Translated by the Tripiṭaka Master Bodhiruci of the Great Tang Dynasty by Imperial Command
At that time, the Venerable Mahākāśyapa said to the Buddha, “It is truly astonishing, World-Honored One! There are people who hear such a profound sutra, yet they do not develop a sense of renunciation toward the world.”
The Buddha told Mahākāśyapa, “If there are beings who possess four characteristics, then even upon hearing this sutra, they will not develop a sense of renunciation toward the world. What are these four? First, because they indulge in pleasure and luxury, they cannot deeply believe in the Dharma. Second, because their karmic retribution has matured, they also cannot develop faith in the Dharma. Third, because they have committed heavy karmic offenses that lead to the great hells, they cannot generate faith in the Dharma. Fourth, because they are terrified by the thought of their impending death, they cannot accept the Dharma with sincerity. If someone possesses these four characteristics, they will not develop renunciation toward the world upon hearing this sutra. Kāśyapa! There are also other beings who have four characteristics that prevent them from developing renunciation. What are these four? First, when they are young and strong, they rely on their physical vitality. Second, they indulge in sensual pleasures and cannot detach from desires. Third, they are addicted to various types of intoxicating drinks. Fourth, they lack the ability to clearly observe and contemplate, failing to understand wisdom. If someone possesses these four characteristics, they too will not develop renunciation toward the world. Kāśyapa! If a bhikṣu possesses four characteristics, he will slander the Buddha’s path to enlightenment. What are these four? First, due to past unwholesome karma that has now ripened, he disrupts the true Dharma, and he does not honestly confess his misdeeds and their consequences. Second, he engages in impure and inappropriate relations with nuns. Third, he follows a bhikṣu teacher or Ācārya who is widely respected, but this teacher slanders the Buddha’s path to enlightenment; as a result, the disciple follows his teacher’s example and develops the same slanderous mindset. Fourth, a person with shallow wisdom, driven by jealousy, denigrates the Buddhas. If a bhikṣu possesses these four characteristics, he will slander the Buddha’s path to enlightenment.
“Kāśyapa! There is one principle that can lead to the attainment of true Śramaṇa and Brāhmin realization. What is this one principle? It is the complete non-attachment to all dharmas. This is the way to accomplish the path of the Śramaṇa and Brāhmin. For example, if a person falls from a high mountain and believes there is no ground, no trees, and no forest below, then as he plummets, he can only grasp at empty thoughts, and in the end, even his breath will cease. Kāśyapa! Those who are attached to various dharmas are just the same. If they cling to the thoughts that the eye and the sights perceived by the eye have reality, if they cling to the thoughts the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, and to the dharmas perceived through these senses have reality, if they cling to the thoughts that form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness have reality, if they cling to the thoughts that pure precepts, vast learning, shame, diligence, or movement and actions have reality, and if they cling to the thought that ‘attaining enlightenment’ has reality, then these are not the true paths of the Śramaṇa and Brāhmin.
“Kāśyapa! If one gives rise to these delusional attachments, one will suffer harm. Harmed by what? Harmed by greed, anger, and ignorance. If one clings to the dharmas of the eye and becomes attached to attractive or unattractive colors and shapes, then one is harmed by the eye. In the same way, if one clings to the dharmas of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—becoming attached to pleasant or unpleasant sensations that arise from external conditions—one is harmed by these sensory organs and even by the consciousness itself. If one is harmed, one will experience great suffering in the realms of hell, animals, hungry ghosts, humans, and heavenly beings. Why does this harm occur? Because of attachment to delusions. What is attachment to delusions? It is the clinging to the notions of ‘self,’ ‘what belongs to me,’ male and female, earth, water, fire, and wind; to bones, decay, discoloration, blood stains, changes in color, disintegration, or to superior liberation. Some believe they have partially attained this so-called superior liberation, while others believe they have not. There exist countless imagined thoughts that have been ingrained for immeasurable time, now manifesting as mental constructs—such as, ‘My current thought is different from the past and present,’ or ‘I am the self of the past or the self of the present.’ These attachments to various dharmas, including even delusions about nirvana and the false notion of ‘I have attained nirvana,’ are all illusions.
“Kāśyapa! In summary, anyone who clings to dharmass gives rise to delusions everywhere, even forming attachments within the concept of emptiness itself. These are not the practices of a true Śramaṇa or a true Brāhmin. Kāśyapa! The Buddha describes the Dharma of the Śramaṇas and Brāhmaṇas as being like space and the great earth. Why is that? Space never thinks to itself, ‘I am space.’ Likewise, Kāśyapa, true renunciants and sages do not claim, ‘I am a Śramaṇa, I am a Brāhmin,’ and therefore, the Dharma itself does not claim to be the Dharma of Śramaṇa and Brāhmin. The Dharma of the Śramaṇa is neither something created nor something to be eliminated—this is what makes one a true Śramaṇa or Brāhmin. Kāśyapa! Suppose there were a person who, in the darkness, waved his arms and shook his face, saying, ‘I am playing tricks on the world, I am playing tricks on the world.’ What do you think? Who is he actually deceiving?”
Kāśyapa replied, “World-Honored One, that person is deceiving himself. Why? Because in the darkness, there is no one else for him to deceive.”
The Buddha told Mahākāśyapa, “Indeed, it is so. If a bhikṣu goes to the wilderness, under a tree, into an empty room, or stays in an open space, thinking, ‘The eye is impermanent, and so are the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind,’ and further contemplates, ‘Form is impermanent, and so are sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental process,’ then reflects, ‘I want to attain nirvana,’ such a person is merely laboring in vain and is not engaging in the true practice of a renunciant. Why? Because they are attached to erroneous views. They recognize the nature of the eye and strive diligently to eliminate it. Likewise, they understand the nature of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind and make efforts to extinguish them, even going so far as to exert themselves in eliminating consciousness itself. If they comprehend and accept this understanding in three aspects, they will also generate discriminating thoughts in those three aspects. But if they generate discriminating thoughts about various views, how can they attain meditative concentration and allow their minds to settle in a single state? Kāśyapa, profound bodhi is difficult to enter, difficult to reach, and difficult to cultivate. The so-called ‘settling the mind in a single state’—how exactly should we define ‘settling the mind in a single state’? If examined thoroughly, not even a single dharmas can be found. That is to say, no reality can be obtained in the eye, nor in the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind. No real essence can be obtained in any dharmas. Why? Because by nature, such things do not arise. If the mind itself is not generated, then no process truly exists to be obtained. Thus, that mind itself is also unattainable. If, in the past, future, and present, there is nothing to obtain and nothing to create, this is called ‘non-creation.’ What is ‘non-creation’? It means that nothing new or old can be constructed—this is called non-creation. Under such circumstances, the mind of the past is not liberated, the mind of the present is not liberated, and the mind of the future is also not liberated. All mental processes are ultimately unattainable. This is what is meant by ‘settling the mind in a single state.’ This is also the process of entering each stage of realization.
“Kāśyapa, in the future, there will be bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who cling to the dharmas of the eyes and other senses, believing that they will eventually perish. They will conceptualize the skandhas as tangible objects. However, the Tathāgata teaches that the skandhas are like a dream. Yet they will argue, ‘Dreams must be real because in the world, people speak of having dreams. If dreams were nonexistent, then we should not have dreams at all. Since the concept of dreams exists, we experience them in our sleep.’ But the truth is this: The skandhas arise due to causes and conditions, and that is why they are said to be like dreams. If there were no skandhas, there would be no reason to compare them to dreams. Foolish people mistake dreams for reality, and when they hear this sutra, they give rise to slanderous thoughts. Among them, there will be bhikṣuṇīs who falsely claim to have attained the state of an arhat while staying at a donor’s home, or they will assert their realization based on shallow understanding. Likewise, there will be upāsakas and upāsikās who, upon hearing the discourses of the sutras and vinaya, will falsely proclaim that they have personally attained realization.
“Kāśyapa! At that time, if there are bhikṣus who have dwelled in the araṇya for twenty or thirty years, diligently cultivating for the sake of the Dharma, and they happen to approach a newly-ordained upāsaka of one day’s faith, they might merely chant to each other, ‘Emptiness! Emptiness! I have fully realized! I have fully realized!’ Or if there are bhikṣus who, after hearing these sutras, discuss among themselves, some may feel fear upon hearing them and say, ‘If one is a layperson, a renunciant should not associate closely with them; they should be avoided. Such a person is not a true teacher. Why? Because their knowledge does not align with ours.’ Likewise, those who expound the profound Dharma will be abandoned and despised by both laypeople and monastics. Why? Even now, when I proclaim this supreme, skillful, and pure path of practice, few people truly understand it—how much more so in future generations? Even those with the slightest understanding will eventually disappear. In that era, among a thousand Dharma-preaching bhikṣus, it will be difficult to find even one who can truly comprehend and faithfully enter the path. Even among two thousand, it will be the same. There may be other bhikṣus whose capacities are so limited that they cannot even briefly explain a simple meaning, let alone fully grasp it.
“Kāśyapa! At that time, both laymen and bhikṣus will look down upon and reject this teaching. If a bhikṣu exerts great effort in practicing diligently to eradicate unwholesome states and give rise to wholesome qualities—reducing sleep in the first and last parts of the night to focus on diligent cultivation—he will be mocked, abandoned, and even have his life cut short by others. Such scriptures will soon disappear, and the Dharma-abiding bhikṣus will also vanish. Among them, those wise individuals who can deeply, profoundly, and purely understand the meaning of the Dharma should be venerated with deep reverence. They should gather together and reside in the araṇya for their practice.”
At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:
“The wholesome Dharma that I have spoken is aligned with the ultimate truth.
I have taught that the aggregates have no solidity and should be regarded as illusory like dreams.
At that time, the bhikṣus, caught up in disputes, will become agitated and confused,
disrespecting the hierarchy between senior and junior members, leaving only empty titles.
The words of bhikṣus will be indistinguishable from those of laypeople, and thus,
there will be no difference between the teachings of renunciants and householders.
A bhikṣu might say to a layperson, ‘Your understanding of the Buddha’s teachings is truly rare and precious,’
and they will mistake this for the Buddha’s enlightenment, believing that they have already attained the first stage of realization.
These bhikṣus, thinking they have seen the Dharma, will draw close to laypeople,
who in turn will frequently make offerings, providing them with the finest gifts.
Such bhikṣus claim that their words are without error and are in harmony with truth,
associating closely with those who claim to perceive the Dharma.
Those born in that era will leave home and take ordination for the sake of material offerings
rather than dwelling in the true Dharma, thus destroying the path of bodhi.
The path that I have pointed out to you is close to me,
do not draw near to those who deviate from it.
Soon, you will attain liberation just as I have.
This is the most tranquil abode—I declare it to you now.
In a harmonious assembly, there will be those who destroy my teachings,
like bandits pillaging villages, harboring dangerous intentions,
and laying waste to cities and settlements.
In the same way, there will be bhikṣus who lack wisdom, are deeply ignorant,
and, due to their lack of insight, give rise to many errors,
becoming attached to existence and the cycle of birth and death.
They will stray from the path I have taught and cling to various misguided views,
proclaiming themselves as Arhats, yet they will be filled with arrogance.
In great gatherings and among the assembly of bhikṣus,
although they claim to be renowned for their wisdom, not even one true individual can be found.
Sometimes, there will be bhikṣus who dwell in the truth,
but they will be widely defamed and labeled as non-disciples of the Buddha.
The great bodhi path of the Buddha, the Dharma King, will be slandered at that time.
The celestial beings will grieve, weeping in sorrow.
The celestial beings who uphold the Buddha’s teachings will cast themselves to the ground in despair
as they witness the destruction of Śākyamuni’s supreme Dharma wheel.
They will praise the Buddha, the Tathāgata, exclaiming how magnificent and rare his Dharma is,
how extraordinary the field of merit cultivated by the noble bhikṣus, who are the beloved sons of the Buddha.
But now, they will lament, ‘We can no longer hear the words of the Dharma King.
The Muni has entered nirvāṇa,
and there is no one left to realize awakening; people remain lost in delusion. ‘
The Four Heavenly Kings and Śakra, Lord of Devas, will then proclaim loudly to all celestial beings: ‘The torch of the Dharma is about to be extinguished.
Though you have heard the Dharma, you have not drawn close to the Tathāgata.
Do not let later generations of nāgas, devas, and humans live with regret.
Through countless kalpas, for the sake of themselves and others,
he has endured immense suffering to become Buddha.
The great teachings of the World-Honored Ones,
given to benefit sentient beings, will soon disappear.
Those who disturb the world have arisen, recklessly committing great evils,
while the forces of Māra and his retinue spread deceitful speech.
They flatter and deceive the foolish and weak-minded, leading them astray,
whether through anger or manipulation, slandering their teachers and the sublime Dharma.’
Hearing their voices, even the upper celestial realms will be overcome with sorrow,
while humans and the Four Heavenly Kings will be filled with distress.
The yakṣas will gather in Āṭāvati,
wailing and weeping, their faces streaked with tears.
The cities of the devas, once adorned with precious jewels,
will lose their radiance, becoming dull and lifeless like piles of dust.
Kingdoms and cities will no longer be as joyful as before.
Seeing their once-magnificent celestial palaces, they will find no joy.
The celestial beings will then descend to the Buddha’s birthplace,
leaping in sorrow, their grief immeasurable.
They will cry out, ‘We have descended from the heavens to the human realm, visiting countless countries and cities,
but now the true Dharma has vanished—we search, yet cannot find it.
Descending further to Jambudvīpa, they will witness the great collapse of the Buddha’s teachings,
the oppression of renunciants, and will cry out in anguish.
The splendid cities will lose their radiance within seven days;
for seven days, the heavens will repeatedly weep in sorrow:
‘Alas! The great and mighty one, whom we once beheld in person, can no longer be seen.
His words have become mere echoes of the past.
When we gathered in Śrāvastī, we all venerated the Buddha.’
There, the devas will mourn over and over.
Beholding the forest where the Buddha once sat, they will exclaim, ‘Here is where
the Buddha turned the wheel of the Four Noble Truths; we heard it with our own ears!’
The world will once again fall into darkness, where respect among people will be lost,
and they will create endless causes for suffering, leading to rebirth in the three lower realms.
The palaces of the celestial beings will become empty,
and the beings of Jambudvīpa will be left without protection.
Speaking of the places where the Buddha once walked, they will see them all in ruin and desolation.
The Dharma King has entered nirvāṇa, and the world is no longer a place of joy.
The ruler of the Thirty-Three Heavens, Śakra, will stand in these places,
troubled and sorrowful, lamenting aloud.
The devas of Trāyastriṃśa will raise their hands in despair,
rushing from their pleasure gardens upon hearing the news.
These celestial beings will often sigh, thinking of the Tathāgata,
lamenting their departure from the World-Honored One, who once taught them the Dharma.
They will no longer partake in their divine nectar, their songs and music will cease,
and their hearts will be burdened with sorrow for six long months.
Upon hearing that the Dharma has been abandoned and left without protection,
the asuras will call upon each other and launch an attack against Trāyastriṃśa Heaven.
Meanwhile, in Jambudvīpa, kings will destroy the Buddha’s caityas,
and in that era, celestial and asura forces will clash in battle.
Many bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs will fall into the lower realms,
suffering intense torments.
Householders will commit grave misdeeds, breaking sīla and spreading slander,
causing themselves to be reborn in woeful destinations.
Women, too, engaging in unwholesome conduct, will be reborn into the three lower realms.
When such things occur, the world will be thrown into turmoil.
Some will flee through villages, others will escape into the mountains, yet all will be consumed by fear, and lifespans will shorten.
Robbers and thieves will rise, famine will spread,
crops will fail to ripen in their seasons, and swarms of locusts will ravage the fields.
In times of famine, when people die of hunger,
they will be reborn as hungry ghosts, suffering immense agony.
All offerings given to stūpas and the fourfold assembly of bhikṣus
will then be plundered by these corrupt bhikṣus.
After my passing, such great suffering will arise.
You must swiftly cultivate diligence and not retreat on the path.
The foolish lack wisdom, their evil karma is fully ripened,
and they will quickly descend into the lower realms.
One should take delight in reciting and teaching the Dharma, for wisdom arises from this.
Those who cultivate wisdom will swiftly ascend to a fortunate rebirth.
Always contemplate with wisdom and follow the Buddha’s teachings; in doing so, one will forever escape all bonds and swiftly attain nirvāṇa.
The true Dharma will not last long—you must arouse unwavering diligence.
I have spoken thus, so consider it well.
After this kalpa passes, for sixty kalpas,
the name of the Buddha will not be heard. How then can faith arise?
At that time, people will suffer from famine,
mothers and children will consume each other’s flesh to survive.
The newborns of that era will live in terror,
fearing even within their own homes.
Seeing such things, one will recognize that birth and death are like a raging fire.
What wise person would find joy in it?
Ignorance is the root of existence, women are the root of desire,
and the aggregates are the root of suffering. Therefore, one should abandon suffering.
In this world, there are ignorant beings who are deeply attached to sensual desires for women.
Those who can sever their attachment to ignorance will swiftly attain Nirvāṇa.
Preaching this Dharma will not lead to misfortune.
The ones who preach the outflows teaching, will fall into an unfortunate state.
The so-called ‘dharmas free from outflows’ are fundamentally empty in nature, devoid of any inherent existence.
There is no solid entity that can be called ‘tranquility’—this is what you should quickly realize.”
Dharma Torch 