佛說彌勒下生成佛經

1. Thus have I heard. At one time, the World-Honored One was dwelling on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa (Vulture Peak), in the city of Rājagṛha. He and a number of the great assembly of Bhikṣus dwelt together in this place ⁽²⁾.

2. And, at that time, there was one of great wisdom, Śāriputra, who was the foremost in the assembly in the marks of the Dharma. Out of compassion for the world, he rose unhurriedly from his seat, let down his robe from his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee upon the ground, joined his palms reverently, and addressed the World-Honored One, saying: "Reverently, O World-Honored One, I beseech the World-Honored One to incline his heart and grant his assent."

3. The Buddha looked upon Śāriputra and said: "Whatever you wish to ask, I shall expound it."

4. At that very moment, Śāriputra entreated the World-Honored One with verses of praise:

"As the sūtra has declared,

the Great Teacher bestowed the prophecy

that the Buddha to come hereafter

shall be the Venerable Maitreya.

Reverently I beseech the World-Honored One,

to recite again that sūtra,

and to distinguish clearly

the majestic virtue and spiritual powers

of the Venerable Maitreya.

We wish to hear

about that matter."

5. The compassionate Buddha,

said to Śāriputra:

"You should, with single-minded intent,

listen attentively and clearly,

and I shall, for your sake,

speak at length about the matter

of the World-Honored One Maitreya,

in the age to come."

6. In that world,

the waters of the great ocean,

shall gradually dry away,

receding to two thousand

three hundred yojanas ⁽³⁾,

thus revealing the lands

of the Wheel-Turning King.

The Southern Continent of Jambudvīpa,

with lands stretching across,

tens of thousands of yojanas,

and in every place

there shall be sentient beings

dwelling therein,

all of them flourishing.

The land shall be rich and prosperous,

without any punishments,

without any calamities.

The men and women here,

are born through wholesome karma.

The earth shall have no thorns,

but pure, soft green grass.

When feet step upon it,

it is like treading upon fine cotton.

The land shall naturally

bring forth fragrant rice,

whose flavor is sweet and delicious,

all of it complete in abundance.

Naturally the trees,

shall transform into garments,

sufficient to adorn oneself.

Each tree stands as high

as thirty thousand krośas ⁽⁴⁾,

laden with flowers and fruit.

7. The people of that land

shall live to eighty thousand years,

without illness or suffering,

without afflictions,

ever dwelling in peace and joy.

Their marks of virtue are dignified,

their complexion and strength complete and perfect.

Yet the people are concerned

with only three matters,

namely the concern for food,

the concern for decline,

and the concern for relieving themselves.

As for the women,

only at five hundred years of age,

do they enter into marriage.

When someone

wishes to relieve themselves,

the earth opens of itself,

they relieve themselves therein,

and the earth then closes again.

When life is about to end,

they go of their own accord

directly to the burial ground ⁽⁵⁾,

and there their body is transformed.

The capital city of the Wheel-Turning King

bears the marvelous mark of a banner.

The length of the capital

is twelve yojanas.

Its breadth

is seven yojanas.

The inhabitants of the city,

are all those

who have planted good roots.

The city has excellent virtues,

and all who dwell there are joyful.

The pavilions and the posts

that ward off enemies,

are all built

entirely of the seven treasures ⁽⁶⁾.

The locks and the gates,

are also inlaid with jewels and gems.

The moats surrounding the city,

are made of precious jade.

Fragrant flowers send forth their splendor,

and beautiful birds soar in flight.

Seven rows of tāla trees ⁽⁷⁾

are planted all around. And, all of them are adorned

with the various jewels and gems.

Upon each of these trees

are hung bells and chimes.

A gentle breeze blows

upon the jeweled trees,

producing sounds

that are soft, sweet, and wondrous,

like the playing of the eight tones ⁽⁸⁾,

and those who hear them rejoice.

In every place there are

ponds and lakes pleasing to the eye,

within which are filled in abundance

flowers of myriad hues.

Gardens and forests, fragrant and beautiful,

with city walls magnificently adorned.

8. This land has

a holy sovereign

named Śaṅkha,

who is a Golden-Wheel-Turning King,

ruling over the four continents,

majestic in power, rich and prosperous.

The merit-karma of the king,

is mighty and without equal.

He possesses, moreover, all four

kinds of valiant armies.

All things he accomplishes,

are made of the seven treasures.

The king has, moreover,

one thousand sons.

The four seas are at peace,

without any warfare.

The True Dharma teaches the people,

exhorting all to equality.

The land has, moreover,

four great treasure stores.

Within each treasure store

are a hundred myriad koṭis

of precious treasures.

In Kaliṅga,

there is a treasure store

named Piṅgala.

In Mithilā,

there is a treasure store

named Pāṇḍuka.

In Gandhāra,

there is a treasure store

named Elapatra.

In Vārāṇasī,

there is a treasure store

named Śaṅkha.

These four treasure stores,

belong to King Śaṅkha.

Because he relied upon

so much merit-karma of former times,

therefore now, in the present day,

the fruits of his reward are accomplished.

9. The king has, moreover,

a great minister who upholds the realm,

of the Brāhmaṇa lineage,

named Subrahmā.

He serves as the National Preceptor,

a man of vast learning,

penetrating the "Four Vedas" ⁽⁹⁾,

versed in the various treatises,

eager to hear, eager to study,

skillful in practice,

skillful too in teaching and transforming,

and in those disciplines of

instruction and grammar ⁽¹⁰⁾,

he has investigated them all.

And the lady Brahmāvatī

is the wife of Subrahmā,

her form dignified and noble,

and all who behold her

likewise rejoice.

10. Now the Venerable Maitreya,

from the Tuṣita Heaven ⁽¹¹⁾,

borrowed the womb of Brahmāvatī,

taking on a human womb,

for his final body.

She bore the great sage in her womb,

complete for ten months.

One day the revered mother

of the Venerable Maitreya,

visited the Garden of Marvelous Flowers.

When she came to this garden,

she did not sit nor lie down,

but stood holding to a flowering tree,

and suddenly gave birth

to the Venerable Maitreya.

11. When Maitreya was born

from the right side

of his mother,

he was like the orb of the sun,

emerging beyond the dim clouds,

emitting rays of light,

shining upon all.

Though he borrowed a womb,

he was not defiled by contact

with the dusty objects of the world.

Like a fragrant lotus flower,

rising up from the water.

12. When the light shone

spreading throughout the three realms ⁽¹²⁾,

in all places,

every place alike

revered and looked up to the light

of the Venerable Maitreya.

And at the moment of his birth,

Śakra, Lord of the Devas ⁽¹³⁾,

himself upheld the Bodhisattva

and rejoiced greatly,

meeting the Two-Footed Honored One ⁽¹⁴⁾.

During that time,

naturally the Bodhisattva

walked meditatively seven steps,

and at each step,

a jeweled lotus flower blossomed.

13. At that time Maitreya

surveyed the ten directions

and proclaimed to the devas

and the multitude of humans, saying:

"This is my final body,

attaining to non-arising,

realizing and entering Nirvāṇa." ⁽¹⁵⁾

14. After that moment,

dragons spewed forth pure water,

bathing the body of the Greatly Compassionate One,

the devas scattered flowers,

covering all of empty space,

the devas held canopies,

sheltering the Greatly Loving Honored One.

Each and every one

gave rise to a heart of wonder,

and all of them guarded

the body of the Bodhisattva.

15. The nursemaids cherished and cradled,

holding the body of the Bodhisattva.

Seeing his body manifest clearly

the thirty-two excellent marks,

complete with every radiance,

she then handed him over

to his mother.

The people of the royal palace

brought a carriage to receive him.

This carriage was carved and engraved,

magnificently adorned with jewels and gems.

Mother and son ascended the carriage,

upheld by the devas.

A thousand kinds of music,

struck up joyful melodies,

leading the way back to the palace.

16. Maitreya entered the city,

and heavenly flowers were scattered down.

On the day of his birth,

the palace women who were with child,

their bodies became peaceful and at ease,

and all gave birth to sons,

intelligent and wise.

The revered father Subrahmā

gazed upon the countenance of his son,

complete with the thirty-two marks,

and his heart gave rise to joy.

Then he examined the marks,

and knew his son had two destinies:

if he remained in the world,

he would become a Wheel-Turning King,

and if he left the household life,

he would become a Perfectly Enlightened One.

17. The Bodhisattva grew to maturity,

with compassion for sentient beings.

Sentient beings dwell within

suffering and peril,

and are bound by the wheel of birth and death,

without a moment of rest.

His body was golden in color,

shining forth in radiant splendor.

His voice

was like the sound of Brahmā.

His eyes shone blue,

like the blue lotus flower.

His limbs

were eighty cubits in measure,

and his marks were dignified,

like the full moon.

18. As for the Bodhisattva,

he was skilled in every craft,

and skillful too in teaching and guiding

those who came to study under him.

Even the young children

who asked to study under him,

the number of those who came amounted to

eighty-four thousand.

19. In that world

the Wheel-Turning King Śaṅkha

raised a banner of the seven treasures ⁽¹⁷⁾,

a banner high to about

seventy fathoms ⁽¹⁸⁾,

and broad to about

some sixty fathoms.

When the banner was raised,

the king gave rise to a heart of relinquishment,

and for the Brāhmaṇas,

he established an unobstructed assembly ⁽¹⁹⁾,

performing the act of giving,

in a manner wholly equal.

20. In this world,

the host of Brahmācārins ⁽²⁰⁾,

amounting to a thousand people,

received this jeweled banner,

and in an instant it crumbled to ruin.

The Bodhisattva, seeing this,

reflected within himself,

that the affairs of the worldly realm,

are all just like this.

All are bound

by the suffering of birth and death.

Therefore, he then

thought upon renunciation.

Longing for the Path of cessation,

he forsook the world and left the household life.

Leaving the household life and realizing the Path,

he rescued and delivered sentient beings,

out of the wheel of birth and death,

of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

21. On the day the Loving Honored One,

raised up his great vow,

there were already a number of people,

eighty-four thousand,

who gave rise to a heart of renunciation,

and cultivated the holy life.

On the very night he first gave rise to that heart,

forsaking the world and leaving the household life,

he attained

the ground of equal enlightenment.

There was a Bodhi tree,

named Nāgapuṣpa (Dragon Flower),

four yojanas high,

flourishing and luxuriant.

Its branches and leaves cast their shade,

spreading out in all four directions,

six krośas wide.

Maitreya, the Greatly Compassionate,

attained the station of perfect enlightenment,

beneath the foot of this tree.

22. Toward humankind,

Maitreya the Greatly Compassionate

is the most supreme,

possessing the eight kinds

of the sounds of Brahmā ⁽²¹⁾.

Expounding the Dharma to deliver beings,

he forsakes all afflictions.

Suffering, and the origin of suffering,

all of it he eradicates.

Cultivating the Eightfold Right Path ⁽²²⁾,

he ascends to the shore of Nirvāṇa.

For the sake of the host of

pure faithful men and women,

he speaks the Four Noble Truths ⁽²³⁾.

Having heard the Dharma,

they wholeheartedly receive and uphold it.

23. In the Garden of Marvelous Flowers,

the multitude gathered in vast numbers.

Together with their full retinues,

stretching hundreds of yojanas.

The Wheel-Turning King Śaṅkha,

hearing the profound and marvelous Dharma,

cast off all worldly toil,

his heart delighting in renunciation.

Begrudging nothing whatsoever,

within the royal palace.

He set his heart single-mindedly,

longing and seeking for renunciation.

And the whole multitude as well,

eighty-four thousand,

likewise followed the king,

leaving the household life to cultivate the Path.

Moreover, the young children,

of the Brāhmaṇa lineage,

their number surely amounting to

eighty-four thousand,

hearing the king forsake the world,

also sought to leave the household life.

The Treasurer official as well,

named Sudhana,

and his thousand kinsmen,

also sought to leave the household life.

The lady Viśākhā,

a precious maiden within the palace,

together with her attendants,

eighty-four thousand,

all sought to leave the household life.

Even to the number

of over a hundred thousand people,

faithful men and faithful women,

hearing the Buddha speak the Dharma,

also sought to leave the household life.

24. He is a

compassionate holy sovereign,

honored and revered

by humans and devas alike.

Contemplating all the minds

of sentient beings,

he then proclaimed the essentials of the Dharma.

He said to the great assembly,

You should know,

that through the compassion

of Buddha Śākyamuni,

who taught all of you,

to cultivate the Right Path,

therefore all of you

are born within my Dharma.

Through former causes and conditions,

whether by using incense and flowers,

banners, streamers, canopies, and parasols,

magnificent and beautiful,

making offerings to the Muni,

you thereby came to be born within

the Dharma assembly of mine.

Or by using various

kunkuma and aloeswood incense,

and various kinds of clay and mud,

fragrant and clean,

employed to build and construct

and to plaster over,

making offerings to the

stūpa of the Buddha Muni.

Through these causes and conditions,

you are born within my Dharma.

Taking refuge in the Buddha and the Dharma.

Reverently drawing near to the Saṅgha,

cultivating every wholesome deed,

you shall come to be born within

the Dharma assembly of mine.

Or within the Buddha-Dharma,

receiving and upholding the precepts of training,

guarding them well without transgression,

you shall come to be born within

the Dharma assembly of mine.

To the Saṅgha of the four directions,

offering robes and food,

together with good medicines,

you shall come to be born within

the Dharma assembly of mine.

During the four fasting periods,

or in the months of spiritual power ⁽²⁴⁾,

receiving and upholding the eight precepts ⁽²⁵⁾,

you shall come to be born within

the Dharma assembly of mine.

Or by using the three powers,

such as the power of spiritual realms, of recollection,

and the power of instruction and teaching ⁽²⁶⁾,

teaching and guiding the Śrāvakas,

eradicating the afflictions,

so as to gain a place within

the Dragon Flower Dharma assembly.

25. At the first assembly, expounding the Dharma,

he delivered the Śrāvakas,

freeing them from the hindrance of afflictions.

The number of people delivered,

was ninety-six koṭis.

At the second assembly, expounding the Dharma,

he delivered the Śrāvakas,

across the ocean of ignorance.

The number of people delivered,

was ninety-four koṭis.

At the third assembly, expounding the Dharma,

he delivered the Śrāvakas,

taming and subduing their wholesome minds.

The number of people delivered,

was ninety-two koṭis.

26. Three times turning the Dharma wheel,

humans and devas became wholly pure,

and bringing his multitude of disciples,

he entered the city to beg for alms.

Entering the city of Ketumatī,

the streets and roads were dignified and clean.

The devas made offerings to the Buddha,

scattering mandārava flowers,

and other hosts of devas:

the Four Kings, the Brahmā Kings, and others,

made offerings of incense and flowers,

around the body of the Greatly Compassionate One.

The devas of great virtue,

presented beautiful garments.

The offering articles

of the various devas,

fluttered throughout the towns and villages,

filling the streets and roads.

The purpose of these venerable ones,

was to reverently gaze upon

the great king of healing,

appearing in the world to teach and deliver.

Fragrant flowers and marvelous jewels

filled every place, everywhere,

and whoever set foot upon them,

it was as though stepping upon a cushion

of tūla cotton ⁽²⁷⁾.

Banners, streamers, and music,

were arrayed in rows along the roads.

27. The Lord of the Devas, Śakra,

together with the host of humans and devas,

praised the merit and virtue

of the Greatly Loving Honored One:

With single mind I revere

the One Honored Above the Heavens.

With single mind I revere

the Supreme Among Sages.

How excellent, O World-Honored One,

who has compassion for the world.

Possessing great majestic virtue,

he causes the hosts of Māra,

to submit their hearts and bow their heads in homage,

praising and looking up to the Teacher of the Path.

The host of devas and the Brahmā Kings,

with their retinues surrounding him,

using the sounds of Brahmā,

extolled and proclaimed the marvelous Dharma.

28. In this world,

there are many Arhats,

who have cast off the karma of outflows,

forever departed from the afflictions.

Humans, devas, dragons, and spirits,

Gandharvas, Asuras,

Rākṣasas, Yakṣas...

joyfully made their offerings.

29. The great assembly at that time,

cut off hindrances, removed delusions,

transcended birth and death,

and cultivated the practice of purity.

The great assembly at that time,

coveted no precious treasures,

without self and without that which belongs to self,

cultivated the practice of purity.

The great assembly at that time,

tore the net of craving and attachment,

attaining complete tranquil contemplation,

cultivated the practice of purity.

The great assembly at that time,

tore the net of craving and attachment,

attaining complete tranquil contemplation,

cultivated the practice of purity.

30. The World-Honored One Maitreya,

with compassion for sentient beings,

expounded the Dharma to deliver beings,

over sixty thousand years,

transforming a hundred myriad koṭis,

across the ocean of afflictions.

31. Those with the karmic affinity, he delivered them all,

and then he entered Nirvāṇa.

The World-Honored One Maitreya,

after entering Nirvāṇa,

the True Dharma remained

for sixty thousand years.

32. Within my Dharma,

those who with profound hearts receive faith,

in the days hereafter,

shall come to meet Maitreya.

If a person of penetrating wisdom,

hears these matters spoken,

who would not rejoice,

longing to meet Maitreya.

Those who seek liberation,

shall meet the Dragon Flower assembly,

and make offerings to the Three Jewels.

Do not be heedless and indulgent.

33. At that time the World-Honored One,

for the sake of Śāriputra

and the entire great assembly,

spoke of and set forth

the matters hereafter

of the Venerable Maitreya.

Afterward, he said again

to Śāriputra,

that if there be any faithful man

or any faithful woman

who hears this Dharma,

receives, upholds, reads, and recites it,

and for the sake of others,

expounds the True Dharma,

practicing as it is spoken,

making offerings of incense and flowers,

writing and copying out the scripture scrolls...

then those persons,

in the age to come,

shall certainly come to

meet the Venerable Maitreya,

and within the three assemblies,

shall receive the grace of deliverance.

34. When the World-Honored One

had spoken these verses,

Śāriputra

and the entire great assembly,

joyfully received them in faith,

bowed their heads in homage, and reverently undertook to practice them.

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ The Sūtra on Maitreya's Descent and Attainment of Buddhahood is scripture number 455 in the Taishō Revised Tripiṭaka. This sūtra was translated by the Venerable Yijing from Sanskrit into Chinese.

According to the Tripiṭaka, there are 6 volumes of the Maitreya sūtras:

• The Sūtra on Contemplating the Bodhisattva Maitreya's Ascent and Rebirth in the Tuṣita Heaven, spoken by the Buddha,
• The Sūtra on Maitreya's Descent and Rebirth, spoken by the Buddha,
• The Sūtra on Maitreya's Descent, Rebirth, and Attainment of Buddhahood, spoken by the Buddha, translated by the Venerable Kumārajīva.
• The Sūtra on Maitreya's Descent, Rebirth, and Attainment of Buddhahood, spoken by the Buddha, translated by the Venerable Yijing.
• The Sūtra on Maitreya's Great Attainment of Buddhahood, spoken by the Buddha,
• The Sūtra on the Time of Maitreya's Coming, spoken by the Buddha.

Now I translate the volume of the sūtra that the Venerable Yijing translated from Chinese into Vietnamese, but in the style of verse, so that the disciples of the Buddha may easily uphold and recite it.

The general meaning of this sūtra is that the Buddha speaks about the future descent and attainment of Buddhahood in the Sahā world of the Buddha Maitreya. Maitreya, in Sanskrit transliterated as Mai-đế-Lệ, and so forth. This is his family name, which the Chinese translate in meaning as "Cí Shì" (the Loving One / Maitreya). His given name is Ajita, which the Chinese translate in meaning as "Invincible" (the Unconquerable).

⁽²⁾ The passage above speaks of the introductory portion, setting forth clearly the 6 elements that attest to its authenticity, namely: the certifying nature, the hearer, the time, the presiding host, the place, and the great assembly hearing the Dharma. As for the passage from number ⁽²⁾ onward, it belongs to the main doctrinal portion of the sūtra.

⁽³⁾ Yojana, also transliterated as Du-tuần, du-xà-na, du-thiện-na. This is a unit of measure of ancient India. According to the Record of the Western Regions, volume 2, one yojana is 40 li (miles), though some places say 30 li. According to the Đoàn Trung Còn Dictionary, one li is 576 meters. One yojana equals 8 krośas (or kośa). One krośa is 500 bows. One bow is 4 cubits. A cubit is the elbow. One cubit (elbow) is 24 finger-joints.

⁽⁴⁾ See note number 3.

⁽⁵⁾ Burial ground: in this sūtra, the Chinese term is "Thi Lâm" (Śmaśāna; in some places misprinted as "Thị Lâm"). "Thi" means corpse, and "Lâm" means forest, that is, the place where the bodies of the dead are laid. Therefore I translate it as "burial ground" for convenience.

⁽⁶⁾ The seven treasures: the 7 kinds of precious gems, namely gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearl, and agate.

⁽⁷⁾ Tāla (Tārā): This is a kind of tree in Eastern India. According to the Record of the Western Regions, this tree is 780 thước high (it is not clear whether Western thước or ancient Chinese thước), and its ripe fruit is red and edible.

⁽⁸⁾ The eight tones: eight kinds of sounds. The Cí Hǎi (Sea of Words) lexicon states that the eight tones are: metal (gold), stone (rock), earth (soil), hide (tanned leather), silk (silkworm thread), wood (tree wood), gourd (calabash), and bamboo.

⁽⁹⁾ The Four Vedas: the collective name for the 4 Veda texts of India: 1- Thọ minh (Rig Veda) 2- Tự minh (Yajur-Veda) 3- Bình minh (Sāma-Veda) 4- Thuật minh (Atharva-Veda).

⁽¹⁰⁾ Instruction and grammar: This refers to teaching and expounding (instruction). As for "thanh minh" (śabda-vidyā), that is the study of language and letters, which is one of the 5 disciplines of ancient India, called the five sciences (pañca-vidyā).

⁽¹¹⁾ Tuṣita: One of the heavens belonging to the Desire Realm. The Chinese translate Tuṣita in meaning as: "Tri túc, Hỷ túc, Diệu túc, Thượng túc" (Contented, Joyfully Content, Marvelously Content, Supremely Content). The Inner Court is the place of pure cultivation for those who have realized the holy fruits. The Bodhisattva Maitreya is now expounding the Dharma in this heavenly palace. Later he shall descend and be born into the human world. The Outer Court is the place set aside for the devas who, having received merit-reward, enjoy and indulge in the pleasures of desire.

⁽¹²⁾ The three realms: the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm.

⁽¹³⁾ Śakra: A Sanskrit term, fully transliterated as Thích-ca Đề-hoàn Nhân-đà-la (Śakra Devānām Indra). Thích-ca (Śakra) is the family name, translated in meaning as "Able"; Đề-hoàn (Devānām) is translated in meaning as "Heaven" / heaven; Nhân-đà-la (Indra) is translated in meaning as "Lord" / "King." That is, the king who dwells in heaven, of the Śakra clan. King Śakra is the lord of the second heaven of the Desire Realm, which is the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, called by the Chinese the Heaven of the Thirty-three.

⁽¹⁴⁾ The Two-Footed Honored One: Refers to the Buddha, who is the Honored One, complete in merit and wisdom.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Nirvāṇa (nirvāṇa): The Chinese translate it in meaning as "Extinction, Tranquil Extinction, Extinction-Deliverance, the Unconditioned, Peace and Bliss, Liberation." It means that the practitioner has extinguished all afflictions and emerged from the dark forest of ignorance.

⁽¹⁶⁾ See note number 3.

⁽¹⁷⁾ See note number 6.

⁽¹⁸⁾ Fathom: a kind of measure. In ancient Chinese times, according to the Cí Hǎi lexicon, eight thước (feet) make one fathom.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Unobstructed (anobstructed assembly): means without being veiled, blocked, or discriminated against. This refers to the organizing of giving in an equal manner, without distinction of class or partiality...

⁽²⁰⁾ Brahmācārin (Phạm Chí) is the same as Brāhmaṇa.

⁽²¹⁾ The sounds of Brahmā: The sound of the pure Brahmā Heaven, and so the sound of the Buddha is likened to the sound of Brahmā. The Buddha has 8 kinds of sounds: 1- The Surpassingly Excellent Sound: the virtue of the Buddha is vast and great, and when he speaks it causes the hearer to enter the Path. 2- The Soft and Gentle Sound: the virtue of the Buddha is compassionate, and when he speaks it makes the hearer joyful. 3- The Harmonious and Fitting Sound: the Buddha employs the principle of the Middle Way, and when he speaks it brings harmony and suitability to the hearer. 4- The Honored and Wise Sound: the virtue of the Buddha is that of an Honored One, and the hearer reveres him,

and his wisdom is opened and made clear. 5- The Non-Effeminate Sound: the virtue of the Buddha has departed from worldly desire, and when the sound of the Buddha speaks, the heavenly demons and heterodox paths all submit. 6- The Unerring Sound: the wisdom of the Buddha is perfectly luminous, illuminating without error, and when he speaks, the hearer casts off wrong views. 7- The Deep and Far-Reaching Sound: the Buddha has realized awakening and attained the supreme station, and when he speaks, whether far or near, great or small, those who hear it shall realize the profound principle. 8- The Inexhaustible Sound: the Buddha is one who has realized the ultimate fruit, his practice-vows are limitless, and so the sound he utters flows on inexhaustibly,

and the hearer understands the true meaning of his words and shall realize the fruit of abiding and inexhaustible permanence.

⁽²²⁾ The Eightfold Right Path: the 8 right paths: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

⁽²³⁾ The Four Noble Truths: that is, the Four Truths: Suffering, the Origin, Cessation, and the Path.

⁽²⁴⁾ The months of spiritual power: This refers to the three months of fasting and observance, namely the first month, the fifth month, and the ninth month. During these 3 months, the devas employ the power of bodily transport to inspect all places, and so the Chinese term is "the month of spiritual power, the month of bodily transport, or the month of spiritual transformation."

⁽²⁵⁾ The eight precepts: that is, the eight precepts of purificatory observance (aṣṭāṅga-upavāsa): not killing living beings, not stealing, not engaging in sexual conduct, not lying, not drinking intoxicants, not adorning oneself, not listening to singing, not sitting upon high, broad, and beautiful beds, and not eating at improper times.

⁽²⁶⁾ The three powers: in the Buddhist scriptures it often speaks of the "Three Knowledges" and the "Six Penetrations." The Three Knowledges: the Knowledge of Former Lives, the Knowledge of the Heavenly Eye, and the Knowledge of the Extinction of Outflows. The Six Penetrations: the Penetration of Bodily Transport, the Penetration of the Heavenly Eye, the Penetration of the Heavenly Ear, the Penetration of Others' Minds, the Penetration of Former Lives, and the Penetration of the Extinction of Outflows.

The actual text of this verse reads: "Or by the three kinds of penetration, of spiritual realms, of recollection, and of instruction and teaching." This verse text is overly condensed and may be regarded as bearing a meaning difficult to discuss. According to our humble opinion, we tentatively surmise that "spiritual realms" is the Penetration of Bodily Transport; "recollection" (ký) means remembering, and perhaps alludes to the "Penetration of Former Lives." As for the term "instruction and teaching" (giáo thụ), it means to teach and to transmit, and is perhaps the "Penetration of the Heavenly Ear"? (We humbly beg the learned and wise to instruct us.)

⁽²⁷⁾ Tūla cotton (Tūla): A kind of tree that bears cotton-down, which when it opens yields clusters of very soft cotton.

⁽²⁸⁾ Supreme Among Sages: This is a term of reverence honoring the Buddha as one who is foremost, or a person surpassing all others among humankind.