Aspiration of Maitreya Bodhisattva

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Nicholas Weeks
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Aspiration of Maitreya Bodhisattva

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, when formerly the bodhisattva
mahāsattva Maitreya engaged in the conduct of a bodhisattva, he would
drape his shawl over one shoulder, set his right knee on the ground, and put
the palms of his hands together three times during the day and three times
during the night. Making all the buddhas visible, he would then speak to
them in these words:

1.67 “ ‘Homage to all the buddhas!
Homage to the bodhisattvas,
Those sages with the divine eye—
And to the śrāvakas, too.
1.68 “ ‘Homage to the mind of enlightenment,
Which reverses all negative rebirths,
Shows the path to higher rebirths,
And leads beings to the state without aging or death.
1.69 “ ‘Whatever negative actions I have done
Under the influence of mind,
Here in the presence of the buddhas
I confess them.
1.70 “ ‘Whatever accumulation of merit
I have produced through the three kinds of action,
May it be the seed of my omniscience
And inexhaustible enlightenment.
1.71 “ ‘Whatever offerings to the buddhas
Arise in all realms throughout the ten directions,
The buddhas know and rejoice in them,
And at that I myself rejoice.
1.72 “ ‘I confess all negative actions.
I rejoice in all meritorious acts.
I pay homage to all the buddhas.
May I attain supreme awareness! [F.114.b]
1.73 “ ‘I exhort the bodhisattvas
Of all ten directions,
Who abide on the ten bodhisattva levels,
To attain supreme enlightenment.
1.74 “ ‘May they become truly enlightened buddhas,
Overcoming negative influences of every kind,
And then, to benefit living beings,
May they turn the wheel of the Dharma.
1.75 “ ‘Through the sound of the great Dharma drum,
May they bring the suffering of sentient beings to an end.
For unimaginable millions of eons,
May they teach the Dharma and continue to remain in this world.
1.76 “ ‘I beg you, best of all humans,
Look upon those who are trapped in the swamp of desire,
And tightly bound by the cords of craving,
Fettered in every kind of bond.
1.77 “ ‘Buddhas, do not belittle
Those whose minds are defiled,
But with loving intent toward all sentient beings,
Save them from the sea of existence.
1.78 “ ‘May I train in the footsteps
Of the perfect buddhas—those present now,
Those of the past, and those of the future—
And may I engage in the conduct of the bodhisattvas.
1.79 “ ‘May I complete the six perfections
And liberate beings of the six realms.
May I realize the six supernormal powers
And reach supreme enlightenment.
1.80 “ ‘Unproduced and non-arising,
Without self-nature or location,
Neither mental cognition, nor substance—
May I realize the teaching of emptiness.
1.81 “ ‘Just like the Buddha, the great sage,
May I realize the teaching of non-self:
A sentient being does not exist, nor does a living being,
Nor does an individual, or a person.
1.82 “ ‘May I not dwell on there being anything substantial,
A belief in a self, or what I take to be mine,
But in order to make all sentient beings happy,
May I give everything away without miserliness.
1.83 “ ‘Since material objects do not really exist,
May my wealth be spontaneously accomplished.
Since all material objects decay,
May I complete the perfection of generosity.
1.84 “ ‘Possessing conduct that is flawless,
Conduct that is perfect,
And conduct that is without arrogance, [F.115.a]
May I complete the perfection of moral conduct.
1.85 “ ‘Like the elements of earth, water, fire,
And wind, not dwelling on anything,
With patience and free of anger,
May I complete the perfection of patience.
1.86 “ ‘Through assiduous application of diligence,
May I have constant enthusiasm without laziness,
And with strength of body and mind,
May I complete the perfection of diligence.
1.87 “ ‘Through magic-like meditative concentration,
Meditative concentration of bravery,
And vajra-like meditative concentration,
May I complete the perfection of meditation.
1.88 “ ‘Actualizing the three gates to liberation,
The sameness of the three times,
And the threefold knowledge,
May I complete the perfection of wisdom.
1.89 “ ‘May I be praised by all the buddhas,
And blaze with light and splendor;
Through the diligence of a bodhisattva,
May my intention be fulfilled.
1.90 “ ‘Thus engaging in such conduct,
May I, who am known as Maitreya,
Complete the six perfections
And dwell on the ten bodhisattva levels.’
From Question of Maitreya Sutra - 84,000 translation.
Last edited by Nicholas Weeks on Tue Jul 24, 2018 6:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
Posts: 4209
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
Location: California

Re: Prayer of Maitreya Bodhisattva

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Any commentaries in English on this aspiration?

I know of one by Padma Karpo that Tony Duff translated - Maitreya's Sutras and Prayer.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
Posts: 4209
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
Location: California

Re: Aspiration of Maitreya Bodhisattva

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Just discovered another one, a pdf of root text in Tibetan with English translation of commentary from the Marpa Foundation. Not sure if it is in booklet form or not:

The Prayer of Maitreya and An Easy and Pleasant Path to Enlightenment
A Short Commentary On the Aspiration Prayer of Maitreya


by Mendong Tshampa Rinpoche
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
Posts: 4209
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
Location: California

Re: Aspiration of Maitreya Bodhisattva

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Mendong Tshampa Rinpoche mentions another commentary, that has never been translated in English, as far as I know.
The great pandita Shakya Chokden gave a wondrous commentarial explanation that combined together the Mahayanasutralamkara and this aspiration prayer.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Nicholas Weeks
Posts: 4209
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
Location: California

Re: Aspiration of Maitreya Bodhisattva

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Dr. Liljenberg's Introduction to the 84,000 online translation gives the known Tibetan commentaries, no Indian though:
The prayer is the topic of several commentaries in the Tibetan literature, notably
those of Shākya Chokden (shA kya mchog ldan, 1428-1507); Drukpa Padma
Karpo (’brug pa pad ma dkar po, 1527-1592); Tāranātha (tA ra nA tha, 1575-
1634), who adds comments on the significance of the whole sūtra; Choné
Trakpa Shedrup (co ne grags pa bshad sgrub, 1675-1748); Ngulchu
Dharmabhadra (dngul chu dhar ma bha dra, 1772-1851); and Kyedor
Khenpo Ngawang Khedrup (kye rdor mkhan po ngag dbang mkhas grub,
1779-1838).
As a reader of this thread might surmise, I am hoping for English translations of some or all of these commentaries. Should one know of such a project in the making, kindly inform us at Dharma Wheel.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
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