佛說彌勒下生經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the country of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, together with 500 great bhikṣus of the Saṃgha.

At that time, the Venerable Ānanda bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee to the ground, and addressed the Buddha, saying:

"The Tathāgata perceives the mystery! The Tathāgata thoroughly comprehends all matters in the three times—past, present, and future—and there is nothing He does not fully understand. The surnames and titles, the disciples, and the Bodhisattvas of the Buddhas of the past, whether few or many, the Tathāgata knows them all.

Even for one kalpa, a hundred kalpas, or innumerable kalpas, the Tathāgata likewise contemplates and clearly knows them all in the same way. The Tathāgata is able to distinguish the surnames of the kings, great ministers, and the people of those lands. Just as for the present, He knows clearly how many sentient beings there are in this land.

In the far-distant future, when Maitreya appears in the world to attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, how many disciples will He have, how blissful will His Buddha-land be, and how long will it last? Now we wish to hear of this matter."

The Buddha said to the Venerable Ānanda:

"Sit down and listen as I speak of the appearance of Maitreya, of the bliss of His land, and of His disciples, whether few or many. Contemplate this well and always keep it in mind."

Then the Venerable Ānanda received the Buddha's instruction and at once returned to his seat. At that time the World-Honored One said to the Venerable Ānanda:

"In the far-distant future, in this world there will be a walled city named Excellent Banner Sign, twelve yojanas from east to west and seven yojanas from north to south. Its soil will be fertile, the lives of the people prosperous, and there will be straight roads.

At that time, in the city there will be a dragon king named Water Radiance. By night the dragon king will rain down fragrant scent to moisten the ground, and by day he will make the air mild and cool.

Then in the city of Excellent Banner Sign there will be a rākṣasa demon named Leaf Flower, whose deeds always accord with the teaching of the Dharma and who does not violate the right teaching. After everyone has fallen asleep, it will go to the impure places to clear away the filthy refuse, and then take fragrant water to sprinkle upon that ground, making it clean and exceedingly fragrant.

Ānanda, you should know that the land of Jambudvīpa at that time will be, from east to west and north to south, a thousand myriad yojanas. The mountains, rivers, lakes, and cliffs will all of themselves vanish. As for the waters of the four great oceans, each ocean will be reduced by ten thousand.

Then the ground of Jambudvīpa will be exceedingly level, like a bright mirror. Throughout all the land of Jambudvīpa the five grains will flourish, the lives of the people will be prosperous, there will be a great abundance of precious things, the villages will be near one another, separated only by the distance of a rooster's crow. At that time, the flowers, fruits, and trees that are withered, foul, and ugly will all of themselves vanish.

There will remain only beautiful trees with sweet fruit. Fragrant and exquisitely beautiful varieties of trees will spring forth across the whole face of the earth.

At that time, the climate will be mild and cool, and the weather of the four seasons will be harmonious. The people of that land will be without the 108 kinds of calamities. They will be without greed and desire, hatred and anger, delusion, and sorrow and worry. Their hearts will be at peace and all of one mind. When they see one another, they will all rejoice and speak to one another of auspicious things. They will share one language, like the people of Uttarakuru, without the least difference.

Then in Jambudvīpa, the people, great and small, will all have the same disposition without any distinction. When they have the intent to relieve themselves, the earth will of itself open, and when they are done the earth will close again.

At that time, the land of Jambudvīpa will of itself produce rice without husk or chaff. It will be exceedingly fragrant and delicious, and when eaten it will bring no illness or suffering. The precious treasures—such as gold, silver, jewels, giant clam-shell, agate, pearls, and amber—will lie scattered everywhere upon the ground with no one to guard them. The people at that time will take up these precious treasures and all say words such as these:

'In olden times people harmed one another for the sake of these treasures, so that they were imprisoned in jails and dungeons to undergo countless afflictions. Today these treasures are like tiles and stones, and no one cares to keep them.'

At that time there will appear a Wheel-Turning King named Śaṅkha. He will rule by the True Dharma and will be fully endowed with the seven treasures. The seven treasures are:

– the precious golden wheel,

– the precious elephant,

– the precious horse,

– the precious jewel,

– the precious jade maiden,

– the precious treasurer,

– and the precious general.

Although these seven treasures stand guard within Jambudvīpa, there will be no need to use blade or staff, for all will of themselves submit.

Ānanda! At that time there will be four great treasure-stores:

1. The great treasure-store Iḷāpattra in the country of Gandhāra, with countless rare and extraordinary treasures, more than can be counted.

2. The great treasure-store Pāṇḍuka in the country of Mithilā, also with very many treasures.

3. The great treasure-store [Piṅgala] in the country of Surāṣṭra, also with very many treasures.

4. The great treasure-store Śaṅkha in the country of Vārāṇasī, with countless rare and extraordinary treasures, more than can be counted.

These four great treasure-stores will manifest of themselves, and then the keepers of them will all come and report to the king, saying:

'We respectfully beg the great king to take the precious things of these treasure-stores and bestow them in charity upon the poor and destitute.'

At that time, when the great king Śaṅkha has obtained these treasure-stores, he will have no notion concerning the riches and treasures, nor will he care to regard them at all.

Then upon the trees in Jambudvīpa there will of themselves grow garments exceedingly soft, and the people will take them and put them on. This is like the people of Uttarakuru today, upon whose trees garments grow of themselves, without the least difference.

At that time, King Śaṅkha will have a great minister named Pure and Good, who from his youth was held in the highest esteem by the king. He will have an upright and dignified appearance—neither tall nor short, neither stout nor thin, neither fair nor dark, neither old nor young. The virtuous wife of the great minister Pure and Good at that time will be named Pure and Wondrous. Among all the king's daughters, she will be the princess most perfect in talent and beauty, with a countenance like the consort of the heavenly emperor. From her mouth will issue the fragrance of the blue lotus, and from her body will emanate the fragrance of sandalwood. Moreover, she will be without the 84 faults of women, and without illness or any wrong notions.

At that time in the Tuṣita Heaven, the Bodhisattva Maitreya will observe that His father and mother are neither old nor young, and then He will descend in spirit into His mother's womb and be born from her right side. This is just as I today was born from the right side, without the least difference. The Bodhisattva Maitreya will likewise be so. Then each of the devas in the Tuṣita Heaven will proclaim:

'The Bodhisattva Maitreya has descended in spirit and been born.'

Then the great minister Pure and Good will name his son Maitreya. The Bodhisattva Maitreya will have a body of golden hue, adorned with the 32 marks of excellence and the 80 noble characteristics upon His body.

At that time, the lifespan of human beings will be very long, without calamities, and all will live to 84,000 years. When a woman reaches 500 years of age, only then will she marry.

At that time, Maitreya will dwell at home for not a long while before He goes forth to study the Way. Then He will leave the city of Excellent Banner Sign, and not far from there will be a Bodhi-tree named Nāga-flower (Dragon-flower), one yojana high and 500 paces wide. The Bodhisattva Maitreya will sit beneath that tree and accomplish the Supreme Fruit of the Way. On the very day that Maitreya goes forth, that very midnight He will accomplish the Supreme Way. Then the Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold World will quake in six ways, and each of the earth-gods will say to one another:

'Now Maitreya has become a Buddha.'

Then the echo will pass to the heavenly palace of the Four Heavenly Kings:

'Maitreya has accomplished the Buddha-Way.'

Then the echo will spread throughout the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (Trāyastriṃśa), the Yāma Heaven, the Tuṣita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation (Nirmāṇarati), the Heaven of Mastery over Others' Creations (Paranirmita-vaśavartin), and that sound will roll onward and reach even to the Brahmā Heaven:

'Maitreya has accomplished the Buddha-Way.'

At that time there will be a king of māras who rules by the Dharma, named Great General. When he hears the title of the Tathāgata, he will be so overjoyed and exultant that for seven days and seven nights he will not sleep or rest. Then the king of māras will lead countless devas from the heavens of the desire realm to the place of the Buddha Maitreya to reverently pay homage. The Holy and Honored One Maitreya, for the devas and the people, will in due order expound the wondrous treatises. The treatises for reaching the wondrous realm and for forsaking the impure notions of craving and desire, such as: the treatise on giving, the treatise on upholding the precepts, and the treatise on birth in the heavens.

At that time, when Maitreya has seen the great assemblies, He will give rise to a joyful heart, and for the devas He will extensively analyze the meaning of the Dharma of the Four Truths—Suffering, Origination, Cessation, and the Path—which the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, always expound. Then 84,000 sons of heaven (devaputras) will extinguish all defilements and attain the pure Dharma-eye. Then the King of Māras, Great General, will say to the people of that world:

'Quickly go forth! Why is this? Because today Maitreya has crossed to the other shore, and so He will also liberate you and enable you to reach the other shore.'

At that time in the city of Excellent Banner Sign there will be an elder named Good Wealth. When he hears the māra king's exhortation and also hears the voice of the Buddha, he will lead 84,000 people to the place of enlightenment (bodhimaṇḍa) of the Buddha Maitreya, and bowing their heads at the Buddha's feet, they will sit to one side. Then Maitreya will in due order expound the wondrous treatises. The treatises for reaching the wondrous realm and for forsaking the impure notions of craving and desire, such as: the treatise on giving, the treatise on upholding the precepts, and the treatise on birth in the heavens.

At that time, when Maitreya sees that the people's hearts have opened and their minds have been freed, He will, for their sake, extensively analyze the meaning of the Dharma of the Four Truths—Suffering, Origination, Cessation, and the Path—which the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, always expound. Then 84,000 people will extinguish all defilements and attain the pure Dharma-eye. Then the Elder Good Wealth and the 84,000 people will come before the Buddha to request to go forth. Afterward, they will skillfully cultivate the holy practice (brahmacarya) and all realize the Way of the Arhat.

At the very first Dharma-assembly of Maitreya there will be 84,000 people who attain the Way of the Arhat. When King Śaṅkha hears that Maitreya has accomplished the Buddha-Way, he will at once wish to go to the place of the Buddha to hear the Dharma. At that time, the Buddha Maitreya will expound the Dharma to the king concerning what is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, and the profound meanings.

Some time afterward, King Śaṅkha will establish the crown prince on the throne. He will bestow precious treasures upon the barber, and again use various jewels to give in charity to the brahmins. Then he will lead 84,000 people to the place of the Buddha, wishing to become śramaṇas. Afterward they will all accomplish the Fruit of the Way and realize Arhatship.

When the great elder Pure and Good hears that Maitreya has accomplished the Buddha-Way, he will lead 84,000 brahmacārins (brahmin practitioners) to the place of the Buddha and beg to become śramaṇas. Afterward they will all attain the Way of the Arhat—only the bhikṣu Pure and Good will cut off merely the three fetters and attain the fruit of the Stream-Enterer (Srota-āpanna).

Then the Buddha's mother, Pure and Wondrous, will lead 84,000 maidservants to the place of the Buddha and beg to become bhikṣuṇīs. Afterward they will all attain the Way of the Arhat—only the bhikṣuṇī Pure and Wondrous will cut off merely the three fetters and attain the fruit of the Stream-Enterer.

At that time, when the consorts of the kṣatriyas hear that Maitreya Tathāgata has appeared in the world and accomplished Perfect Enlightenment, thousands and myriads of them will come to the place of the Buddha, bow their heads at the Buddha's feet, and sit to one side. In their hearts every one of them will wish to become a bhikṣuṇī and go forth to study the Way. Among them, some will realize the fruit, and some will not.

Ānanda! Those who do not realize the fruit at that time will serve the Buddha-Dharma to the very end of their lives. They will grow weary of all worldly affairs and practice the Way to cut off the notions of desire and pleasure.

At that time, Maitreya will also speak the teachings of the three vehicles, just as I do today. Among His disciples, Mahākāśyapa will be the one who practices the twelve dhūta austerities. Mahākāśyapa skillfully cultivated the holy practice under the Buddhas of the past. He will assist Maitreya in exhorting and transforming the people of that time."

At that time, Mahākāśyapa drew near to the place of the Tathāgata, then he sat in the full-lotus posture, with body upright and mind upright, single-mindedly fixed in right mindfulness. Then the World-Honored One said to Mahākāśyapa:

"I am now old and frail, already past 80 years of age. At present the Tathāgata has four great Śrāvakas of inexhaustible wisdom, fully endowed with merit and able to take on the work of spreading the teaching. Who are these four? They are:

– the bhikṣu Mahākāśyapa,

– the bhikṣu Kuṇḍopadhānīya,

– the bhikṣu Piṇḍola,

– and the bhikṣu Rāhula.

You four great Śrāvakas must not hasten to enter Parinirvāṇa. Wait until My Dharma has been utterly extinguished, and only then enter Parinirvāṇa. Mahākāśyapa, too, must hold off from entering Parinirvāṇa; you must wait until Maitreya appears in the world. Why is this? The disciples transformed by Maitreya are also the disciples of Śākyamuni, entrusted by Me to be transformed and caused to extinguish utterly the outflows (āsravas).

After I enter Nirvāṇa, Mahākāśyapa will, upon a certain mountain in the village of Vaidehī in the country of Magadha, enter into meditative absorption. When Maitreya Tathāgata accomplishes the Way, He will lead countless thousands of people to that mountain. Through the great grace of the Buddha, the demons and spirits will open the door, and there will be seen Mahākāśyapa entered into meditative absorption within the cave. Then Maitreya will point with the finger of His right hand to Mahākāśyapa and say to the great assembly:

'In the far-distant past, the Buddha Śākyamuni had a disciple named Mahākāśyapa, who was foremost among those of dhūta austerities. Now, at present, this is that very person.'

When the great assembly has seen this, they will praise it as something that has never been before. Countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings will extinguish all defilements and attain the pure Dharma-eye. And there will be other sentient beings who will see the bodily form of Mahākāśyapa. This is called the first assembly, and there will be 9,600 million people who attain the Way of the Arhat. These people are all My disciples. Why is this? It is because they were all instructed by Me and practiced according to the four causal conditions: wisdom, giving, kindness, and love, and the deeds that benefit others.

Ānanda! At that time Maitreya Tathāgata will take the saṃghāṭī robe and place it upon the body of Mahākāśyapa, and suddenly the body of Mahākāśyapa will shine like the stars. Then Maitreya will again use all manner of fragrant flowers to make offerings to Mahākāśyapa. Why is this? It is because the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, all have a heart of reverence toward the True Dharma. Maitreya, too, received the True Dharma from Me and thereby attained Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

Ānanda! You should know that at the second assembly of the Buddha Maitreya there will be 9,400 million people who attain the Way of the Arhat. They too are all disciples of My bequeathed teaching and practice the four kinds of offering.

At the third assembly of the Buddha Maitreya there will be 9,200 million people who attain the Way of the Arhat. They too are all disciples of My bequeathed teaching. At that time, the bhikṣus will all be called disciples of the Compassionate One (Maitreya), just as today My Śrāvakas are all called disciples of Śākya.

At that time Maitreya will expound the Dharma to His disciples thus:

'O bhikṣus, contemplate:

[1] the contemplation of impermanence;

[2] the contemplation that within pleasure there is suffering;

[3] the contemplation that all things are without self;

[4] the contemplation that all things have no true existence;

[5] the contemplation of the transformation of the physical body;

[6] the contemplation of the bruised and stagnant blood;

[7] the contemplation of the body bloated and swollen;

[8] the contemplation of food undigested;

[9] the contemplation of blood, pus, and sores;

[10] the contemplation that all things in the world cannot remain in lasting bliss.

Why is this? O bhikṣus, you should know that these ten contemplations were all expounded to you by the Buddha Śākyamuni, to cause you to extinguish the outflows and to liberate your minds.

If any among the disciples of the Buddha Śākyamuni of the past cultivated the holy practice, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, made offerings to the Triple Gem, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, cultivated wholesome roots even for the duration of a finger-snap, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, practiced the Four Immeasurable Minds, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, received and upheld the Five Precepts and the Threefold Refuge, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, built stūpas and shrines, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, repaired temples and stūpas, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, received the Eight Precepts of the Poṣadha (Aṣṭāṅga fast), they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, made offerings of fragrant flowers, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, shed tears and wept in sorrow upon hearing the True Dharma, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, single-mindedly received and upheld the scriptures and the Dharma, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, skillfully cultivated the holy practice, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, copied out or recited the scriptures, they will come to My place.

Or if any, under the Buddha Śākyamuni, rendered service and offerings, they will come to My place.'

Then Maitreya will speak this verse:

'Diligently upholding the precepts, cultivating merit and virtue,
In meditative absorption contemplating, doing wholesome deeds—
Whoever skillfully cultivates the holy practices,
That person will come to My place.

Or reciting the sūtras, receiving and upholding the precepts,
Cultivating wholesome deeds, instructing others,
Lighting bright the lamp of the True Dharma—
Now they will come to My place.

Skillfully planting wholesome roots under Śākya,
Making offerings and paying homage to the Buddha's relics,
Serving the Buddha-Dharma, making offerings to the Saṃgha—
Now they will come to My place.

If there be those who copy out the scriptures,
Widely proclaiming and expounding the lofty and profound meaning,
Making offerings, receiving and upholding the Buddha's scriptures and Dharma—
They will all come to My place.

With banners, pennants, silk canopies, and all manner of things,
Making offerings to the monasteries, the Buddha's stūpas and shrines,
In their hearts recalling and reciting "Namo Buddha"—
They will all come to My place.

Serving and making offerings to the Tathāgatas
Of past, present, and future as well,
In meditative absorption, with right mindfulness and a mind of equanimity,
Thus-and-so, unmoving, neither decreasing nor increasing.

Exerting all their strength to guard and uphold the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha,
Serving and making offerings to the holy assembly,
Serving the Triple Gem with constant diligence—
They shall surely soon reach the place of the unconditioned.'

Ānanda! You should know that Maitreya Tathāgata will speak that verse amid the great assembly. Then the devas and the people in that great assembly will contemplate the ten contemplations above. Then there will be 1,100 million people who extinguish all defilements and attain the pure Dharma-eye.

The Saṃgha assembly of Maitreya Tathāgata will commit no faults for 1,000 years. Then He will always use a single verse to serve as the precept and prohibition:

But after 1,000 years there will be those who transgress the precepts, and only then will He establish the precepts and rules. Maitreya Tathāgata will live 84,000 years. After He enters Nirvāṇa, His teaching of the Dharma will abide in the world for 84,000 years. Why is this? Because the sentient beings of that time will all be people of keen and sharp faculties.

If there be any good man or good woman who wishes to see the Buddha Maitreya and the Śrāvakas of the three assemblies, the city of Excellent Banner Sign, King Śaṅkha, and the four great treasure-stores of precious treasures; who wishes to eat the rice that grows of itself, to wear the garments that grow of themselves, and after the end of this life to be born in the heavens—then this good man or good woman should be diligent, giving rise to no slothful mind, serving and making offerings to the Dharma-masters, taking up every kind of fragrant flower to make offerings, and not letting them be lacking.

Ānanda! One should study and practice in just this way."

At that time, when the Venerable Ānanda and the great assembly had heard what the Buddha said, they rejoiced and reverently practiced it.

The Buddha Speaks the Sūtra of the Descent and Birth of Maitreya