance with their past conditions, the Bodhisattva will preach the wondrous Dharma for them, causing their aspiration for the supreme path to become firm and unretrograde. If such sentient beings purify their deeds and practice the six things, they will without doubt be born in the Tuṣita Heaven to meet Maitreya, and will also follow Maitreya down to Jambudvīpa to be the first to hear the Dharma; in future ages, they will meet all the Buddhas of the Fortunate Kalpa, and in the Constellation Kalpa, they will also meet the Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones, receiving the prediction of awakening before those Buddhas.”

1.20

The Buddha said to Upāli: “After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, among the great assembly of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, and the like—if there are any who hear the name of Maitreya Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, and upon hearing it, rejoice and pay respectful homage, when their lives end, they will immediately attain rebirth in the time of a finger-snap, no different from the former. Merely by hearing this name of Maitreya, when their lives end they will also not fall into dark places, borderlands, wrong views, or bad vows of restraint; they will constantly be born with right views, have complete retinues, and never slander the Three Jewels.”

1.21

The Buddha said to Upāli: “If good sons and good daughters violate the prohibitive precepts and commit manifold evil deeds, yet hear the name of this Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, cast the five limbs to the ground, and repent with sincere hearts, these evil deeds will swiftly become purified. If sentient beings in future ages hear the renowned name of this Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, create images [of him], and with incense, flowers, robes, silk canopies, banners, and streamers pay homage with fixed mindfulness, then when their lives are about to end, Maitreya Bodhisattva will emit the light of the white ūrṇā mark of a great person from between his eyebrows, and together with devaputras raining down mandārava flowers, come to welcome them. In an instant, they will attain rebirth, meet Maitreya, and bow with head to the ground in reverence; before they have even raised their heads, they will hear the Dharma, immediately attain non-retrogression on the supreme path, and in future ages meet Buddhas and Tathāgatas numerous as the sands of the Ganges.”

1.22

The Buddha said to Upāli: “Listen closely now: in future ages, this Maitreya Bodhisattva will serve as a great place of refuge for sentient beings. If there are those who take refuge in Maitreya Bodhisattva, you should know that these people will attain non-retrogression on the supreme path. When Maitreya Bodhisattva becomes a Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha, such practitioners, upon beholding the Buddha's light, will immediately receive the prediction [of awakening].”

1.23

The Buddha said to Upāli: “After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, if there are among the fourfold assembly of disciples, gods, nāgas, and spirits any who wish to be born in the Tuṣita Heaven, they should make this contemplation, fixing their thoughts in contemplation, being mindful of the Tuṣita Heaven, keeping the Buddha's prohibitive precepts for one to seven days, contemplating the ten wholesome deeds and practicing the ten wholesome courses of action, and dedicating this merit with the aspiration to be born before Maitreya: they should make this contemplation. For one who makes this contemplation, if they see one celestial being or see one lotus flower, or if for a single moment of thought they invoke Maitreya's name, this person will eradicate the sins of birth and death of one thousand two hundred kalpas. If they merely hear Maitreya's name and join their palms in reverence, this person will eradicate the sins of birth and death of fifty kalpas. If there are those who pay respectful homage to Maitreya, they will eradicate the sins of birth and death of one hundred koṭis of kalpas. Even if they are not born in heaven, in future ages they will still meet him under the Dragon Flower Bodhi Tree and give rise to the supreme mind.”

1.24

When these words were spoken, the immeasurable great assembly immediately rose from their seats, bowed their heads to the Buddha's feet, bowed to Maitreya's feet, and circumambulated the Buddha and Maitreya Bodhisattva hundreds of thousands of times. Those who had not yet attained the Path each made a vow: ‘We, the gods, humans, and eight classes, now make a sincere vow before the Buddha: in future ages may we meet Maitreya, and having cast off this body, may we all ascend to be born in the Tuṣita Heaven!’”

1.25

The World-Honoured One gave the prediction, saying: ‘You and those in future ages who cultivate merit and keep the precepts shall all be reborn before Maitreya Bodhisattva and be gathered in by Maitreya Bodhisattva.’

1.26

The Buddha said to Upāli: “Making this contemplation is called right contemplation; if one contemplates otherwise, it is called wrong contemplation.”

1.27

At that time, the Venerable Ānanda immediately rose from his seat, crossed his hands, knelt upright, and said to the Buddha: “World-Honoured One! Excellent, World-Honoured One! How wonderfully you have spoken of all Maitreya's merits, and also predicted the retribution to be obtained by merit-cultivating sentient beings in future ages; I now rejoice in accord. So be it, World-Honoured One! How should the essentials of this Dharma be accepted and upheld? What should this scripture be named?”

1.28

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “Uphold the Buddha's words and be careful not to forget them. For future ages, open the path to rebirth in heaven, reveal the marks of awakening, and do not sever the lineage of the Buddhas. This scripture is named *The Parinirvāṇa of Maitreya Bodhisattva*, and also named *Contemplation of Maitreya Bodhisattva's Birth in the Tuṣita Heaven and Exhortation to Arouse the Bodhi-Mind*; accept and uphold it as such.” When the Buddha spoke these words, one hundred thousand bodhisattvas who had assembled from other lands attained the Śūraṅgama Samādhi; eighty thousand koṭis of devas aroused the bodhi-mind, and all vowed to accompany Maitreya in descending for rebirth.

1.29

When the Buddha had spoken these words, the fourfold assembly of disciples, along with the devas, nāgas, and the eight classes of beings, having heard what the Buddha said, were all greatly rejoiced; they bowed to the Buddha and withdrew.

1.30

The Sūtra on the Contemplation of Maitreya Bodhisattva's Rebirth in the Tuṣita Heaven Spoken by the Buddha

Linked texts (1)

佛說觀彌勒菩薩上生兜率天經 — Classical Chinese