Maybe you forgot the part... that when the chaos is happening,
for 52 years the dharma practitioners, Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas,
Bodhisattvas, have already retreated to the mountains/caves. They
retreated because nobody is willing to listen to dharma and
practise virtues anymore. After the chaos is over, they return to
society to teach people to become wholesome... and from there,
lifespan increase until 84000 again.
Anyway my shi fu recommends people to be Bodhisattvas/practise as a
bodhisattva in this world. Of course... to be noted: his teachings
does differ somewhat from mainstream Pure Land. His teachings are
'neither zen nor pure land, both zen and pure land, practise both
esoteric [doesnt mean tantric but the 'unspeakable'] and exoteric,
cultivation and understanding corresponds.'
It is very good to aspire to be born in Amitabha PL, but he also
says don't forget to return to Saha world as Bodhisattvas. Samsara
is full of sufferings, we should have the compassion to help them.
But if even now we can become Bodhisattvas, then all pure lands are
within our reach. We can go to the infinite buddha lands
ourselves.
But as for the Pure Land to be established during the time of
Maitreya, it is not simply a matter of waiting for Maitreya Buddha
to come to this world. He is teaching in Tushita Heaven right now
because the devas have greater blessings than us. In the future,
his celestial disciples will be reborn in this Earth and become his
disciples. But there is also a need to purify the minds of this
world now. We must do it now and create the 'yuan' for Maitreya
Buddha to come. The sutra states that those who received Maitreya's
teachings were those who have learnt and practised in Shakyamuni's
era.
The Sutra of Maitreya's Attaining Buddhahood
...Then, Maitreya Buddha praised Shakyamuni Buddha by saying,
"Excellent! Excellent! He was able to teach billions of evil
sentient beings how to cultivate the roots of meritorious Karma, so
that sentient beings are able to be born in My Pure Land." Maitreya
Buddha then expresses respect for Shakyamuni Buddha by chanting his
name three times, and by praising him: "The great spiritual teacher
Shakyamuni Buddha! He was burdened heavily by enduring insults. He
was brave and taught sentient beings mindfully and diligently. He
was able to teach, and help to make more mature the undeveloped,
evil sentient beings in the evil world of the five impurities and
constant suffering, so they might cultivate good deeds and diminish
their evil deeds through many Kalpas times. Because of this, those
beings are able to see Maitreya today. Burdened with the
responsibility of teaching sentient beings, Shakyamuni BUddha
suffered enormously. He enabled sentient beings to enter the temple
of the unconditioned, permanent bliss of no-egotism. From his
teaching, your disciples can be born in My Pure Land. Today, I have
already expounded on the Four Noble Truths and the thirty-seven
conditions by which to beautify and purify the city of Nirvana. I
have also expounded on the Twelve Causes and Conditions. All
sentient beeings can now perceive the unconditioned Dharma and
enter into the profound truth of emptiness."... (many more
paragraphs praising Shakyamuni Buddha)
If we all practise the dharma right now, we may become of
Maitreya's enlightened disciples in the future. We may even be one
of his Great Disciples.
If we can purify our mind, one day pure land will be right before
our eyes. Because "when mind is pure, land is pure".
