Maitreya, avatamsaka

 51.Maitreya

Overall Teaching

Maitreya manifests a great tower wherein all buddha and bodhisattva activities are reflected which awakens Sudhana in various ways. Maitreya teaches how all is an illusion, including bodhisattva practice, but encourages Sudhana to be tireless on the path and guides him to Mañjuśrī.

Summary

1. Sudhana went to Samudrakaccha by the seashore[1] contemplating the previous instructions and contemplating and cultivating the power and benefits of the bodhisattva path. With great respect for bodhisattvas and spiritual benefactors, he prostrated himself before the door of the great tower at the Park of the Great Array,[2] which is chamber of the adornments of Vairocana.[3]

a. He simultaneously projected himself into the presence of all buddhas by focusing his attention through knowledge of control of the formation of mental images.

b. Thus, he prostrated before all beings and things in the cosmos.

c. He thus prostrated continuously manifesting aeons of the endless future out of his equanimity towards all things and the great variety of his right views.

2. Thus, flooded by energy from his roots of goodness, he arose and circumambulated the tower hundreds of thousands of times, with wholesome thoughts of respect towards those inside it, contemplating how it is the abode of those who have achieved great spiritual achievements.

a. In verse, he described how great this abode is, where Maitreya dwells.

3. Standing at the foot of the tower, desiring to see him, he saw Maitreya coming from elsewhere4 surrounded by the great devas.5 Happy to see him, Sudhana prostrated from afar.6

4. Maitreya, pointing him out, praised Sudhana in verse, emphasising how welcome he is and how he has great qualities as one on the path and who has such great resolve and describing how he will go forth in awakening and liberate and save all through right knowledge.

a. He concluded by saying that Sudhana should ask Mañjuśrī about ultimate liberation in the realm of knowledge, saying that he will initiate him into the highest practice of good for his final existence.

5. Sudhana, hearing this, was flooded by joy and paid respect to Maitreya. By Mañjuśrī’s power, garlands and jewels appeared in Sudhana’s hands, and Sudhana showered these on Maitreya. Maitreya then praised Sudhana and said he will be just as himself and Mañjuśrī.

a. Sudhana replied by saying such friends are hard to meet in hundreds of lives.

b. Explaining how he has set out for awakening, but does not know the practice of bodhisattvas, and considering how Maitreya has mastered all ways of liberation of bodhisattvas, Sudhana asked Maitreya to please teach him the practice of bodhisattvas.

6. Maitreya pointed out how good it was for Sudhana to ask this of him, he explained how rare it is to even hear the names of those who are like Sudhana who have set out on the Mahāyāna, as they have set out to remove the sufferings of all beings. He explained how Sudhana wishes to assemble the ship of the Dharma to save beings from the four torrents, among other analogies, and described how tireless he was. He explained that due to these virtues, Sudhana will attain the qualities of buddhahood in one lifetime.

a. Maitreya then praised Sudhana’s determination for awakening (bodhicitta), and gave a variety of analogies, such as “it is like a lamp, producing spiritual light.” In short, it is equal to all the qualities and virtues of buddhas since it is the source of all bodhisattva practices and all buddhas of the three times. Thus, all who have bodhicitta are imbued with measureless virtues by being absorbed in that will.

b. Maitreya then compared bodhicitta to various kinds of medicines, healing herbs, and magical jewels which have great benefits, such as that one will not be injured by wrong views, ward off the poisonous vipers of afflictions, cure the illness of afflictions and ignorance, and so forth. Maitreya compares its qualities to many other things, such as lights, fires, golden ornaments, roars of lions, strengths, magical abilities and many more, concluding with how just as the awakening site (bodhimaṇḍa) where the Buddha overcomes Māra, cannot be supported by anywhere on earth except the vajra-like centre of the universe, similarly bodhicitta cannot be sustained by any mind other than that which is set on omniscience, the vajra-like core of all vows and knowledge.

c. Maitreya said due to having all these virtues, Sudhana has made a great gain in aspiring to attain awakening.

d. If he wants to know how a bodhisattva is practice, he instructs Sudhana to go into the tower of Vairocana’s adornments and look and see the practice of bodhisattvas and the virtues they perfect.

7. Sudhana circumambulated Maitreya. He asked Maitreya to open the door to the tower. After Maitreya snapped his fingers, the door opened.[7] Sudhana went in and the doors shut behind him.[8]

a. The interior of the tower was immensely vast and as wide as space, with countless canopies, adornments, and jewels. It had countless lotus ponds and trees. Within the tower were also countless other towers, which were also as infinitely vast as space, each of which appeared reflected in each and every object of all the other towers.[9]

b. Sudhana was then flooded with joy and bliss and stripped of all delusion and became clairvoyant. With physical tranquillity he bowed in all directions with his whole body.

c. With each bow, by Maitreya’s power, he saw countless scenes in each of the towers, including the bodhisattva career of Maitreya. Including how he was predicted to awakening by a past buddha, and how he attained each of the ten perfections and ascended the stages. He saw Maitreya manifesting as countless kinds of devas teaching beings different things in each state according to their needs. Thus, he saw Maitreya in all the realms and among all types of beings, guiding them according to their needs concluding with him teaching a group of bodhisattvas in how to attain the totality of the liberations.

d. He also saw multitudes of each of the kinds of beings in different towers and aspects of the teachings being broadcast from the pores of bodhisattvas. He also saw Buddha assemblies.

e. In the largest tower, he saw a great universe in which he saw Maitreya having the career of a buddha and teaching the Dharma and purifying all lands. Everywhere in that universe he saw himself at Maitreya’s feet. He also heard about various bodhisattvas and how they set out for awakening, and what kinds of sacrifices they made on the path. He also heard a voice describing where each Buddha was in the universe and what they were teaching.

f. From all these perceptions, Sudhana attained different facets of awakening, such as the pāramitās. He also saw measureless reflections of countless worlds in mirrors in the tower. Bodhisattvas engaging in all kinds of awakening knowledge were seen on the tower’s promenades. Webs of jewel lights came from each pillar of various colours. Statues of women were seen holding all kinds of jewels imaginable and figures of buddhas sitting in the lotus position. The floor was lapis lazuli and checkboard-patterned, in it the reflections of countless buddhas and lands were seen. Similarly, he saw buddhas and bodhisattvas manifesting as all kinds of beings in each of the jewel trees. The crescents adorning the towers had reflections of all kinds of celestial bodies. The walls had countless depictions of Maitreya engaging in bodhisattva behaviour.

g. He saw all of this by the power of unwavering mindfulness and purity of vision and was like someone seeing various lovely things in a dream, but not realising one is asleep, but it being clear enough that you could remember it all when one wakes. It was also like a dying man in his final mental state seeing the realms according to his karma (hells for bad karma, heavens for good karma), thus Sudhana by the wonder of his bodhisattva states, saw the wonder of the states caused by the actions of a bodhisattva in the tower of Vairocana. It was just as having visions when possessed by a spirit, or entering the abode of water spirits, or seeing the universe reflected in a celestial mansion, or entering a dhyāna whereby one is totally absorbed in one point, or seeing the adornments of cities of celestial musicians (gandharvas) in the skies.[10]

8. Then, Maitreya snapped his fingers and told Sudhana to arise, whereby the entire tower and the vision ceased, and told Sudhana that this is the nature of all things, inherently unreal, like illusions, dreams, and reflections, and are stabilized by the knowledge of bodhisattvas.[11]

a. Maitreya asked whether he saw all of that, and Sudhana said he did.

b. Sudhana asked the name of that liberation, and Maitreya said it is “the sanctum of supernal manifestations of unconfused recollection entering into knowledge of all objects of past, present, and future.” A bodhisattva assured of Buddhahood in one lifetime attains liberations like this.

c. Maitreya explained that the display both came from and went to the power of knowledge of bodhisattvas. It is not something fixed, but is constantly changing, is neither internal nor internal, and it is not that they are or are not seen—they are by the power of a bodhisattva and one’s own capacity. Just as a magician’s illusions do not go or come anywhere, these displays appear through proper learning of bodhisattva knowledge and past vows.

9. Maitreya said he comes from where there is no coming: bodhisattvas come from where there is no motion or stasis, stirring or arising. Their abode is great compassion, kindness, non-grasping, wisdom and means, and manifesting emanations.

a. But conventionally speaking, Maitreya comes from Kuti among the Malada people.

The gentleman Gopalaka establishes people in the Mahāyāna there.

b. There are ten native lands of bodhisattvas:

i. Bodhicitta

ii. Strong will

iii. The stages

iv. Carrying out vows

v. Universal compassion

vi. Profound contemplation

vii. The Mahāyāna

viii. Educating sentient beings

ix. Knowledge and means

x. Practicing and realising all truths

c. Their mother is the perfection of wisdom, their father is skilful means. The perfections raise them as follows:

i. Generosity is their milk

ii. Discipline is their nurse

iii. Patience is their adornment

iv. Energy makes them grow

v. Meditation purifies their practice

d. Spiritual friends teach them. Elements of awakening are their compasnions. Bodhisattvas are their siblings. Bodhicitta is their family. Practice is their family’s rule. Their residence is the stages. Finally, consecration as one to attain buddhahood in one life is princehood among spiritual kings.

e. Bodhisattvas have gone beyond ignorant stages and is born in the family and lineage of the buddhas, being able to perpetuate the three jewels.

f. They also do not shrink from existence in any world, because out of compassion and love they believe saṃsāra is a dream and are thus inafflicted by birth and death, attaining control over their becoming.

g. Bodhisattva bodies thus exist in all realms and with forms like all beings. He was born in Kuta only to develop to maturity beings who carried out the same practices as him, and so as to manifest birth on this continent and guide people here.

h. He lives here in the south in this tower to teach beings. After passing away here he will be born in Tusita and teach the devas according to their mentalities and finally manifest a descent to earth and attain omniscience and fulfilment of his aspiration. At that time Sudhana will see him with Mañjuśrī.

i. Now, Sudhana should go to Mañjuśrī who will show him the best spiritual benefactor, since his wisdom and accomplishments are the greatest of countless bodhisattvas and teaches countless beings and has also practiced with Sudhana in past lives. Thus, Sudhana should not be faint hearted in asking him about bodhisattva practice.

10. Paying his respects to Maitreya, Sudhana went on.

[1] “The seashore represents gradually ascending progress to buddhahood in one lifetime, facing the shore of the ocean of birth and death.”

[2] “The Park of the Great Array symbolizes adornment of buddhahood with the knowledge and compassion to enter birth and death.”

[3] “The name Vairocana includes both the meaning of differentiated light, symbolizing knowledge of distinctions, and ubiquitous illumination shining everywhere, symbolizing fundamental knowledge.

“The building represents the universally awakening knowledge of the substance and function of the real universe, working in various ways for the maximum benefit of living beings. Therefore its size is equal to space, so that all worlds and their beings are living in it—though unware of each other—as told in detail in the scripture, represented by the various worlds as seen by Sudhana in the tower.

“The building was made by the great compassion of the ocean of awakened knowledge, the great vow to help the living, and it was situated in the park of birth and death of all sentient beings. Therefore Maitreya said its manifestation is produced from skillful means, from virtue and knowledge; it comes from nowhere and goes nowhere. These are all characteristics of presence in the midst of origination and destruction with knowledge of illusoriness. It is like the power of actions of sentient beings, which arises and disappears without any graspable substance or appearance of coming and going.”

[4] This “means that when adapting to conventions in order to teach people, one does not dwell on one’s own rewards. The process of using all spiritual capacities, awakening power, and the myriad practices of bodhisattvas to turn the ocean of afflictions into the ocean of omniscience is all based on bodhicitta.

“Bodhicitta is independent, and knowledge is also independent, so all that is done is without dependence or obsession—myriad practices are like projections, helping the living is like magic, spiritual capacities and awakened powers are like the moon in the sky appearing in waters everywhere. All these are functional capacities of bodhicitta. Anything attained through any agency but bodhicitta is not natural law, so the virtues of bodhicitta are inconceivable.”

[5] “Maitreya is the Loving One, of whom buddhahood in the next lifetime was foretold. In the realm of knowledge of illusory states in the real universe, in every particle of every land there are infinite oceans of buddhas, but their unique awakening is always, as is, without origin or disappearance, without past, future, or present. It is only through the great practice of Samantabhadra (Universal Good) that there are manifestations of attainments of buddhahood, nirvāṇa, and giving instructions for the future, according to what is timely and appropriate for sentient beings. That is why Maitreya appears to be in the position of successorship before the present Buddha’s mission is ended, while in reality Maitreya is already equal to the buddhas.

“Śrīsaṃbhava and Śrīmati extolled the virtues of Maitreya at length to induce Sudhana to approach and attend Maitreya, and warned him not to try with a limited mind to practice the six pāramitās, dwell in the ten stages, purify a buddha-field, or serve teachers. This makes it clear that the six pāramitās and the ten stages are not yet free from the transcendental partial view of purity; do not yet fully embody the practice of Samantabhadra; and are not the same as the body of virtues in the ocean of fruits of rewards of Vairocana Buddha, the ocean of blessings represented as flower crowns, necklaces, bracelets, and so on. Through them one only attains equality with the emanation buddhas transcending the world, giving up the mortal body that likes and dislikes.

“Therefore when the eleventh stage is fulfilled, the Dharma leads into the real universe, to merge with the complete embodiment of the fundamental root and arrive at the realm of the great knowledge of the real universe that originally underlies unawareness, thus naturally to be rewarded with boundless virtues.

“In addition, the infinitely adorned body of enjoyment developed by the differentiating knowledge of the ocean of practical vows of Samantabhadra would not allow Sudhana to stick to limited practices projected to inspire ordinary people.”

[6] “Now Sudhana prostrated himself in front of the building, using various modes of praise, to extol this building as the abode of great sages with measureless virtues. This illustrates the fruits of buddhahood as being such that they can never be fully described.”

[7] Snapping the fingers has the meaning of dismissing material sense, sound has the meaning of stirring awake. When material sense is removed and attachment is gone, the door of knowledge spontaneously opens.”

[8] “Reclosing means that in knowledge there is no inside or outside, no exiting or entering, no delusion or awakening. This means wholly returning to the source.”

[9] The interior’s vastness as space “represents the infinity of the realm of knowledge. The ornaments were all made of precious substances, representing the value of practical acts of kindness and wisdom.”

[10] “in the building Sudhana saw spiritually projected scenes: the past, present, and future practices of Maitreya, as well as the buddhas with whom he worked and his spiritual friends, who also expounded various truths to Sudhana. Because the realm of knowledge of the body of reality (dharmakāya) is by natural law always so, no thing is not spiritual, no phenomenon is not wonderful—these are spiritual scenes. Because past, present, and future are not beyond a moment, Sudhana saw events of all times. Because nature of past, present, and future is perfect, they clearly always teach—so Sudhana heard past buddhas teaching.”

[11] “When Maitreya withdrew his spiritual force, the scenes that had been manifested now disappeared. This is because the identities of phenomena are like dreams, like illusions, like shadows, like reflections, always there and yet always gone, always one yet always different. Maitreya let Sudhana know the essence of true Thusness, naturally going along with conditions yet naturally reverting to essence.” (1621–1625)