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Re: Maitreya's Pure Land?

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:19 pm
by Kaji
Astus wrote:There are some points regarding aspiration to be born in the Tusita to meet Maitreya. In Zhiyi's Ten Doubts about the Pure Land it says that there are two main differences. First is that only by upholding the ten virtues and other practices can one attain birth their, and even then there is no guarantee one will succeed, while birth in Amita's land is easily accessible simply by reciting his name. The second point is that the Tusita is still in the realm of desire, there are many distractions from the path and retrogression is still possible, unlike in the Western Land of Peace and Bliss where perfect liberation is guaranteed. The text goes on with further problems, like that just meeting Maitreya in itself does not make sure one actually achieves enlightenment. It also mentions that besides Asanga and Vasubandhu there was also Simhabhadra who aspired to be born in Maitreya's court but he was eventually stuck in the outer section in Tusita and got entangled by the five desires.

Of course, the above is from the perspective of those who propagate birth in Amita's land. But based on the quote fron Ven. Yinshun it seems to me that the requirements of birth are more difficult for Maitreya than Amita Buddha, although this again may depend on whom you ask.
From what I have learned, the Tusita has an outer court and an inner court. Only the inner court is Maitreya Bodhisattva's pure land. The outer court is just normal heaven.

If one wishes to be reborn into Maitreya Bodhisattva's pure land one has to make it into the inner court, and that is what Simabodhi did not manage to do. The moral of the story is, if even a Bodhisattva like Simabodhi could not make it to Maitreya's pure land, it would be even more difficult for common people! Hence Asanga switched to promoting Amitabha's Western Pure Land, the path being a much safer one.

One of the great things being reborn into Maitreya's pure land is that when he becomes Buddha you would accompany him in the assembly. However, according to Amitabha Buddha's vows, once reborn into his Western Pure Land you automatically obtain the divine power to travel to any other pure land/buddhaland at will. That means from the WPL you may visit Maitreya's pure land in Tusita's inner court. Could you then also participate in the assembly at his ascension to buddhahood? :shrug:

Re: Maitreya's Pure Land?

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:39 pm
by Astus
"Could you then also participate in the assembly at his ascension to buddhahood?"

On one hand, the point of all the teachings there are is to guide people onto the path. If somebody likes Maitreya then go for that. If it's Amitabha, Vairocana, Avalokita, etc., then choose that. In this sense all these teachings are equal in their function. On the other hand, if we want to choose based on doctrinal and practical details instead of emotional preference, the Pure Land teaching of Amita Buddha is the best. And then it doesn't matter if you can be there at Maitreya's descent, since you find yourself in the company of many bodhisattvas and buddhas, and you too are about to reach buddhahood.

Talking about Maitreya, Vimalakirti had a great conversation with him. Just look at how this layman starts his conversation with the next buddha:

"Maitreya, the World-honored One has bestowed on your noble person the prediction that you will achieve anuttarā samyak saṃbodhi in a single lifetime. What lifetime will you use to experience this prediction, past, future, or present? If a past life, then the past life is already extinguished. If a future life, then the future life has not arrived. If the present life, then the present life is nonabiding. It is as the Buddha has explained, "O bhikṣus, you are in this immediate present born, aged, and extinguished.""

Re: Maitreya's Pure Land?

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 6:43 am
by Rakz
Kaji wrote: Volume 5 of the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, by Xuanzang - the story of the three brothers Asanga, Vasubandhu, and Samabodhi. There is an English translation of an easy-to-read, modern Chinese version of the story at: http://faculty.stut.edu.tw/~tang/Mahaya ... /part2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (just find the text string "Asanga")

I beg your pardon, in my earlier post I should have typed "That view is shared by Asanga Bodhisattva..."
Thanks.