The Coming Buddha,
Ariya Metteyya
Sayagyi U Chit Tin
---o0o---
How to
Meet Buddha Metteyya
Namo Tassa
Bhagavato Arahatto Sammasambuddhassa
The Dasabodhisatta-uddesa
and Anagatavamsa both give instructions on what people must do if
they are to meet Buddha Metteyya. This is very important for all those
who do not attain at least the first stage of Awakening during this
Buddha Dispensation, for, as we have seen, Buddha Metteyya will be the
last Buddha to arise in this world cycle. If a person does not attain
Awakening in this world cycle, it will be extremely difficult to get
another opportunity.
In the Dasabodhisatta-uddesa,[142]
Buddha Gotama says to Ven. Sariputta, "Not all men will see my
physical body. If they encounter my Teachings (sasana), give gifts (dana),
observe morality (sila), and cultivate development of the mind (bhavana),
through the fruit of that, they will be reborn in the time of Buddha
Ariya Metteyya."
These three actions are the basis of
meritorious action (punna).[143] Through these actions a person
can be assured of rebirth in the higher planes of existence. Developing
the mind leads to the temporary purity attained through the Jhana
states. But it can also lead to insight (Vipassana) and true
liberation.
The Anagatavamsa[144] gives more
details. In order to meet Buddha Metteyya, people should put forth
effort (viriya) and be firm (dalha), with agitated mind (ubbigga-manasa).
We can surmise that "agitated mind" means the profound
stirring of the mind or sense of urgency (samvega) that comes
from realizing the urgent need to work for liberation. All those who do
good deeds and who are vigilant - whether they are bhikkhus,
bhikkhunis, laymen, or laywomen - will be able to encounter the next
Buddha. All those who pay great honour to the Buddha will see the
auspicious assembly of Buddha Metteyya. The holy life (brahma-cariya)
should be practised. Gifts (dana) should be given. The Observance
days (Uposatha) should be kept. Loving kindness (metta)
should be carefully developed. By delighting in vigilance and
meritorious actions, it will be possible to eventually make an end to
misery (dukkha).
Ven. Ledi Sayadaw[145] points out that
it is necessary to make balanced effort in terms of good conduct (carana)
and right knowledge (vijja) if one is to meet the next Buddha.
Right conduct means developing morality (sila)
and concentration (samadhi). Knowledge means developing wisdom (panna).
Right conduct can be compared to having sound limbs. Right knowledge can
be compared to being able to see. If one or the other is missing, a
person will be unsuccessful. A person may be generous and keep the
permanent moral rules of the five precepts and the eight precepts on
Observance days, but if the seeds of knowledge are not planted, that
person may meet Buddha Metteyya but not be able to be Awakened. If only
knowledge is developed, wrong conduct will mean that the chances of
encountering the next Buddha will be slight, due to the intervening
period (antara-kappa) between this Buddha Dispensation and the
next one.
Examples of wrong conduct mentioned by
Ven. Ledi Sayadaw are: not being generous, being poorly guarded in
physical actions, being unrestrained in speech, and unclean in thought.
Such conduct will mean rebirth in the lower realms, either in the next
life or in a future life. If people who act in this way do manage to be
reborn in a higher world, their lack of generosity will mean they will
encounter hardships, trials, and tribulations in making a living.
Through not keeping the precepts, they are likely to meet with disputes,
quarrels, anger, and hatred; and they will be susceptible to diseases
and ailments. This will make it even harder to avoid actions leading to
the lower worlds.
It may be possible, however, that a
person today has already prepared in the past for attaining Awakening.
If the right effort is made in this life, that person can reach at least
the first stage of Awakening and become a Sotapanna. Then, it will be
impossible to do any action that results in rebirth in the lower realms.
This will not necessarily mean that such a person will miss the
opportunity to see the next Buddha. Eventually, as a Non-returner, he or
she can be reborn in the Suddhavasa Brahma worlds, and life in these
worlds can span the careers of several Buddhas.[146]
If a person who has enough perfections
(parami) to reach Awakening in this lifetime does not make the
necessary effort, it may be possible to become a Sotapanna in the
next life in the Deva worlds. If such a person does not practise the
factors leading to Awakening, he or she will miss out entirely during
this Buddha's Dispensation and will only be able to attain release
during the next Buddha's Dispensation.
Ven. Ledi Sayadaw's instructions
concerning the necessary work to be done in this life include what
should be done by a person who practises bare insight meditation.[147]
One should fulfil the first eleven of the fifteen good actions (carana-dhamma),[148]
that is to say, all except the Jhana states. The first four actions are:
(1) being moral,[149] (2) guarding the sense doors, (3) being moderate
in eating, and (4) wakefulness.
The next seven qualities are the seven
good states (saddhamma) which the Buddha compared to the various
protections for the citizens of a royal border town:[150]
-
Faith (saddha) in the Buddha
is like a deeply embedded pillar.
-
Modesty (hiri) is like a deep,
wide moat and means the disciple is ashamed of wrong conduct in
body, speech, and mind.
-
Shrinking from doing wrong (ottappa)
is like a high, wide road surrounding the city and means the
disciple is concerned with avoiding wrong conduct in body, speech,
and mind.
-
Being of great learning
(bahu-sacca) is like a great armoury of spears and swords. A
person who has heard much, who remembers what was heard, and who
treasures it means a person who knows the Buddha's Doctrine.
-
Energy (viriya) is like a
large army protecting the city, for a person should rouse energy to
get rid of unskilled mental states, to acquire skilled mental
states, to be steadfast, firm in advance, and persevere with skilled
mental states.
-
Mindfulness (sati) is like a
wise, intelligent gate keeper who refuses entrance to unknown people
and only lets in those who are known. A person should have the
highest degree of mindfulness and discrimination.
-
Wisdom (panna) is like a high,
wide rampart covered with plaster. A person should possess wisdom
leading to (the cutting off of) rise and fall, with the noble
penetration leading to the complete destruction of misery.
All seven of these good states enable a
person to abandon wrong actions and cultivate good actions, to abandon
what is blameworthy and develop blamelessness. Thus he develops purity.
We need not worry about whether we will
be able to attain the goal of Nibbana in this life or whether we will
only be able to do so under Buddha Ari Metteyya. If we make the best
effort we can, such questions will take care of themselves. We must grow
as much as possible in sila, samadhi, and panna, confident that in this
way we will be able to come to the end of all suffering.
Truth Will Triumph!
-ooOoo-
FOOTNOTES:
- Anag v 134
- 306/344.
- DB III 211.
- Vv 138-142.
- MB 176-172. Cf. Vism, chap. VIl,
30.
- See DB II 39-41. Buddha Gotama
recounts how the Brahmas in the Suddhavasa worlds told him about
the six Buddhas before him.
- Sukkha-vipassaka, literally,
"one who develops 'dry' insight."
- Vism, chap. VII, 30f. For a
discussion of these, see MLS II 20-25.
- Ven. Ledi Sayadaw says generosity
is included here.
---o0o---
Content
|
01
|
02
|
03|
04|
05|
06|
07|
08
|
09|
10|
11
---o0o---
Source :
Buddhasasana homepage
---o0o---
Layout : Nhi Tuong
Update : 01-05-2002