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| Prophecies | ||
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Tantra The Great Light The Great Death Amsterdam The Cycle Completed Awakening LETTER TO MY SPIRITUAL SISTERS
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7. The appearance of Great Mother Buddhism in modern times has been prophesied by Chinese popular religious literature, called pao-chüan. Although the origins can be traced back to the fourteenth century, the first books were composed in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. The exact meaning of pao-chüan is "precious book". Quite contrary to the official monastic scriptures, the precious books were written by religious lay people. Characteristic of this literature is that they emphasize "the restoration of the primordial unity", both spiritual and worldly. The members of these Buddhist sects not only hoped for personal liberation, but also for a "better world". These people were more or less embracing "all three teachings" (Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism). Hence, respect was paid to life-giving powers and persons such as heaven, earth, parents and teachers. There was an awareness about the continuous decline of religion, including monastic and priestly Buddhism, so that eventually common people became the representatives of the Way. They bore the true tradition and were neither clerical nor lay. 8. The pao-chüan literature is unique with regard to its mythical background. Unlike the mainstream Buddhist definitions the Ultimate is described as the "Eternal Venerable Mother" (Wu-sheng lao-mu). According to these myths the Eternal Mother sends down to earth ninety-six myriad's of her children. Although they are originally all "Buddha's and immortals", once on earth they forget their true home in paradise and become attached to fame, profit and sensual pleasures. Trapped by their desires, they are immersed in samsara, the "sea of suffering", repeatedly encountering death and rebirth, and enduring punishments in purgatory. The Venerable Mother, grieved by this, sends down messenger deities to remind her lost children of their true nature and the way home*. It is likely that pao-chüan literature links the ancient notion of the prehistoric Great Mother to the outcome of later spiritual practice. To it he Void isn't just an "abstraction" (Nirvana), but the Realm which includes the dynamic aspects of life - birth and death - a "compassionate Mother" who cares about the world. "Heaven" (the Light,
Buddha) and earth continuously die 9. The main messenger of the Great Mother is Maitreya Buddha. His mission is "to show the lost and ignorant the way home to the Eternal Mother". Several texts emphasize his importance as a teacher and a savior. He is supposed to "take charge of religion (chang chiao) and of the world (chang shih-chieh). His task is "to restore the original wholeness" (shou-yüen). Maitreya descends in a time of chaos and decay with the promise of world renewal. In the "Huang-chi- chiu-lien" pao-chüan Maitreya is first protesting against his mission, because of too much attachment to the joy of paradise in which he resides ("Tusita Heaven"). But finally he is giving in and descends to earth and - because of "his weaknesses in the past" - manifests himself as an ordinary human. His call to the people is to "realize their true nature, recognize the true savior (himself) and their way home to the Eternal Mother". These promises gain momentum, as they are placed against a time of terrible chaos, the end of the world, warfare and death...with the hope that the true Buddha (Maitreya) will appear, so that the Mother's children "can escape all forms of calamity and difficulty". Maitreya is said to put "the world in order", which suggests a radical, militant and political role as well. It used to be the reason for suspicion from the side of authorities.
The most prominent text revealing Maitreya's descent to the earth is the "Ku Fo tang-lai hsia-sheng Mi-le ch'u-hsi" (Cause of Suffering and the Arrival of Maitreya Buddha from the West to the World)...It says: 10. The Buddha of the past, Dipamkara, the historic Buddha Sakyamuni the younger and Maitreya the eldest, all three sons of the same Eternal Mother, all three working at the Dharma and each successful in their own Way are gathered to discuss the succession. Who is most suitable to rule the world and to save the people, that is the question. All three decide to go into meditation, each with a golden staff in the hand. He, to whose staff will first sprout the dragon flower, will be sent to the world. Who will have his flowering later has to wait. Against the rules Sakyamuni opens his eye already after one day, seeing that Maitreya's staff is decorated with the dragon flower with the ten thousand golden light rays. He sneakily steals the flower putting her on his own staff. Immediately the flower feels unhappy, is sagging and looses her light and radiation. Two days later Maitreya's heavenly eye opens and sees that his brother has stolen the dragon flower. Thus He spoke to Sakyamuni: "today the entire world has been given to you, but how can you be a refuge to the people? Because of this theft nothing will ever reach its perfection. Under your rule of 3000 years the people will be tossed about between wealth and poverty, happiness en suffering, needs and discord. There will be conflicts between states, crime and unrest. The people will be misled by the king of the devils. There will be big disasters, like the eight big problems and the last big catastrophe of the earth. Everything because of your deceit Sakyamuni". Shortly after the Eternal Mother, Kuan Yin and several other Buddha's meet on the Holy Mountain. They are moved by the suffering of the people on earth. Although the 3000 years are not yet completed, Maitreya is requested to move forward from his "Western forest" in order to save the people. Maitreya: the Buddha with
many appearances. His main task Another text ("Li-chih pao-chüan": the precious book on establishing a new world) puts it like this: 11. ...the Buddha Maitreya comes to take charge of religion, he has put aside his immortal clothing and descended to the secular world. When Sakyamuni Buddha saw him his mind was scorched (hsin chiao-tsao)...Now the time has come, the red flower withers, and the white flower blooms; only now does Sakyamuni withdraw from his position, and Maitreya laughs out loud. The great kalpa has arrived, and Maitreya has ascended to the throne (teng liao chi). He kept his hair, and changed his clothing. He put on the gauze hat and round-collared robe (of an official),...and appeared in the world (ch'u-shih). Who in the world knows this? Maitreya Buddha is in charge of the world (chang ch'ien-k'un)... * Daniel L.Overmyer * Chun Fang Yu |
