增壹阿含經

XXXXVIII. CHAPTER ON THE UNWHOLESOME (1)

1. Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the kingdom of Sravasti, in Jeta Grove, Anathapindika’s Park.

At that time, the Blessed One addressed the bhiksus:

“If there are sentient beings who commit killing, who engage extensively in killing and thereby plant the karmic retribution of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals, then if those beings are born among humans, their lives will be very short. Why is this? Because they have harmed the lives of others.

“If there are sentient beings who steal the property of others and thereby plant the karmic retribution of the three evil destinies, then if those beings are born among ordinary humans, they will be poor and destitute, lacking necessities, without enough food to satisfy their hunger or clothing to cover their bodies. All this results from the offense of stealing. Forcibly taking another’s property is tantamount to cutting off that person’s means of life.

“If there are sentient beings who delight in sexual misconduct and thereby plant the karmic retribution of the three evil destinies, then if those beings are born among humans, they will encounter an unchaste household in which sexual misconduct is committed in secret.

“If there are sentient beings who speak falsely and thereby plant the karmic retribution of hell, then if those beings are born among humans, others will despise and ridicule them; no one will believe what they say, and they will be treated with contempt. Why is this? It all results from their false speech in former lives.

“If there are sentient beings who engage in divisive speech and thereby plant the karmic retribution of the three evil destinies, then if those beings are born among humans, their minds will often be unsettled and they will frequently suffer sorrow and distress. Why is this? Because they have uttered deceptive words to both sides.

“If there are sentient beings who speak harsh and abusive words and thereby plant the karmic retribution of the three evil destinies, then if those beings are born among humans, they will have an ugly appearance and will often delight in reviling others. Why is this? Because they spoke improper words, they receive such a result.

“If there are sentient beings who provoke conflict between others and thereby plant the karmic retribution of the three evil destinies, then if those beings are born among humans, they will have many enemies and their relatives will be scattered and separated. Why is this? It all results from their having provoked conflict in former lives.

“If there are sentient beings who are jealous and thereby plant the karmic retribution of the three evil destinies, then if those beings are born among humans, they will lack clothing. Why is this? Because they delighted in jealousy.

“If there are sentient beings who give rise to thoughts of harming others and thereby plant the karmic retribution of the three evil destinies, then if those beings are born among humans, they will often encounter much falsehood, fail to understand true principles, and have confused and unsettled minds. Why is this? It all results from anger and lack of benevolence in former lives.

“If there are sentient beings who practice wrong views and thereby plant the karmic retribution of the three evil destinies, then if those beings are born among humans, they will dwell in barbarous regions rather than being born in a capital city; they will not encounter the Three Jewels or hear the meaning and principles of the Dharma. They may be mute, deaf, blind, or unable to speak clearly; their bodies may be deformed, and they will not clearly understand the courses and destinations of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas. Why is this? Because in former lives they lacked faith and did not believe in sramanas, brahmans, parents, or siblings.

“Bhiksus, you should know that it is through the karmic retribution of these ten unwholesome deeds that one encounters such calamities and afflictions. Therefore, bhiksus, you should abandon the ten unwholesome deeds and cultivate right view. Thus, bhiksus, you should train yourselves!”

At that time, after hearing what the Buddha had taught, the bhiksus rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

2. Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the kingdom of Sravasti, in Jeta Grove, Anathapindika’s Park.

At that time, on the fifteenth day, the Blessed One went to the Universal Assembly Hall to recite the precepts, surrounded before and behind by the bhiksus. The Blessed One silently surveyed the noble assembly and then remained silent without speaking.

Thereupon Ananda said to the Buddha:

“Today the great assembly has entirely gathered in the hall. May the Blessed One recite the disciplinary precepts for the community of bhiksus.”

The Blessed One again remained silent without speaking. After a short while, Ananda again said to the Buddha:

“Now is precisely the proper time to recite the disciplinary precepts. The first watch of the night is nearly over.”

The Blessed One still remained silent without speaking. A little later, Ananda again said to the Buddha:

“The middle watch is nearly over, and the Sangha is weary. May the Blessed One recite the precepts at the proper time.”

The Blessed One still remained silent without speaking. A little later, Ananda again said to the Buddha:

“The final watch is nearly over. May the Blessed One recite the precepts at the proper time.”

The Buddha told Ananda:

“There is an impure person in the assembly, and therefore I will not recite the precepts. I now permit the senior elder to recite the disciplinary precepts. If the senior elder is unable to recite them, I permit one who upholds the Vinaya to recite the disciplinary precepts. If there is no Vinaya holder, then summon whoever can fluently recite the precepts and have that person recite them. From this time onward, the Tathagata will no longer recite the precepts, for there is an impure person in the assembly. If the Tathagata were to recite the precepts here, that person’s head would split into seven pieces, just like a tala fruit.”

Thereupon Ananda wept sorrowfully and said:

“Today the noble assembly has been orphaned. How swiftly the Tathagata’s true Dharma has withdrawn! May the impure person quickly depart from this place!”

At that time, Mahamaudgalyayana thought: “Who in this assembly has corrupted the Dharma and caused the Tathagata not to recite the precepts for the assembly?” The Venerable Maudgalyayana then entered samadhi and thoroughly examined the faults in the minds of those present. He saw the two bhiksus Asvajit and Punarvasu in the assembly. The Venerable One rose from his seat, went to those two bhiksus, and said:

“You should quickly leave this place. Because the Tathagata finds fault with you, he will not recite the disciplinary precepts.”

The two bhiksus remained silent and did not reply. The Venerable Maudgalyayana said three times:

“You should quickly depart and must not remain here.”

Those two bhiksus remained silent and gave no answer. Maudgalyayana then took them by the hands, pulled them outside the door, closed the door, and went to address the Buddha:

“The impure bhiksus have been taken outside. May the Blessed One now recite the precepts at the proper time.”

The Buddha told Maudgalyayana:

“Enough, enough, Maudgalyayana! The Tathagata will no longer recite the precepts for the bhiksus. The Tathagata does not speak two different ways. Venerable One, you should return to your seat.”

The Venerable Maudgalyayana again said to the Buddha:

“Now that a fault has arisen in this assembly, I am unable to perform the duty of karmadana. May the Blessed One appoint someone else.”

The Blessed One silently consented. The Venerable Maudgalyayana bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet and returned to his seat.

Then the Venerable Ananda said to the Buddha:

“When Vipasyin Buddha appeared in the world, how large was the noble assembly? How long was it before faults arose? And so on, down to the time of Kasyapa Buddha: how many disciples were there, and how were the precepts recited?”

The Buddha told Ananda:

“Ninety-one kalpas ago, a Buddha named Vipasyin Tathagata, Worthy and Fully Enlightened, appeared in the world. At that time, there were three assemblies of noble disciples. The first assembly contained 1,168,000 noble disciples; the second contained 160,000; and the third contained 100,000. All were arhats. Vipasyin Buddha lived for eighty-four thousand years. During the first hundred years, the noble assembly was pure, and Vipasyin Buddha always used a single verse as the disciplinary precept:

“At that time, Vipasyin Buddha used this single verse as the disciplinary precept for one hundred years. Later, when faults arose in the assembly, the Buddha established disciplinary precepts.

“Again, thirty-one kalpas ago, a Buddha named Sikhin Tathagata, Worthy and Fully Enlightened, appeared in the world. At that time, there were three assemblies of noble disciples. The first assembly contained 160,000; the second contained 140,000 noble disciples; and the third contained 100,000 noble disciples. In the time of Sikhin Buddha, during the first eighty years the noble assembly was pure, and the Buddha also spoke a single verse:

“At that time, for eighty years Sikhin Buddha had only this single verse. Later, when faults arose in the assembly, the Buddha established disciplinary precepts. Sikhin Buddha lived for seventy thousand years.

“During that same kalpa, a Buddha named Visvabhu also appeared in the world, and he too had three assemblies of noble disciples. The first assembly contained 100,000, all of whom were arhats; the second contained 80,000 arhats; and the third contained 70,000 arhats whose outflows had been exhausted. In the time of Visvabhu Buddha, during the first seventy years the noble assembly was pure, and the Buddha used one and a half verses as the disciplinary precept:

“For seventy years that Buddha used this verse as the disciplinary precept. Later, when faults arose in the assembly, he established disciplinary precepts. Visvabhu Buddha lived for seventy thousand years.

“During this Fortunate Kalpa, a Buddha named Krakucchanda appeared in the world. At that time, there were two assemblies of noble disciples. The first assembly contained 70,000 noble disciples, all arhats, and the second contained 60,000 arhats. In the time of Krakucchanda Buddha, during the first sixty years the assembly was pure and free from faults. At that time, that Buddha used two verses as the disciplinary precept:

“During the first sixty years, Krakucchanda Buddha spoke these two verses as the disciplinary precept. Thereafter, when people violated the precepts, he established disciplinary precepts. Krakucchanda Buddha lived for sixty thousand years.

“During this Fortunate Kalpa, a Buddha named Kanakamuni Tathagata, Worthy and Fully Enlightened, appeared. At that time, there were two assemblies of noble disciples. The first assembly contained 160,000 noble disciples, all of whom were arhats, and the second contained 400,000 noble disciples, all arhats. In the time of Kanakamuni Buddha, during the first forty years the assembly was without blemish, and the Buddha used only one verse as the disciplinary precept:

“During the first forty years, that Buddha spoke this one verse as the disciplinary precept. Later, when blemished persons appeared in the assembly, he established disciplinary precepts. Kanakamuni Buddha lived for forty thousand years.

“During this Fortunate Kalpa, a Buddha named Kasyapa appeared. That Buddha also had two assemblies of noble disciples. The first assembly contained 400,000 and the second contained 300,000, all of whom were arhats. During the first twenty years, there was no one in the assembly who violated the precepts, and the Buddha always used one verse as the disciplinary precept:

“During the first twenty years, that Buddha spoke this one verse as the disciplinary precept. Later, when people violated the precepts, he established disciplinary precepts. Kasyapa Buddha lived for twenty thousand years.

“Now I, the Tathagata, have appeared in the world and have one assembly of noble disciples numbering one thousand two hundred and fifty. During the first twelve years, no one violated the precepts, and I used one verse as the disciplinary precept:

“During the first twelve years, I spoke this single verse as the disciplinary precept. Later, people violated the discipline, and gradually there came to be two hundred and fifty precepts. From now onward, when the Sangha gathers, the motion should be made in accordance with the Vinaya: ‘Venerable Ones, listen together. Today, the fifteenth day, is the day for reciting the precepts. If the Sangha approves, let the harmonious Sangha recite the precepts together.’

“After this has been stated, if any bhiksu says anything, the precepts should not be recited. If everyone remains silent and no one says anything, only then should the precepts be recited. After the introduction to the Pratimoksa has been spoken, one should ask: ‘Venerable Ones, who among you is impure?’

“This should be asked three times: ‘Who is impure?’ Those who are pure remain silent and uphold the observance.

“The lifespan of people today is very short, for even the greatest lifespan does not exceed one hundred years. Therefore, Ananda, you should carefully receive and retain what I have taught.”

At that time, Ananda said to the Buddha:

“The Buddhas of the remote past had long lifespans, few people violated the precepts, and there were no blemishes. Today, however, the human lifespan has become short and does not exceed one hundred years. After the Buddhas of the past entered parinirvana, how long did their Dharma remain in the world?”

The Buddha told Ananda:

“After the Buddhas of the past entered parinirvana, their Dharma did not remain in the world for long.”

Ananda said to the Buddha:

“After the Tathagata enters parinirvana, how long will the true Dharma remain in the world?”

The Buddha told Ananda:

“After I enter parinirvana, the true Dharma will remain in the world for a long time. After Kasyapa Buddha entered parinirvana, the true Dharma he left behind remained for seven days. Ananda, you may now think that the Tathagata’s disciples are few, but you should not think so. My disciples in the eastern direction number countless hundreds of millions of thousands, and my disciples in the southern direction also number countless hundreds of millions of thousands. Therefore, Ananda, you should think: ‘My Buddha Sakyamuni has an exceedingly long lifespan.’ Why is this? Although the physical body declines and enters parinirvana, the Dharma body endures. This is the meaning of the matter, and you should remember it.”

At that time, after hearing what the Buddha had taught, Ananda and the bhiksus rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

3. Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the kingdom of Sravasti, in Jeta Grove, Anathapindika’s Park, together with a great community of five hundred bhiksus.

At that time, the Venerable Ananda bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, and said to the Buddha:

“The Tathagata’s wondrous wisdom is such that there is nothing he does not know. You clearly know all things throughout the three times of past, present, and future. You know all the names and titles of the Buddhas of the past and the numbers of bodhisattva disciples who attended them. Whether over one kalpa, a hundred kalpas, or countless kalpas, you perceive and know all. You can also distinguish the names of kings, great ministers, and peoples, and you clearly know how many realms presently exist. In the distant future, when Maitreya Buddha, the Worthy and Fully Enlightened One, appears, I wish to hear about that Buddha’s manifestations, the number of disciples attending him, the flourishing state of his Buddha realm, and how many years it will endure.”

The Buddha told Ananda:

“Return to your seat and listen attentively as I speak about the wealth of the realm and the number of disciples when Maitreya Buddha appears in the world. Reflect carefully and keep it in mind.”

Ananda obeyed the Buddha’s instruction and immediately returned to his seat.

The Buddha then told Ananda:

“In the very distant future, there will be in this realm a city named Ketumati, measuring twelve yojanas from east to west and seven yojanas from south to north. The land will be rich, and the people will be so numerous that they fill the roads. At that time, within that city will be a naga king named Water Radiance, who will shower fragrant rain at night while the days remain clear. In the city of Ketumati there will also be a raksasa named Leaf Flower who acts in accordance with the Dharma and does not violate the true teaching. After everyone has gone to sleep, he will clear away all filth and then sprinkle fragrant water upon the ground, making it exceedingly fragrant and clean.

“Ananda, you should know that at that time Jambudvipa will measure one hundred thousand yojanas across from east to west and north to south. Its mountains, rivers, and rocky cliffs will all disappear by themselves, and the waters of the four great seas will recede in one direction. The land of Jambudvipa will be perfectly level and even, like a bright mirror.

All kinds of grain will be plentiful and inexpensive. The population will be dense, and precious treasures will abound. Villages will stand close beside one another, so that the crowing of roosters will be heard from one village to the next.

At that time, all inferior fruit trees will wither away, and all foul and ugly plants will also disappear by themselves. Only beautiful trees bearing delicious, sweet fruit and possessing exceptional fragrances will grow in that land. The seasons and climate will be harmonious, and all four seasons will proceed in due order.

Human bodies will be free from the hundred and eight afflictions, such as craving, anger, delusion, and indolence. People’s minds will be alike and their intentions united. When they meet, they will joyfully speak kind words.

Their language will be one and without distinction, as among the people of Uttarakuru. At that time, the people of Jambudvipa, young and old alike, will speak with one voice and have few differences.

“At that time, whenever men or women wish to relieve themselves, the ground will naturally open, and when they have finished, it will close again. In Jambudvipa, rice will grow naturally without husks. It will be exceedingly fragrant and delicious, and those who eat it will suffer no illness. Gold, silver, vaidurya, crystal, agate, pearls, and amber will be scattered over the ground. People will say to one another: ‘In former times, people killed one another for these treasures and were imprisoned and subjected to many kinds of suffering. Now they are merely like tiles and stones, and no one picks them up.’

“At that time, a Dharma king named Sankha will appear. He will govern the people by the true Dharma and possess the seven treasures. The seven treasures are the precious wheel, precious elephant, precious horse, precious jewel, precious woman, precious military commander, and precious minister who guards the treasury.

These are the seven treasures. The king will rule Jambudvipa, and without using blades or clubs, people will naturally submit to him. Ananda, at that time there will be four great treasuries of jewels.

The first treasury will be named Gandhara-Raksasa and will contain so many extraordinary precious objects that they cannot be counted. The second great treasury will be named Mithila-Panduka and will also contain many precious treasures. The third will be named Surastha, the Great Kingdom, and it too will contain many precious treasures.

The fourth treasury will be named Varanasi-Sankha and will contain incalculably many precious treasures. These four great treasuries will appear naturally, and their keepers will all approach the king and report:

“‘May the Great King distribute the contents of these treasuries to the poor and destitute.’

“When King Sankha acquires these treasuries, he will pay them no heed, for his mind will entertain no thought of material wealth. At that time, garments will grow naturally upon the trees of Jambudvipa. They will be soft and delicate, and people will come and take them to wear, just as garments now grow naturally upon the trees in Uttarakuru.

“The king will have a great minister named Subrahma, who has been the king’s friend since childhood and is greatly cherished and respected by him. The great minister will have a handsome appearance, being neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, neither fair nor dark, neither old nor young. The great minister Subrahma will have a wife named Brahmavati, whose beauty surpasses even that of precious maidens and is like that of the celestial consorts in Sakra’s palace.

Her mouth will emit the fragrance of the utpala flower, and her body will have the fragrance of sandalwood. She will be entirely free of the eighty-four undesirable characteristics of women, will suffer no illness, and her mind will not be distracted. At that time, the bodhisattva Maitreya, dwelling in Tusita Heaven, will observe that his parents are neither young nor old.

He will then descend in spirit and be born from his mother’s right side, just as I was born from my mother’s right side. The bodhisattva Maitreya will be the same. All the devas of Tusita Heaven will proclaim: ‘The bodhisattva Maitreya has descended and been born.’ The great minister Subrahma will then name his son Maitreya.

The prince will possess the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty subsidiary characteristics adorning his body, and his body will be the color of gold.

“At that time, the people will have long lives and be free from illness, all living for eighty-four thousand years. Women will not marry until they are five hundred years old. The bodhisattva Maitreya will not remain long in household life but will leave home to train in the path.

Not far from the city of Ketumati there will be a bodhi tree named Dragon Flower, one yojana high and five hundred paces wide. The bodhisattva Maitreya will sit beneath that tree and attain unsurpassed enlightenment. At midnight he will leave home, and that very night he will attain unsurpassed enlightenment.

At that time, the three-thousand-great-thousand world system will quake in six ways. The earth deities will tell one another: ‘The bodhisattva Maitreya has now attained Buddhahood.’ The news will be transmitted to the palace of the Four Heavenly Kings: ‘Maitreya has attained the Buddha path.’ It will then be successively transmitted to the Heaven of the Thirty-three, Yama Heaven, Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creating, and the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Creations, until the proclamation reaches Brahma Heaven: ‘Maitreya has attained Buddhahood.’

“At that time, the Mara king named Great General, who governs through the Dharma, will hear the Tathagata’s name and the sound of his teaching. He will rejoice with such exhilaration that he cannot restrain himself and will neither sleep nor rest for seven days and seven nights. The Mara king will then lead countless devas of the desire realm to Maitreya Buddha and reverently bow before him. Maitreya Buddha will gradually teach the devas the wondrous Dharma, expounding such teachings as generosity, observance of the precepts, birth in the heavens, the impurity of sensual desire, and the sublimity of renunciation.

“When Maitreya Buddha sees that everyone has given rise to joyful minds, he will extensively explain for devas and humans the meaning of the teachings that all Buddhas customarily proclaim: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. At that time, eighty-four thousand devas will, while still seated, exhaust the dust and defilements and attain the pure Dharma eye. The Mara king Great General will tell the people of that realm:

“‘You should quickly leave the household life. Why is this? Maitreya Buddha has now crossed to the other shore and will also carry you across to the other shore.’

“At that time, in the city of Ketumati there will be an elder named Sudhana. Hearing the command of the Mara king and the voice of the Buddha, he will lead eighty-four thousand people to Maitreya Buddha, bow his head at the Buddha’s feet, and sit to one side. Maitreya Buddha will gradually teach them the wondrous Dharma, namely, teachings on generosity, observance of the precepts, birth in the heavens, the impurity of sensual desire, and the sublimity of renunciation.

When Maitreya Buddha sees that the minds of the people have opened, he will extensively explain to them the meaning of the teachings that all Buddhas customarily proclaim: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. The eighty-four thousand people will, while still seated, exhaust the dust and defilements and attain the pure Dharma eye. Sudhana and the eighty-four thousand people will then approach the Buddha and request permission to leave the household life.

They will cultivate the holy life well and all become arhats. Thus, the first assembly of Maitreya Buddha will contain eighty-four thousand arhats.

“When King Sankha hears that the bodhisattva Maitreya has attained Buddhahood, he will go to the Buddha wishing to hear the Dharma. Maitreya Buddha will teach him the Dharma, good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, profound in meaning and principle. At another time, the king will install the crown prince, give precious jewels to the barber, and present assorted treasures to the brahmans. He will then lead eighty-four thousand people to the Buddha and request to become sramanas. They will all attain the fruit of the path and realize arhatship.

“When the elder Subrahma hears that Maitreya has attained Buddhahood, he will lead a community of eighty-four thousand brahmans to the Buddha and request to become sramanas. They will all attain arhatship, with the sole exception of Subrahma, who will sever the three fetters and bring an end to the limit of suffering. The Buddha’s mother Brahmavati will then lead eighty-four thousand court ladies to the Buddha and request to become sramanas.

All those women will attain arhatship, with the sole exception of Brahmavati, who will sever the three fetters and become a stream-enterer. At that time, the women of the ksatriya clans will hear that Maitreya Buddha has appeared in the world and attained complete and perfect enlightenment. Tens of millions of them will go to the Buddha, bow their heads at his feet, and sit to one side.

Each will give rise to the aspiration to become a sramana, leave the household life, and train in the path. Some will transcend the successive stages and realize the path, while others will not attain realization. Ananda, at that time, those who do not transcend the successive stages to realize the path will all be followers of the Dharma, weary of every conception and finding no delight in the world.

Maitreya Buddha will then teach the doctrine of the Three Vehicles. Just as Mahakasyapa, among my disciples today, practices the twelve dhutanga ascetic practices and cultivated the holy life well under the Buddhas of the past, so he will always assist Maitreya Buddha in teaching and transforming the people.

“At that time, the Venerable Kasyapa was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, with body upright, mind properly composed, and mindfulness fixed before him. The Buddha told the Venerable Kasyapa:

“‘I am now old and declining, being over eighty years of age. Yet the Tathagata has four great sravaka disciples capable of traveling about to teach and transform others. Their wisdom is inexhaustible, and they are endowed with every virtue.

Who are the four? They are the bhiksu Mahakasyapa, the bhiksu Kundopadhaniya, the bhiksu Pindola, and the bhiksu Rahula. You four great sravakas must not enter nirvana.

Wait until my Dharma has completely disappeared, and only afterward enter nirvana. Mahakasyapa also must not enter nirvana but should wait until Maitreya appears in the world. Why is this?

The disciples whom Maitreya Buddha will liberate are all disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha whom I have taught, transformed, and left behind to purify their outflows. In the village of Videha in the country of Magadha, Mahakasyapa will remain within a mountain until Maitreya Buddha, surrounded before and behind by countless thousands of followers, comes to that mountain. Through the Buddha’s spiritual grace, the ghosts and spirits will open the entrance for the Buddha, enabling him to see Kasyapa seated in meditation inside the cave.

“‘Maitreya Buddha will then point to Kasyapa with his right hand and tell the people:

“‘“This is a disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha from the distant past, named Kasyapa. At present, he is foremost in the practice of dhutanga.”

“‘After seeing him, the people will praise this as unprecedented, and countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings will put an end to dust and defilements and attain the pure Dharma eye. There will also be sentient beings who, having seen Kasyapa’s body, attain realization. This is called the first great assembly, in which 9.6 billion people will all attain arhatship. Those people will all be my disciples. Why is this? Because they will all achieve it by having received my teaching and transformation. It will also be due to the causes and conditions of the four means of embracing others: generosity, loving speech, beneficial conduct, and cooperation.

“‘Ananda, at that time Maitreya Buddha will don Kasyapa’s sanghati robe, whereupon Kasyapa’s body will solemnly dissolve. Maitreya will then make offerings of various flowers and fragrances to Kasyapa. Why is this? Because all Buddhas, Blessed Ones, cherish reverence for the true Dharma. Maitreya, too, will be transformed through the true Dharma I attained and will achieve the unsurpassed, complete, and true enlightenment.

“‘Ananda, you should know that the second assembly of Maitreya Buddha will contain 9.4 billion people, all of whom will be arhats. They too will be disciples whom I have left behind, and they will attain this through offering the four requisites.

“‘Maitreya’s third assembly will contain 9.2 billion people, all of whom will be arhats. They too will be disciples who received the Dharma I left behind. At that time, the bhiksus will all be called disciples of the Loving One, just as today all the sravakas are called disciples of Sakya.

“‘Maitreya Buddha will then teach his disciples: “Bhiksus, you should contemplate the perception of impermanence; the perception that within pleasure there is suffering; the perception that attachment involves self and non-self; the perception of reality and emptiness; the perception of the transformation of form; the perception of a bruised and livid corpse; the perception of a bloated corpse; the perception of a corpse being devoured; the perception of a corpse congealed with blood; and the perception that nothing in the world is delightful.

Why is this? Bhiksus, you should know that these ten perceptions were all taught to you in the past by Sakyamuni Buddha so that you might completely exhaust the outflows and liberate your minds. In this assembly, there may be disciples of the past Sakyamuni Buddha who cultivated the holy life and thereby came to me; or who upheld that Dharma under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came to me; or who made offerings to the Three Jewels under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came to me; or who cultivated roots of goodness under Sakyamuni Buddha for the time of a finger snap and thereby came to me; or who cultivated the Four Immeasurable Minds under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came to me; or who observed the five precepts and took the three refuges under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came to me;

or who built stupas, shrines, and monasteries under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came to me; or who repaired old monasteries under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came to me; or who observed the eight precepts of the uposatha under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came to me; or who made offerings of flowers and fragrances under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came here; or who, in the presence of that Buddha, heard the Buddha-Dharma and wept sorrowfully, shedding tears, and thereby came to me; or who single-mindedly listened to the Dharma under Sakyamuni Buddha and thereby came to me; or who cultivated the holy life well throughout their lives and thereby came to me; or who copied, read, and recited sutras and thereby came to me; or who attended upon and made offerings and thereby came to me.”’

“At that time, Maitreya Buddha will speak these verses:

“Ananda, you should know that Maitreya Tathagata will speak these verses in that assembly. At that time, devas and humans in the assembly will contemplate these ten perceptions, and 1.1 billion people will completely exhaust the dust and defilements and attain the pure Dharma eye. During the time of Maitreya Buddha, the Sangha will remain free from faults for one thousand years. At that time, that Buddha will always use one verse as the disciplinary precept:

Let neither speech nor mind commit evil,
And let the body commit no evil either.
One should eliminate these three kinds of conduct
And swiftly escape the abyss of birth and death.

“After one thousand years, when people begin to violate the precepts, that Buddha will establish disciplinary precepts. Maitreya Buddha will live for eighty-four thousand years. After the Buddha enters parinirvana, the Dharma he leaves behind will remain for eighty-four thousand years. Why is this? Because the sentient beings of that time will all possess keen faculties.

“If good men and good women wish to meet Maitreya Buddha and the three assemblies of sravakas, to see the city of Ketumati, King Sankha, and the four great treasuries of jewels, to eat naturally grown grain and wear naturally produced garments, and after death to be born in the heavens, then those good men and good women should strive diligently and energetically and not give rise to indolence. They should also attend upon and make offerings to Dharma teachers, and make abundant offerings of renowned flowers and fragrant incense. Thus, Ananda, you should train yourself!”

At that time, after hearing what the Buddha had taught, Ananda and the great assembly rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.