第七疑
Question 7
問：「彌勒菩薩，一生補處，即得成佛。上品十善，得生彼處，見彌勒菩薩，隨從下生三會之中，自然而得聖果。何須求生西方淨土耶？」
Question: "Maitreya Bodhisattva, who is only one lifetime away from Buddhahood, will soon attain enlightenment. Those who practice the highest level of ten good deeds can be reborn in his presence, follow him during his three assemblies, and naturally attain sacred fruit. Why then should one seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land?"
答：「求生兜率，一日聞道見佛，勢欲相似，若細比校，大有優、劣。且論二種：一者、縱持十善，恐不得生。何以得知？《彌勒上生經》云：『行眾三昧，深入正定，方始得生。』更無方便接引之義。不如阿彌陀佛本願力、光明力，但有念佛眾生，攝取不捨。又釋迦佛說九品教門，方便接引，殷勤發遣，生彼淨土。但眾生能念彌陀佛者，機、感相應，必得生也。如世間慕人，能受慕者，機會相投，必成其事。二者、兜率天宮是欲界，退位者多——無有水鳥、樹林、風聲、樂響，眾生聞者，悉念佛發菩提心，伏滅煩惱；又有女人，皆長諸天愛著五欲之心，又天女微妙，諸天耽玩，不能自勉。不如彌陀淨土，水鳥、樹林，風聲、樂響，眾生聞者，皆生念佛，發菩提心，伏滅煩惱。又無女人、二乘之心，純一大乘，清淨良伴。為此煩惱惡業，畢竟不起，遂至無生之位。如此比校，優、劣顯然，何須致疑也？如釋迦佛在世之時，大有眾生見佛，不得聖果者如恒沙；彌勒出世亦爾，大有不得聖果者。未如彌陀淨土，但生彼國已，悉得無生法忍，未有一人退落三界，為生死業縛也。
He replied: "Seeking rebirth in the Tusita Heaven involves the hope of hearing the Dharma and seeing Maitreya in a single day. At first glance, the two paths may seem similar, but upon careful comparison, there are significant differences—the superior and the inferior. Let us examine two aspects:
First, even if one upholds the ten wholesome actions, there is no guarantee of rebirth there. Why? The 'Maitreya Sutra on Rebirth' says: 'Only those who practice all forms of samadhi and enter deeply into correct concentration can attain rebirth.' There is no expedient means of guidance. This is not like Amitabha Buddha's power of his original vow and his power of light—if any being simply recites the Buddha's name, he is embraced and never abandoned. Moreover, Shakyamuni Buddha taught the nine grades of teaching as a gateway of expedient means, earnestly guiding and encouraging sentient beings to be reborn in that Pure Land. As long as beings can recite Amitabha's name, their potential and his response will align, and they will surely be reborn. Just as in the world, if someone admires another, and the one admired responds, their connection will flourish and their goal will be accomplished.
Second, the Tusita Heaven is still within the realm of desire, and many there fall back from their practice. It lacks the water birds, forests, winds, and melodic sounds that, upon hearing them, cause beings to recite the Buddha's name, arouse the bodhi mind, and subdue and eliminate afflictions. Moreover, it has women, which only increase the celestial beings' attachment to the five desires. The heavenly maidens are so exquisite that the gods become addicted to pleasure and cannot restrain themselves. This is not like Amitabha's Pure Land, where the water birds, forests, winds, and sounds inspire beings to recite the Buddha's name, arouse the bodhi mind, and subdue afflictions. There, there are no women and no mind of the Two Vehicles—it is a pure assembly of the Great Vehicle, a community of virtuous companions. Because of this, afflictions and evil karma never arise, and beings ultimately reach the stage of non-arising. Comparing these two thus, the superior and inferior are clear—why should there be any doubt?
During Shakyamuni Buddha's time, countless beings saw the Buddha but still failed to attain sainthood—as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. When Maitreya appears, it will be the same—many will still fail to realize the holy fruit. This is not like Amitabha's Pure Land. Once beings are reborn there, they all attain the patience of non-arising. Not a single person ever falls back into the three realms, bound by the karma of birth and death."
「又聞西國傳云：『有三菩薩：一名無著、二名世親、三名師子覺。此三人契志，同生兜率，願見彌勒。若先亡者，得見彌勒，誓來相報。師子覺前亡，一去數年不來。後世親無常臨終之時，無著語云：「汝見彌勒，即來相報！」世親去已，三年始來。無著問曰：「何意如許多時始來？」世親報云：「至彼天中，聽彌勒菩薩一坐說法，旋繞，即來相報。為彼天日長故，此處已經三年。」又問：「師子覺今在何處？」世親報云：「師子覺為受天樂，五欲自娛，在外眷屬。從去已來，總不見彌勒。」』諸小菩薩，生彼尚著五欲，何況凡夫？為此願生西方，定得不退，不求生兜率也。」
There is also a legend from the Western lands: "Once there were three Bodhisattvas—Asanga, Vasubandhu, and Simharati. They made a pact together to be reborn in the Tushita Heaven, wishing to see Maitreya. They swore that whoever passed away first and met Maitreya would return and inform the others. Simharati died first, but after several years, there was still no news. Later, when Vasubandhu was nearing his final moment, Asanga said to him, 'If you see Maitreya, come back and tell me!' After Vasubandhu passed away, three whole years went by before he finally returned. Asanga asked him, 'Why did it take you so long to come back?' Vasubandhu replied, 'When I arrived in the Tushita Heaven, I heard Maitreya Bodhisattva give a single teaching session. I circled him respectfully and then came back to report. But because the days there are so long, over three years have passed here already.' Asanga then asked, 'Where is Simharati now?' Vasubandhu answered, 'Simharati was so captivated by the heavenly pleasures and the enjoyment of the Five Desires that he remains outside, among the attendants. Since he arrived, he has never even seen Maitreya.'"
If even lesser Bodhisattvas, once reborn there, can be attached to worldly pleasures, how much more so for ordinary people? For this reason, one should vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, where one is certain to attain the stage of non-retrogression, and not seek rebirth in the Tushita Heaven.