經律異相 28.16

28.16

King Prasenajit, lying down at night, had ten kinds of dreams: first, he saw a small tree bearing blossoms; second, he saw a small tree bearing fruit; third, he saw a cow seeking milk from a calf; fourth, he saw a person cutting a rope while a sheep followed behind eating it; fifth, he saw ten cauldrons arranged in layers, with the topmost cauldron surging and pouring its contents into the lowest cauldron; sixth, he saw a horse with one body and two heads eating wheat; seventh, he saw blood flowing into canals; eighth, he saw clear water that was pure along the four edges but turbid in the middle; ninth, he saw a dog urinating in a gold vessel; tenth, he saw four oxen coming from the four directions to butt each other, and then each dispersing and going back. Seeing these, the king was terrified, and his hair stood on end. Awakening from sleep, he thought: "Shall I die and lose this royal throne?" He immediately went to ask the Buddha. The Buddha said: "Great King, do not be afraid. You will not lose your throne because of these dreams. Dreaming of a small tree bearing blossoms means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings. At that time, people will not be filial to their parents, nor will they serve śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, yet they will receive offerings, just as today those who are filial follow their parents in making offerings to śramaṇas. A small tree bearing fruit means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings. At that time, women will have been married only a short while before returning home carrying infants, knowing no shame. A cow seeking milk from a calf means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; mothers will watch the door while their daughters engage in illicit relations to support themselves. A person cutting a rope while a sheep follows behind eating it means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings, giving their own wealth and treasures to outsiders in illicit liaisons. Dreaming of ten cauldrons arranged in layers, with the uppermost cauldron overflowing and pouring into the lowest cauldron, means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, in accordance with false teachings; children will say to their parents: 'Leave this house quickly and go into the mountains, wilds, and marshes; I wish to dwell in this village.' A horse with one body and two heads eating wheat means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; relying on the king, they will plunder brāhmaṇas and elders, or relying on brāhmaṇas and elders, they will plunder the royal treasury. Dreaming of blood flowing into canals means that in the future, there will be kings who are not content with their own territories, but will assemble the fourfold army to invade and seize other territories, uncontrollably failing to follow the Dharma's teachings; at that time, those among the people who die will be very many. Dreaming of clear water that is pure along the four edges but turbid in the middle means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; sentient beings in the Middle Country will take pleasure in fighting and disorder, while the people of the borderlands will have no disputes. Dreaming of a dog urinating in a gold vessel means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; regarding the Dharma jewel that I gathered through bitter toil over three asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they will slander it all, striking my śrāvakas with knives, staves, tiles, and stones, saying: 'What this breed of śramaṇas preaches is not the Dharma; they merely take pleasure in composing songs and praises.' Dreaming of four oxen coming from the four directions to butt each other and then each dispersing and going back means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; at that time, great clouds will rise from the four directions with thunder and lightning, yet disperse without rain. These are the ten dreams and what they signify. Great King, your ten dreams have these ten correspondences. For this reason, Great King, do not harbour fear; you will not die, nor will you lose your throne. All these are matters that must come to pass in the future Latter Age. Great King, you should understand it thus." The king rejoiced greatly (from the Ekottarika Āgama, fascicle 41).