The Lotus Sūtra 6.30-31

Will lack understanding, will be dishonest and arrogant,
And will believe they have attainment when they do not. {4}

“With evil minds they will say,
‘We dwell in solitude,
Wear clothing made of patches,
And we practice renunciation.’ {5}

“Eager for tastes, and having attachment,
They will teach the Dharma to laypeople,
And they will be venerated
As if they had the six higher knowledges. {6}

“They will have anger and they will have hate.
Their thoughts will be on homes and wealth.
They will remain in solitude in the forest
And they will be maligning us. {7}

“They who are focused on gain and honor
Will speak in this way concerning us:
‘These bhikṣus are tīrthikas
Who teach what they have made up.’ {8}

“They will strongly malign us, saying,
‘They have created their own sūtra
In order to obtain gain and honor,
And teach it in the middle of assemblies.’ {9}

“In front of kings and princes,
And likewise the king’s ministers,
And brahmins and householders,
And also in front of other bhikṣus {10}

“They will speak ill of us,
Saying that we are tīrthikas.
We will endure it all
Through our veneration for the great Rishi. {11}

“Those who have evil minds
Will at that time mock us,
Saying, ‘They will become buddhas.’
But we will endure it all. {12}

“In the disturbed era of destruction,
The dreadful time of great fear,
Many bhikṣus in the form of yakṣas
Will condemn us. {13}

“Because of our veneration for the Lord of the World
We will be resolved to do that which is so difficult.³⁹⁷
We will put on the armor of patience
And we will teach this sūtra. {14}

“Guide, we will have no concern
For our bodies or even our lives.
We will be dedicated to enlightenment
And preserving what you have bestowed on us. {15}

“The Bhagavān knows the nature
Of those wicked bhikṣus
Who will appear in the future times
And who will not understand the teaching with implied meaning. {16}

“We will endure all the frowns,
Being repeatedly abused,
Being expelled from temples,
Being bound, and many beatings. {17}

“We will remember in the later times
The instructions given by the Lord of the World,
And we will fearlessly teach this sūtra
In the middle of the assembly. {18}

“Guide, we shall go to the towns
And go to the villages
Where there are those who seek this,
And bestow on them what you have taught. {19}

“Lord of the World, great Muni,
We will be your emissaries.
You who have attained peace, excellent nirvāṇa,
You have no need to be concerned. {20}

“All who are lamps for the world
Come from the ten directions;
We are speaking words of truth
And you know our aspiration.” {21}

Chapter 13

Dwelling in Happiness

Then Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, what these bodhisattva mahāsattvas are resolved to do because of their reverence for the Bhagavān is a difficult task, extremely difficult. Bhagavān, how should these bodhisattva mahāsattvas expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era?”

The Bhagavān said to Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era, by maintaining four qualities. What are these four?

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era, by maintaining their practice and field of activity.

“Mañjuśrī, in what way do bodhisattva mahāsattvas maintain their practice and field of activity?

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas are patient, self-controlled, have attained the level of self-control, and their minds are without anger or envy.