彌勒菩薩所問本願經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was journeying and teaching in the Deer Park, in the Forest of Great Dread, on Mount Wondrous Flower, in the country of Phi-Kỳ, together with a full assembly of great Bhikshus, five hundred in number, all sages and saints who had attained the spiritual penetrations, all Bhikshus revered by everyone. Their names were: the venerable Liễu Bổn Tế, the venerable Mã Sư, the venerable Hòa Ba, the venerable Đại Xứng, the venerable Hiền Thiện, the venerable Ly Cấu, the venerable Cụ Túc, the venerable Ngưu Từ, the venerable Lộc Kiết Tường, the venerable Ưu Vi Kāśyapa, the venerable Na Dực Kāśyapa, the venerable Ca Dực Kāśyapa, the venerable Mahā-Kāśyapa, the venerable Sở Thuyết, the venerable Sở Trước, the venerable Diện Vương, the venerable Nan Đề, the venerable Hòa Nan,

the venerable Rāhula, the venerable Ānanda, ... thus in all five hundred Bhikshus.

There were also Bodhisattvas, such as Maitreya ... five hundred persons. Their names were: the Bodhisattva Tăng Ý, the Bodhisattva Kiên Ý, the Bodhisattva Biện Tích, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the Bodhisattva Anh Kiết Tường, the Bodhisattva Nhuyến Kiết Tường, the Bodhisattva Thần Thông Hoa, the Bodhisattva Không Vô, the Bodhisattva Hỷ Tín Tịnh, the Bodhisattva Căn Độ, the Bodhisattva Xứng Độ, the Bodhisattva Nhu Nhuyến Âm Hưởng, the Bodhisattva Tịnh Độ, the Bodhisattva Sơn Tích, the Bodhisattva Cụ Túc, the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī Căn Kiết Tường.

Thus in all five hundred Bodhisattvas.

At that time the Bodhisattva Maitreya rose from his seat, arranged his robes properly, knelt upright with palms joined, and addressed the Buddha:

"I have something I wish to ask. I humbly beg the Heaven among Heavens to grant me permission, that I may dare to ask."

The Buddha said to the Bodhisattva Maitreya:

"I grant it. The Tathāgata will explain according to your wish, so that your mind may rejoice."

Then the Bodhisattva Maitreya, having received the Buddha's permission, was glad and rejoiced, and addressed the World-Honored One:

"How many dharma-practices does a Bodhisattva have, by which to cast away the evil paths and not to follow along with evil companions?"

The Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Maitreya:

"Excellent! Excellent! O Maitreya! Because the Bodhisattva has great compassion, much peace and security, and loves the devas and human beings, he has aroused the resolve to ask the Tathāgata such meanings. Reflect on this carefully."

The Bodhisattva Maitreya then said:

"Yes indeed, World-Honored One! I shall receive the teaching and listen attentively."

The Buddha taught:

"O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva has one dharma-practice by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What is this one dharma? It is a mind of tranquil, quiescent equanimity. This is the one dharma."

The Buddha taught:

"O Maitreya, the Bodhisattva further has two dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are these two dharmas? First, to abide in the samādhi of non-arising; second, by skillful means to discern what is seen. These are the two dharmas."

The Buddha taught:

"O Maitreya, the Bodhisattva further has three dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are the three? First, to attain the Mahāyāna Dharma; second, to be without grasping with regard to emptiness; third, to know that there is nothing to be thought of. These are called the three dharmas."

The Buddha taught:

"O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva further has four dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are the four? First, to stand upon the precepts; second, to have no doubt with regard to all dharmas; third, to delight in dwelling in places of peace and quiet; fourth, to contemplate with equanimity. These are the four dharmas."

The Buddha said:

"O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva further has five dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are the five?

1/ Always to establish virtue and righteousness.

2/ Not to seek out the good or bad qualities of others.

3/ To keep one's own conduct of body tranquil.

4/ Always to delight in the True Dharma.

5/ Not to think of oneself, but always to rescue others.

These are the five dharmas."

The Buddha said:

"O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva further has six dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are the six?

1/ Not to be stingy or greedy.

2/ To remove and abandon the wicked, evil mind.

3/ Not to be deluded.

4/ Not to speak coarse, vulgar words.

5/ To keep the mind like empty space.

6/ To take emptiness as one's dwelling.

These are the six dharmas."

The Buddha said:

"O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva further has seven dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are the seven?

1/ To have skillful, expedient intent.

2/ To be able to discern the dharma-treasures.

3/ Always to be vigorous and diligent.

4/ Always to rejoice.

5/ To attain the eye of faith.

6/ To understand well the concentration of mind.

7/ To gather up and embrace all bright wisdom.

These are the seven dharmas."

The Buddha said:

"O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva further has eight dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are the eight?

1/ To attain right view.

2/ Right mindfulness.

3/ Right speech.

4/ Right livelihood.

5/ Right action.

6/ Right means.

7/ Right intention.

8/ Right concentration.

These are the eight dharmas."

The Buddha said:

"O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva further has nine dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are the nine?

1/ The Bodhisattva, having freed himself from desire and departed far from the evils, with no thought toward unwholesome dharmas, thus attains tranquility and joy, and practices the first dhyāna of single-mindedness.

2/ Having removed thought, the inner mind being tranquil, having attained single-mindedness, without thinking and without acting, he then attains concentration of mind, his mind becomes joyful and pleased, and he practices the second dhyāna of single-mindedness.

3/ Departing from the contemplation of joy, always attaining tranquility, his body becomes peaceful and at ease like that of the sages and saints. Whether speaking or contemplating, his mind does not stir, and he practices the third dhyāna of single-mindedness.

4/ Having cut off both suffering and pleasure, having stilled both gladness and sorrow, having contemplated that which is neither suffering nor pleasure, his mind being pure, he attains the fourth dhyāna of single-mindedness.

5/ Transcending the perception of form.

6/ No longer speaking of perception.

7/ No longer thinking upon perception, entering altogether into the wisdom concerning empty space, countless and innumerable.

8/ Having transcended the countless wisdom of empty space, entering into the practice of the station of boundless bliss.

9/ Having transcended the various wisdoms of consciousness and cognition, no longer perceiving being or non-being, transcending the various wisdoms of non-consciousness, he then enters the practice of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, not seeing perception, and attains the tranquil, quiescent Samādhi.

These are the nine dharmas."

The Buddha said:

"O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva further has ten dharma-practices by which to cast away the evil paths and not to fall among evil companions. What are the ten?

1/ To attain the Vajra Samādhi.

2/ Wherever he may be, the Samādhi still makes progress.

3/ To attain the Samādhi of teaching with skillful expedients.

4/ To attain the Samādhi that governs and crosses over, both with thought and without thought.

5/ To attain the Samādhi that pervades the whole world.

6/ To attain the Samādhi of equanimity toward suffering and pleasure.

7/ To attain the Jeweled-Moon Samādhi.

8/ To attain the Bright-Moon Samādhi.

9/ To attain the Illuminating Samādhi.

10/ To attain the Twofold-Quiescence Samādhi, complete with all dharmas.

O Maitreya! These are the ten dharma-practices of the Bodhisattva by which to cast away the evil paths and not to enter among evil companions."

At that time the Bodhisattva Maitreya used a verse to praise the Buddha:

The World-Honored One is ever ready to give,

Begrudging not even his head or his eyes;

He upholds the precepts without transgression,

Serving the precepts as none can equal.

He has manifested the power of patient endurance,

Patient endurance being the mightiest of all;

He has made clear the power of vigorous effort,

Vigor being the great resolve.

He has cut off all that is evil,

Great wisdom and quiescence are his strength;

Pure wisdom, sovereign and free,

His wisdom ever foremost.

Using wisdom to subdue Māra ...

The supreme meaning, departed from all defilements;

The World-Honored One turns the Dharma-wheel,

Subduing all the heterodox.

His fine form none can equal,

His vigor surpasses all the shores;

Hardly can it be compared,

Ever expounding the dharma-treasures.

Wife, child, and food and drink—

The Buddha's virtue is boundless,

Like the crane that loves its feathers;

His merits are immeasurably many.

Equanimous toward suffering and pleasure,

The Buddha's virtue is immeasurable;

Supreme in virtue, opposing all harm,

The Buddha's diligence is immeasurable.

The Teaching Master delights in single-mindedness,

The Buddha's purity is truly boundless;

Spontaneous, without stirring,

The Buddha's brightness is truly boundless.

Beneath the tree he attained great wisdom,

The Buddha's power subdued Māra;

His great body, like the lion's roar,

The Buddha's wisdom delivers living beings.

Virtue of the precepts and wisdom,

The Buddha's Way surpasses all virtues;

Supreme and great wisdom,

His radiance guiding the multitude.

At that time the venerable Ānanda addressed the Buddha:

"Truly it has never been so before, World-Honored One! The aspiration of this Bodhisattva Maitreya is complete; he expounds the Dharma without deficiency, he preaches the Dharma with words and phrases evenly matched, the Dharma-verses he has spoken are not constrained, and the sutra he expounds is altogether without confusion."

The Buddha taught:

"So it is, so it is, O Ānanda! As you have said, the Bodhisattva Maitreya is complete in eloquence, and the sutra-Dharma he speaks is without deficiency."

The Buddha taught:

"O Ānanda! The Bodhisattva Maitreya not only uses this verse to praise me, but in the past, a thousand and innumerable kalpas ago, there was at that time a Buddha named Resplendent Light, Complete Resonance, Action-King, who was a Tathāgata, the One Free of All Attachment, the Equally and Perfectly Enlightened One, manifesting the perfected wisdom and the practice of peaceful concentration, Father of the World, Supreme Man, Tamer of the Way of the Dharma, the Honored One above the heavens and below the heavens, the Buddha, the Heaven among Heavens.

At that time there was a brahman elder named Hiền Hạnh (Virtuous Conduct) who came out from his park-dwelling, and from afar he saw the Tathāgata walking in meditation, his bodily form shining with brilliant radiance. When he had seen this, in his mind he reflected: 'How excellent, truly it has never been so before! The body of the Tathāgata is lofty and exalted, inconceivable like this; his radiance is truly beautiful, his majestic spirit shining bright, possessed of fine virtues adorning his body.

I pray that in my future life my body may be endowed with such shining majestic spirit, radiantly bright, possessed of fine virtues to adorn myself!' Having made such a wish, he then lay prostrate full-length upon the ground, thinking in his mind: 'I pray that in a future life I may attain a Dharma-body like that of the Tathāgata, the One Free of All Attachment, the Equally and Perfectly Enlightened One. I pray that the Tathāgata may walk upon my body.'

At that time the World-Honored One, the Tathāgata Resplendent Light, Complete Resonance, Action-King, knowing that the mind of the brahman Hiền Hạnh, the son of an elder, was such, then stepped across his body. As soon as he had stepped across his body, the man at once attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. Then the Buddha turned and said to his attendant:

'The reason I stepped upon the body of the brahman Hiền Hạnh, the son of an elder, was so that he might at once attain the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, so that his eyes might see everywhere, his ears might hear all, that he might know what others are thinking in their minds, might himself know whence he was born, and that his body might travel through the air, complete in spiritual penetrations.'

When the Buddha stepped across the body of the brahman Hiền Hạnh, the man then was endowed with all the wisdoms and the five penetrations, and did not forget or lose them.

Thereupon he composed a verse to praise the Buddha:

Coming and going through the worlds, reaching the ten directions,

The Honored One among humans, whom none can equal;

Pointing only to the Way and the practices of men,

I vow to bow my head to the Teaching Masters.

Surpassing the light of all the worlds,

And the maṇi-jewel, the blaze of fire's flame,

The Buddha's halo is the most supreme;

I vow to bow my head to the Teaching Masters.

Just as when the lion gives a single roar,

All the small beasts are seized with terror,

So too is it when the Buddha preaches the Dharma:

All the heterodox are subdued.

The mark between his brows is clear and translucent,

His majesty immeasurable, like a snowy mountain;

His halo illumines the three realms—

The Buddha in the world, whom none can equal.

The mark of the wheel beneath the sage's feet,

The fair wheel with its thousand spokes;

This earth and the mountains

Cannot stir the supremely Honored One.

At that time the Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"Would you know who the son of the elder, the brahman Hiền Hạnh, was at that time? It is none other than the Bodhisattva Maitreya."

The venerable Ānanda then addressed the Buddha:

"The Bodhisattva Maitreya attained the patient acceptance of non-arising long ago in the distant past; why then has he not quickly attained the Way of Supreme, Right, and True Enlightenment, becoming the Most Perfectly Enlightened One?"

The Buddha said:

"O Ānanda! For four matters the Bodhisattva did not grasp the fruit of perfect enlightenment. What are the four?

1/ To purify the buddha-land.

2/ To protect the buddha-land.

3/ To purify all (living beings).

4/ To protect all living beings.

These are the four matters. When the Bodhisattva Maitreya sought Buddhahood, for these four matters he did not seize the fruit of Buddhahood."

The Buddha said:

"O Ānanda! When I myself sought Buddhahood, I too wished to purify the buddha-land, also wished to purify all, also wished to protect the buddha-land, also wished to protect all. The Bodhisattva Maitreya aroused the resolve forty-two kalpas before me. Afterward I aroused the resolve for the Way in the time of the Worthy Kalpa, and through utmost vigor, surpassing nine kalpas, I attained the Way of Supreme, Right, and True Enlightenment, becoming the Most Perfectly Enlightened One."

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"By ten matters I attained perfect enlightenment:

1/ Begrudging not the things that I possessed.

2/ Nor my wife.

3/ Nor my children.

4/ Nor my head and eyes.

5/ Nor my hands and feet.

6/ Nor my land and country.

7/ Nor my jewels and wealth.

8/ Nor my marrow and brain.

9/ Nor my blood and flesh.

10/ Begrudging not even my own life.

O Ānanda, by these ten matters I quickly attained the Buddha-Way."

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"There are also ten matters for quickly attaining the Buddha-Way. What are the ten?

1/ To establish oneself by the Dharma with regard to the virtue of the precepts.

2/ Always to practice patient endurance.

3/ Always to practice vigorous effort.

4/ Always to maintain single-mindedness.

5/ Always to practice the wisdom that reaches the other shore.

6/ Not to abandon all.

7/ Having attained the mind of patient endurance, to be equanimous toward all.

8/ Not to grasp at emptiness.

9/ To attain the patient acceptance of the Dharma of emptiness.

10/ To attain the Dharma of non-perception.

O Ānanda! By these ten dharmas I myself realized the Buddha-Way."

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"When I first sought the Buddha-Way, only through hardships innumerable did I attain the Way of Supreme, Right, and True Enlightenment; this was not a matter of a single time."

The Buddha taught:

"O Ānanda! In a past age there was a crown prince, the son of a king, named Nhất Thiết Hiện Nghĩa (One Who Reveals the Meaning of All), upright and handsome, who came out from his park-dwelling onto the road and saw a man afflicted with disease, in pain and suffering. Having seen him, he gave rise to a mind of compassion, and asked the sick man:

'What sort of medicine must be used to cure this illness?'

The sick man answered:

'Only the blood from the body of a king can cure my illness.'

Thereupon the crown prince at once took a sharp knife and pierced his body, drawing blood to give to the sick man, wholeheartedly giving it to the sick man, without regret in his heart."

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

"The crown prince Hiện Nghĩa at that time was none other than my own self. O Ānanda! The water in the four seas can still be measured, but the blood from my body that I have given away is beyond all limit, for I sought perfect enlightenment."

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"In ages long past there was a crown prince of a king named Liên Hoa Vương (Lotus-Flower King), upright, handsome, of lofty and exalted majestic spirit, who came strolling out from his park-dwelling and saw a man whose body was afflicted with leprosy. Having seen him, he at once gave rise to a mind of compassion and asked the sick man:

'What sort of medicine must be used to cure your illness?'

The sick man answered:

'If the marrow from the body of a king were anointed upon my body, then the illness would be cured.'

Thereupon the crown prince at once split open his own bones, took out the marrow, and gave it to the sick man. The crown prince gave with joy and wisdom in this way, with no regret in his heart. The crown prince at that time was none other than my own mind."

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"The water in the four seas can still be measured, but the marrow from my body that I have given away cannot be reckoned."

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"In a past age there was a king named Nguyệt Minh (Moonlight), upright, exceedingly handsome, of lofty and exalted majestic spirit, who came out from his palace onto the road and saw a blind man, destitute, hungry and thirsty, groping his way along the road to beg for food. The man came to where the king was and announced:

'You alone, O king, are honored and noble, at peace and in delight, while I alone am destitute, and moreover blind.'

At that time King Nguyệt Minh, seeing this blind man, was moved with compassion and shed tears, and said:

'What sort of medicine could cure the illness of the eyes and enable me to see?'

Then King Nguyệt Minh himself gouged out his two eyes and gave them to the blind man. At that time the king's heart remained calm and unmoved, without the slightest regret. King Nguyệt Minh at that time was none other than my own self."

The Buddha taught:

"Mount Tu-Ma-Đề-Di can still be weighed, but the eyes I gave away as alms cannot be reckoned."

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"In times past, when the Bodhisattva Maitreya sought the Way, he did not give away his ears, nose, head, eyes, hands, feet, body and life, precious treasures, cities and towns, wife and children, or his country as alms to others in order to attain the Buddha-Way; he used only the practice of peace and bliss and skillful expedient means to attain the Buddha-Way."

The venerable Ānanda addressed the Buddha:

"By what skillful expedients did the Bodhisattva Maitreya attain the Buddha-Way?"

The Buddha taught:

"O Ānanda, the Bodhisattva Maitreya, day and night, wearing his three robes upon his body, joining his palms and kneeling upon the ground, facing the ten directions, would recite this verse:

'I repent of all my faults,

I take refuge and pay homage to all the Buddhas,

I exhort the multitude to aid in the Way and virtue,

May we attain the Supreme Wisdom.'"

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"It was by using these skillful expedients that the Bodhisattva Maitreya attained the Way of Supreme, Right, and True Enlightenment, becoming the Most Perfectly Enlightened One. O Ānanda! When the Bodhisattva Maitreya sought the Way, he made this vow: 'I pray that the people of my country may be free of all defilement and impurity. When lust, anger, and delusion are shallow and thin, and they earnestly practice the ten wholesome deeds, only then shall I realize the fruit of Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment.'"

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"When the people of a future age are free of defilement and impurity, practice the ten wholesome deeds, and have no lust, anger, or delusion within their minds—at that very time the Bodhisattva Maitreya shall attain the Way of Supreme, Right, and True Enlightenment, becoming the Most Perfectly Enlightened One. Why is this so? Because the original vow of the Bodhisattva Maitreya will then have been fulfilled."

The Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda:

"When I sought the Bodhisattva-Way, wishing to protect all living beings and wishing them to attain purity, I dwelt amid greed, anger, and delusion, the five turbidities, finding delight in the realm of birth and death. Why was this so? Because the people for the most part do what is contrary to the Dharma, taking the wrong for the right, practicing heterodox ways, killing and harming one another, being unfilial to their parents, their minds always thinking of evil, harboring evil intent toward brothers, wife and children, kin and others, despising the upādhyāya (preceptors), constantly committing the defilements of men and women, devouring one another.

I vowed to become a Buddha in this world, whether they dwell in districts and countries, mountains and forests, counties and towns. Speaking only of evils, turning to kill and harm one another, or hurling bricks and stones at one another, beating one another with sticks, gathering together to revile and curse one another, returning to their own homes to set out food and drink, mixing poison into the food wishing to harm others, giving rise to defiled thoughts, slandering one another, concealing evil, turning to bribery, having no wholesome intent."

The Buddha taught:

"O Ānanda! With a heart of boundless compassion I remember and think upon them all, and for the sake of these people I expound the Dharma and the sutras."

When the venerable Ānanda heard the Buddha teach thus, he then said:

"I have never before seen any Heaven among Heavens, Tathāgata, Equally and Perfectly Enlightened One who could thus endure hardship, arouse such great resolve to tame the wicked and evil, causing them to accomplish wholesome dharmas, who, in order to remove their heavy burdens and complete the dharma-treasure, would expound the sutra-Dharma for the sake of such people."

The Buddha taught:

"So it is, O Ānanda, as you have said. The Buddha is able to bear and endure this, and so the Tathāgata, the Equally and Perfectly Enlightened One, teaches and transforms the stubborn and obstinate, removing the darkness for all kinds of beings. He uses the full majestic virtue of the Buddha-Dharma, and for the sake of such people expounds the sutra-Dharma."

The venerable Ānanda addressed the Buddha:

"Hearing how the Tathāgata, with a mind of equanimity, vigorous and firm in this way, the hairs upon my body stand on end. So then, what is this sutra called, and how should it be upheld and practiced?"

The Buddha taught:

"This sutra is called 'Maitreya's Inquiry concerning the Original Vow—that the Original Conduct of the Compassionate One (Maitreya) must be guarded and preserved, and well received and upheld.'"

When the Buddha, the Tathāgata, had finished expounding this sutra, the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the venerable Ānanda, the venerable Mahā-Kāśyapa, the great disciples and the assembly of Bodhisattvas, all the assembled host, the devas, nāgas, gandharvas, and the people of the world ... having heard the sutra, rejoiced, and came before the Buddha to bow their heads in homage.

THE SUTRA OF THE BODHISATTVA MAITREYA'S INQUIRY CONCERNING THE ORIGINAL VOW