佛說觀彌勒菩薩上生兜率天經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the country of Śrāvastī, in the grove of Prince Jeta, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Garden. At that time, in the first watch of the night, the entire body of the World-Honored One radiated a golden-colored light. That radiance shone all around the Jeta Grove, encircling it seven times, and it also illumined the house of the elder Sudatta in golden hues. The golden radiance was brilliant like masses of clouds. Throughout the whole country of Śrāvastī, golden lotus flowers rained down everywhere, and within that radiance there were immeasurable hundreds of thousands of conjured Buddhas, who proclaimed: "Here, on this day, there are a thousand Bodhisattvas. The first to attain Buddhahood is named Krakucchanda, and the last to attain Buddhahood is named Rucika."

When they had heard these words, the venerable Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya emerged from his meditation together with two hundred fifty of his retinue; the venerable Mahā-Kāśyapa together with two hundred fifty of his retinue; the venerable Mahā-Maudgalyāyana together with two hundred fifty of his retinue; the venerable Śāriputra together with two hundred fifty of his retinue; the bhikṣuṇī Mahā-Prajāpatī together with one thousand bhikṣuṇī of her retinue; the elder Sudatta together with three thousand upāsakas; the lady Viśākhā together with two thousand upāsikās.

There was also a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva named Bhadrapāla together with sixteen of his retinue, and Mañjuśrī, prince of the Dharma, together with five hundred Bodhisattvas of his retinue, who assembled. All the great assembly of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and others, beholding the shining radiance of the Buddha, all gathered together.

At that time the World-Honored One put forth the mark of his broad, long tongue, emitting a thousand rays of bright light. Each single ray had a thousand colors, and within each single color there were immeasurable conjured Buddhas. These conjured Buddhas all with one voice spoke of the inconceivable, profound dhāraṇī teachings of the pure great Bodhisattvas. These were dhāraṇīs such as: Ānandā-mukha (Ananda-mukha), Emptiness-Wisdom (Śūnya-prajñā), the Nature Beyond Hearing, and Great Liberation of Signlessness.

Then the World-Honored One, using a single sound, spoke of a hundred koṭis of dhāraṇī gates. When the World-Honored One had spoken these dhāraṇīs, there was within the assembly a Bodhisattva named Maitreya who, upon hearing the words spoken by the Buddha, at once attained a million koṭis of dhāraṇī gates. The Bodhisattva rose from his seat, arranged his robes neatly, and with reverence joined his palms together and stood before the Buddha.

At that time the venerable Upāli also rose from his seat, bowed his head in homage at the Buddha's feet, and said:

"World-Honored One! In ancient times, in the Vinaya and the various collections of the Sūtras, it is taught that Ajita will next become a Buddha. Yet Ajita still has entirely the body of an ordinary being and has not severed the various defilements. When this person dies, where will he be reborn? Although at present he has already gone forth into the homeless life, Ajita does not cultivate meditative absorption and has not severed the afflictions, yet he has received from the Buddha the prediction: 'This person will certainly attain Buddhahood.' In that case, when this person dies, into what land will he be reborn?"

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"You should listen attentively, ponder well, and bear these matters in mind. Today the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, in the midst of this great assembly, speaks of the prediction of the fruit of Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment for the great Bodhisattva Maitreya. From now, twelve years hence, when this person dies, he will certainly be reborn in Tuṣita Heaven.

At that time, in Tuṣita Heaven there are five million koṭis of devaputras (heavenly sons), and each single devaputra cultivates the profound perfection of giving (dāna-pāramitā) in order to make offerings to the Bodhisattva who is bound by but one more life to become a Buddha; and using the merit-power of the heavens, they create a palace. Each single devaputra removes the sandalwood maṇi-jewel crown upon his person, kneels down, joins his palms, and makes this vow: 'Now I take this priceless jeweled heavenly crown to offer to the being of vast and great mind.

Before long, in the future, this person will attain Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment. May I, in the adorned world of that Buddha, receive his prediction, causing my jeweled crown to be transformed into objects of offering.' In this way, the devaputras all knelt down and made vast and great vows. When the devaputras had finished making their vows, the jeweled crowns were transformed into five million koṭis of jeweled palaces.

Each single jeweled palace had seven layers of walls. Each single wall was made of the seven treasures. Each single jewel emitted five hundred koṭis of rays of light.

Within each single ray of light there were five hundred koṭis of lotus flowers. Each single lotus flower transformed into five hundred koṭis of rows of seven-jeweled trees. Each single leaf of the trees had five hundred koṭis of jewel-colors.

Each single jewel-color had five hundred koṭis of rays of Jambūnada golden light. Within each single ray of Jambūnada golden light there issued forth five hundred koṭis of jeweled celestial maidens. Each single jeweled maiden stood beneath a tree, holding a hundred koṭis of jewels and countless strings of jeweled necklaces, from which issued forth subtle and wondrous music.

Within that music was proclaimed the practice of the Dharma-wheel of the stage of Non-retrogression. Those trees produced fruit the color of crystal. All the colors entered into the crystal color.

These rays of light curled around to the right, transforming into sounds that proclaimed the Dharma of great loving-kindness and great compassion. Each single wall was sixty-two yojanas high and fourteen yojanas thick, and five hundred koṭis of nāga-kings encircled these walls. Each single nāga-king spewed forth five hundred koṭis of rows of seven-jeweled trees, adding to the splendor upon the walls.

Spontaneously a wind blew in, stirring those rows of trees. The trees, touching one another, formed words proclaiming the pāramitā teachings and suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Within the palace there was a great minister named Lavu-dhvaja (Lao-độ-bạt-đề), who rose from his seat, reverently paid homage to the Buddhas throughout the ten directions, and made this vow: 'For the sake of the merit of offering this hall of wholesome Dharma to the Bodhisattva Maitreya, may there spontaneously appear a jewel upon my forehead.' When he had finished making his vow, there spontaneously appeared upon the great minister's forehead five hundred koṭis of jewels—lapis lazuli and crystal—of every color, like a deep blue-green shimmering with red, transparent from within to without.

The radiance of those maṇi-jewels revolved through the empty sky and transformed into a jeweled palace forty-nine stories high, exceedingly beautiful. Around the palace there were balustrades formed from a myriad koṭis of jeweled gems of the Brahmā Heaven. Amid those balustrades were born by transformation nine koṭis of devaputras and five hundred koṭis of devakanyās (heavenly maidens).

In the hand of each single devaputra were born by transformation immeasurable koṭis and myriads of seven-jeweled lotus flowers. Upon each single lotus flower there were immeasurable koṭis of rays of light, and within that light there were musical instruments of every kind. This heavenly music played by itself without being struck.

When the sound of the music arose, the heavenly maidens spontaneously took up the musical instruments and vied with one another in singing and dancing. They sang and chanted, proclaiming the ten wholesome deeds and the four great vows. The devas who heard this all gave rise to the supreme mind of enlightenment.

Within the gardens there were ponds of lapis lazuli of eight colors, each single pond formed from five hundred koṭis of jewels. Within each pond was water of the eight qualities and of eight colors, the water gushing up around the pillars. Outside the four gates were born by transformation four flowers, and the water flowing forth from within the flowers formed streams of jeweled flowers.

Upon each flower were twenty-four heavenly maidens, their bodies fresh and beautiful, adorned and dignified like the bodily marks of the Bodhisattvas. In the hands of the heavenly maidens were conjured five hundred koṭis of jeweled vases, and within each jeweled vase was spontaneously filled with ambrosia (amṛta). Upon their left shoulders they bore immeasurable strings of necklaces, and upon their right shoulders they wore immeasurable musical instruments; rising up from the water like clouds gathering amid the empty sky, they praised the six pāramitās of the Bodhisattva.

Whoever is reborn in Tuṣita Heaven will spontaneously be attended by these heavenly maidens. There is a great lion-throne made of the seven treasures, four yojanas high, adorned with Jambūnada gold and immeasurable jewels. At the four corners of the throne grow four lotus flowers; each single lotus flower is formed of a hundred jewels, and each single jewel emits a hundred koṭis of rays of light. That subtle and wondrous radiance transforms into five hundred koṭis of jeweled flowers interspersed together, along with jeweled canopies.

At that time, throughout the ten directions, there were a hundred thousand kings of the Brahmā Heaven. Each single one held a treasure of the Brahmā Heaven, using it as a jeweled bell hung upon the jeweled canopy. The lesser Brahmā kings held heavenly jewels woven into a vast and great net, draping it over the canopy.

There were a hundred thousand countless devaputras and devakanyās bearing jeweled flowers, which they scattered upon the throne; from these lotus flowers there spontaneously appeared five hundred koṭis of jeweled maidens, holding white fly-whisks in their hands, standing in attendance beneath the canopy. There were four jeweled pillars supporting the four corners of the palace; each single jeweled pillar was a hundred thousand stories tall, made entirely of the maṇi-jewels of the Brahmā Heaven knotted into cords stretched out.

Within the palaces there were a hundred thousand heavenly maidens, beautiful beyond compare, holding musical instruments in their hands that played forth sounds proclaiming the pāramitā teachings—suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. This heavenly palace had a hundred koṭis of myriads of immeasurable jeweled colors, and all the heavenly maidens likewise had the colors of precious jewels. When the immeasurable devas throughout the ten directions pass away, they all vow to be reborn in Tuṣita Heaven.

Tuṣita Heaven has five great ministers:

The first great minister is named Jeweled Banner (Ratna-dhvaja). From his body issues forth the seven treasures, scattered upon the walls of the heavenly palace; each single jewel transforms into immeasurable musical instruments hung amid the empty sky, which of themselves give forth sounds. There are immeasurable sounds that cause beings to delight.

The second great minister is named Flower Virtue (Puṣpa-guṇa). From his body issues forth countless flowers covering the palace walls, transforming into flower-canopies; each single flower-canopy forms a hundred thousand banners and pennants to lead the way.

The third great minister is named Fragrance Sound (Gandha-svara). From the pores of his body issues forth a subtle and wondrous fragrance like the scent of ocean-shore sandalwood. That fragrance, like clouds, forms a hundred precious colors, perfuming around the palace seven times.

The fourth great minister is named Joyful Bliss. He issues forth wish-fulfilling gems; each single jewel spontaneously rests upon banners and pennants, resounding forth immeasurable teachings—taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Dharma, taking refuge in the Saṅgha, the five precepts, the pāramitā teachings, and immeasurable wholesome dharmas that bring benefit and exhort the cultivation of the heart and conduct of bodhi.

The fifth great minister is named Right Sound. From the pores of his body issue forth streams of water. Upon each single stream of water there are five hundred koṭis of flowers. Upon each flower there are twenty-five jade maidens. The pores of the bodies of those jade maidens give forth every kind of exquisite sound, surpassing even the music of the queens in the palaces of the celestial Māra.

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"This is the realm of Tuṣita Heaven, attained through the merit-reward of cultivating the ten wholesome deeds, which yields such surpassing, subtle, and wondrous merit. Even if I were to remain in the world for a minor kalpa to expound at length upon the fruits of merit from cultivating the ten wholesome deeds and the recompense of the Bodhisattva who is bound by but one more life to become a Buddha, I still could not exhaust the telling of it. Now I will only explain it to you in brief.

"Upāli! If there be a bhikṣu, or any of the great assembly, who wishes to be reborn in that heaven, then he should not feel revulsion toward birth-and-death; his mind should love and revere supreme awakened wisdom; and if he wishes to become a disciple of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, then he should contemplate thus: maintain completely the five precepts, the eight precepts of the poṣadha (eight-fold abstinence), and the full precepts (upasaṃpadā); be diligent in body and mind; do not seek to sever the fetters; cultivate the ten wholesome deeds; and constantly meditate upon the foremost peace and bliss of Tuṣita Heaven. Contemplating in this way is called Right Contemplation; if one contemplates otherwise, it is wrong contemplation."

The venerable Upāli rose from his seat, arranged his kāṣāya robe, reverently paid homage, and said to the Buddha:

"World-Honored One! In Tuṣita Heaven there is such peace, bliss, and supreme excellence. Now, when will this great being die in Jambudvīpa and be reborn in that heaven?"

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"In the past, Maitreya was born into the house of the great brahmin Bāvarī, in the village of Kapali, in the country of Vārāṇasī. On the fifteenth day of the second month, twelve kalpas hence, the Bodhisattva will be reborn in this place, sitting in the cross-legged posture as though entered into the absorption of cessation, his body the color of pure gold, radiating a brilliant light like a hundred thousand suns shining upon Tuṣita Heaven. The entire body, the relics (śarīra) of the Bodhisattva, is still and unmoving, like a golden statue. Within that perfect radiance there are the words of the Śūraṅgama-samādhi and the Prajñā-pāramitā, blazing and radiantly bright.

"At that time the heavenly beings will come and build a stūpa of fine jewels to make offerings to the relics of the Bodhisattva. Then the Bodhisattva will suddenly be born by transformation in Tuṣita Heaven, upon a maṇi-jewel terrace, within a tower of the seven treasures, sitting cross-legged upon a lotus flower on a lion-throne. His body is sixteen yojanas tall, golden-colored like Jambūnada gold, complete with the thirty-two major marks and the eighty minor excellent features.

The uṣṇīṣa crowning the topknot upon his head is the deep blue-green of lapis lazuli. The heavenly crown of the Bodhisattva is adorned with Śakra-abhilagna jewels and a hundred thousand myriads of koṭis of Cintuka jewels, having a million koṭis of colors. Within each single color of the crown there are immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Buddhas manifested by transformation, with Bodhisattvas manifested by transformation serving as their attendants.

From other directions there are also great Bodhisattvas performing the eighteen kinds of transformations, freely and at ease within the heavenly crown. Between the brows of the Bodhisattva Maitreya there is the light of the white-tuft mark (ūrṇā), emitting rays of light that form a hundred jewel-colors and the thirty-two marks. Within each single mark there are five hundred koṭis of jewel-colors, and within each single excellent feature there are likewise five hundred koṭis of jewel-colors.

Each single excellent and wondrous mark emits eighty-four thousand clouds of light. The devaputras all sit upon flower-thrones, and through the six periods of day and night they constantly speak of the practice of the Dharma-wheel of the stage of Non-retrogression. Over the course of time, the Bodhisattva teaches and brings to accomplishment five hundred koṭis of devaputras, causing them to attain Non-retrogression in Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment.

"In this way, the Bodhisattva, in Tuṣita Heaven, day and night constantly speaks this Dharma of Non-retrogression in order to liberate the devaputras—which, reckoned according to the time of Jambudvīpa, amounts to fifty-six koṭis of myriads of years. At that time the Bodhisattva will then descend to be born in Jambudvīpa, as recorded in the Sūtra of Maitreya's Descent and Birth."

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"This is the matter of the Bodhisattva Maitreya: in Jambudvīpa, having died, he is reborn in Tuṣita Heaven. After I have entered final nirvāṇa, those among my disciples who diligently cultivate the various meritorious deeds, complete in dignified deportment—sweeping stūpas, cleaning the monastery, taking the freshest and most beautiful fragrant flowers to make offerings, practicing profound meditative absorption, upholding, reading, and reciting the scriptures—such people should be wholehearted, even though they have not yet severed all the afflictions, nor attained the six supernatural powers.

They should keep right mindfulness, recollecting the Buddha and the image and the name of Maitreya. Such a person, who even within the span of a single thought-moment upholds the eight abstinence-precepts, cultivates the pure deeds, and makes vast and great vows, after death, in but an instant, will be reborn in Tuṣita Heaven, sitting cross-legged upon a lotus flower; and a hundred thousand devaputras will play heavenly music, taking māndārava flowers and mahā-māndārava flowers to scatter upon such people.

The devaputras will praise them: 'Excellent, excellent, good man! You who in Jambudvīpa cultivated much meritorious work have been reborn into this land. This land is called Tuṣita Heaven.

The lord of this heaven is Maitreya. You should take refuge in the Bodhisattva Maitreya.'

"When they have heard this, those people will at once pay homage to the Bodhisattva, and then, gazing intently upon the mark of bright radiance between the Bodhisattva's brows, they will straightaway transcend the sins of birth-and-death of ninety koṭis of kalpas. At that time the Bodhisattva, in accordance with their conditions from former lives, will expound the subtle and wondrous Dharma for them, causing them to attain a firm and steadfast mind and to be non-retrogressive in the Supreme Path.

Whatever beings, if they cultivate the pure deeds, practice the six points of harmony and reverence, and are resolute without doubt, will be reborn in Tuṣita Heaven, meet the Bodhisattva, and follow the Bodhisattva Maitreya down again to Jambudvīpa; there they will hear the foremost Dharma, and in the age to come will meet all the Buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa (Worthy Kalpa). Down through the Nakṣatra Kalpa (Stellar Kalpa) they will also meet the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, and will receive from those Buddhas the prediction of the fruit of the path of awakening."

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"After I have entered final nirvāṇa, the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, and others—if any among these great assemblies hears the name of the great Bodhisattva Maitreya and with joy and reverence pays homage and worships, these people, after death, in but the span of a finger-snap, will be reborn as described above. Merely by hearing the name of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, after death they will also avoid falling into places of darkness, into borderlands of wrong views, into the various evil ways of conduct; they will always be born with right views, will have a wealthy and noble retinue, and will not slander the Three Jewels."

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"If any man or woman has violated the prohibitory precepts and committed much evil karma, yet hears the greatly compassionate name of the Bodhisattva, and with reverence and utmost sincerity pays homage and repents, then those evil karmas will be purified at once. In the age to come, if there be beings who hear the greatly compassionate name of this Bodhisattva and create images, make offerings of incense and flowers, robes, silk canopies, banners and pennants, pay homage, and recite his name, then when this person is about to die, the Bodhisattva Maitreya will emit white radiance from between his brows, and together with the devaputras will rain down māndārava flowers and come to welcome him.

In but a moment this person will be reborn, will meet the Bodhisattva Maitreya, and will reverently pay homage to him; before he can even raise his head, he will have heard the wondrous Dharma and attained Non-retrogression in the Supreme Path. In the age to come, he will also meet Buddhas, Tathāgatas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

"Upāli! Listen attentively: in the age to come, the great and loving-kind Bodhisattva Maitreya will be the refuge of immeasurable beings. Whoever takes refuge in the Bodhisattva Maitreya, know that such a one is non-retrogressive in the Supreme Path. When the Bodhisattva Maitreya accomplishes Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment, these people will encounter the Buddha's radiance and will straightaway receive the prediction."

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"After I have entered final nirvāṇa, the four assemblies of disciples, the devas, nāgas, ghosts, and spirits—whoever wishes to be reborn in Tuṣita Heaven should cultivate contemplation, ponder with right mindfulness upon that heaven, and uphold the pure precepts; for from one to seven days, single-mindedly hold to the practice of the ten wholesome deeds and the ten paths of wholesome action; and by means of this merit dedicated and vowed toward rebirth before the Buddha Maitreya, let them contemplate this.

As for one who contemplates: if he sees a single heavenly being seated upon a single lotus flower, or in but a single moment recites the name of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, this person will have erased the sins of birth-and-death of twelve hundred kalpas. If one hears the name of the Bodhisattva Maitreya and with joined palms pays reverence, this person erases the sins of birth-and-death of fifty kalpas. One who pays homage to the Bodhisattva Maitreya will erase the sins of birth-and-death of a hundred koṭis of kalpas.

Even if one is not reborn in Tuṣita Heaven, in the age to come, at the Dragon-Flower Assembly (Nāga-puṣpa), beneath the Bodhi tree, one will also meet the Buddha and give rise to the supreme mind of enlightenment."

When the Buddha had spoken these words, the immeasurable great assembly rose from their seats, paid homage at the Buddha's feet and at the feet of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, and then circumambulated the Buddha and the Bodhisattva Maitreya a hundred thousand times. Those who had not yet attained the Path all made vows:

"We, the devas, humans, and the eightfold assembly, today before the Buddha sincerely make this vow: 'In the age to come, may we meet the Buddha Maitreya, and when we cast off these bodies, may we all be reborn in Tuṣita Heaven.'"

The World-Honored One acknowledged this and taught:

"In future ages, you who cultivate merit and uphold the precepts will all be reborn into the land of the Bodhisattva Maitreya and will receive the prediction from the Bodhisattva Maitreya."

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"One who contemplates in this way is called one who practices right contemplation. If one contemplates otherwise, it is called wrong contemplation."

At that time the venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, knelt down, joined his palms, and said to the Buddha:

"World-Honored One! Excellent, World-Honored One! You have spoken of the merit of the Bodhisattva Maitreya and have given the prediction that whoever in future ages cultivates meritorious goodness will obtain its fruit and reward. I rejoice in this. May the World-Honored One tell us how this teaching is to be upheld, and what this sūtra is called."

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

"Remember my teaching; be careful not to forget it, so that in future ages you may open the road to rebirth in the heavens and reveal the path to liberation, and do not let the seed of Buddhahood be cut off. This sūtra should be called The Bodhisattva Maitreya's Entry into Nirvāṇa, and also called The Contemplation of Maitreya's Birth in Tuṣita Heaven. Exhort people who cultivate to give rise to the bodhi-mind, and to uphold it in this way."

When the Buddha had taught these words, there were one hundred thousand Bodhisattvas from other directions who had come to the great assembly and attained the Śūraṅgama-samādhi; eighty thousand koṭis of devas gave rise to the bodhi-mind, all vowing to follow the Buddha Maitreya in his descent and birth.

When the Buddha had taught these words, the four assemblies of disciples, the devas, nāgas, and the eightfold assembly, hearing the words taught by the Buddha, all rejoiced, paid homage to the Buddha, and withdrew.

THE CONTEMPLATION OF MAITREYA BODHISATTVA'S

ASCENT TO TUṢITA HEAVEN