Spiritual Practice - I. LAMA

wheel-turning monarch: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the jewel, the wife, the householder and the adviser. Thanks to the merits of Sankha, a square will appear in the center of the city with four halls on the four cardinal points, and there will be wish-fulfilling trees. There will be all kinds of fine clothes in the halls, drums and ornaments taken from trees. Thanks to the merits of the people of that time, rice will arise that will not need to be cultivated. It will be clean, sweet and the grains will already be peeled. The people of Ketumati will have everything they need. They will be very rich. They will wake up to the sound of drums and lutes. They will experience great happiness both in body and soul. The winner will shine like a torch or a candle. His effulgence will spread over twenty-five yojanas. It will shine like the sun or a necklace of precious stones. Because of this light, people will not be able to distinguish between day and night. The only sign by which it will be possible to understand that night has come is the cessation of the singing of the birds and the closing of the flowers and leaves of the lotus and the water lily.

“Buddha, the head of an order of monks, will walk in the center, like Brahman in the middle of an assembly, or like Indra in his palace. When the Buddha walks, the monks will walk with him; when he stands, they will stand with him; when the Master sits or lies down in the middle of the assembly, they will do the same – that is, always repeat after the Buddha one of the four states of the body. There will be such and other praise, human and divine. There will be many miracles praising Maitreya due to the power of his infinite merit. Seeing these miracles, many people of different classes, many men with their families will not be able to give up the Teacher as their refuge except at the cost of their lives. Anyone who, having heard the words of the Sage, will lead a holy life, stop wandering, which is impermanence and which is so difficult to avoid. Many homeowners will purify the Dharma eye through the ten good deeds and the three kinds of right actions. Many will reach heaven through the completion of traditional study and texts, being purified through respect for the Buddha and through following the true Dharma. It is impossible to describe all his glory, which will be so great. Everyone will be in great happiness. When their time comes to an end (in that life), they will have great glory and happiness. Life, beauty, strength, heavenly bliss (in the world of heaven) – everything will be with them. They will derive happiness from sensual pleasures for as long as they wish. Then, at the end of life, they will enter into (true) happiness. The life of the Buddha will be eighty thousand years. Staying in the world for so long, he will transfer many to the other side. He will cause a perfect awakening in those whose consciousness is mature, and will instruct others who have not comprehended the truth as to which way is right and which is not. He will carefully set up the torch of Dharma, the boat of Dharma, the mirror of Dharma, the medicine (of Dharma) for beings (of that time and) of the future. Then, in the midst of a revered community of disciples who have done all they had to do, that Conqueror will blaze like a great flame and disappear. When the perfect Buddha disappears, his Teaching will be preserved for another one hundred and eighty thousand years. After that, a terrible disappearance will occur. Thus, everything composite is non-eternal, unstable, temporary, transient, subject to destruction and aging, and empty. Everything compound is like an empty fist, it is empty, it is the talk of fools. No one has power over this, not even those with supernatural powers. Knowing what reality is, one must be disappointed in everything, which is composite. Impeccable among people is difficult to find. It is not always born. Wherever this Hero is born, his happy family thrives. Therefore, in order to see Maitreya Buddha, act correctly, firmly, decisively, with due enthusiasm. All who do good deeds and live vigilantly, regardless of whether he is a monk or a nun, a layman or a laywoman, all who respect the great Buddha show respect to the Great One, such people, together with the devas, will see the auspicious assembly of that time. Lead a holy life. Make proper offerings. Keep the day of vows. Practice loving-kindness relentlessly. Be one who enjoys vigilance, who always accumulates merit. By acting skillfully, you will put an end to suffering.”

«Anagatavamsa»

Testimony (ch. 21)

Chapter 22

He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.

He said to me, "These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to show to his bondservants the things which must happen soon." "Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

Now