法苑珠林 98.50

98.50

如雜阿含經云。佛言。此摩偷羅國。將來之世。我之正法千歲不滅。過千歲後有非法出。閻浮提中惡風暴雨多諸災患。人民飢饉觸物磨滅。飲食失味珍寶沈沒。西方有王名鉢羅婆。北方有王名耶婆那。南方有王名非釋迦。東方有王名兒沙羅。此之四王皆多眷屬。殺害比丘破壞塔寺。四方盡亂。時諸比丘來集中國。拘睒彌國。王名摩因陀羅西那。生子手似血塗。身似甲冑。有大勇力。又五百大臣同日生子。皆血手冑身。時拘睒彌國一日雨血。王見惡相。即大恐悑。請問相師。相師答王。今生子當王閻浮提多殺害人。即因為名難當。年漸長大四惡王從四方來。王大憂悑。有天神告言。大王。且立難當為王。足能降伏彼四惡王。便依神言。捨位與子。以髻中明珠冠其子首。迨五百大臣香水灌頂令往征伐。諸臣之子。身被甲冑從王俱征。與四惡王共戰殺之都盡。王閻浮提治在拘睒彌國。後有三藏羅漢出現。為王說法。王聞法已憂惱即止。於佛法中大生敬信。而發聲唱言。自今以後我施諸比丘無恐畏事。適意為樂。而問比丘言。前四惡王毀滅佛法有幾年歲。諸比丘答云。經十二年。王心念言作師子吼。我當十二年中供養五眾種種豐足。供施之日天當降雨。香澤之雨遍閻浮提。一切實種皆得增長。後經不久。三藏門徒弟子。共諸比丘不和。有惡比丘遂殺阿羅漢及三藏法師。心生懊惱。諸邪見輩競破塔廟及害比丘從是佛法索然頓滅。爾時人天聞佛所說莫不揮淚。

As the Saṃyuktāgama says: The Buddha said, “In this country of Mathurā, in future ages, my saddharma will not perish for a thousand years. After a thousand years have passed, unrighteous things will arise. In Jambudvīpa there will be foul winds and violent storms, with many disasters and perils. The people will suffer famine; whatever they touch will waste away and be destroyed. Food and drink will lose their flavor, and rare gems will sink and be lost. In the west there will be a king named Palhava. In the north there will be a king named Yavana. In the south there will be a king named Abhiraka. In the east there will be a king named Kośala. These four kings will all have many retinues. They will slaughter bhikṣus and destroy stūpas and monasteries, throwing the four directions entirely into chaos. At that time, all the bhikṣus will gather in the central country. In the country of Kauśāmbī, there will be a king named Mahendrasena. He will father a son whose hands will look as though smeared with blood and whose body will look as if clad in armor, possessing great valor and strength. Furthermore, the five hundred great ministers will father sons on the same day, all with bloody hands and armored bodies. At that time, it will rain blood for one day in the country of Kauśāmbī. Seeing these sinister omens, the king will be greatly terrified and will inquire of the diviners. The diviners will answer the king, ‘The son now born will rule over Jambudvīpa and slaughter many people.’ Therefore, he will be named Nandana. As he gradually grows up, the four evil kings will invade from the four directions. The king will be in great distress and terror. A deva will announce to him, ‘Great King, you should install Nandana as king; he is fully able to subdue those four evil kings.’ The king will follow the deity's words, abdicate the throne to his son, crown the son's head with the bright jewel from his topknot, and, together with the five hundred ministers, perform the abhiseka with fragrant water and dispatch him on campaign. The sons of all the ministers, their bodies clad in armor, will join the king on the expedition, fight with the four evil kings, and slay them all. He will rule Jambudvīpa from his seat of government in the country of Kauśāmbī. Afterwards, a tripiṭaka arhat will appear and preach the Dharma for the king. Having heard the Dharma, the king's grief and distress will immediately cease. He will conceive great reverence and faith toward the Buddhadharma, and raise his voice, proclaiming: ‘From this day forward, I grant all bhikṣus freedom from fear; let them take pleasure as they please.’ He will then ask the bhikṣus, ‘How many years did the previous four evil kings destroy the Buddhadharma?’ The bhikṣus will answer, ‘It lasted twelve years.’ The king will think in his heart, making a lion's roar: ‘For twelve years, I shall make offerings of all kinds in great abundance to the five assemblies.’ On the day of the offerings, heaven will send down rain; a fragrant, moistening rain will fall across Jambudvīpa, and all real seeds will grow and flourish. Not long afterward, disciples of the tripiṭaka master will fall into discord with other bhikṣus. An evil bhikṣu will then murder the arhat and the tripiṭaka master. Heartbroken with remorse, those of evil views will vie to tear down stūpas and shrines and harm bhikṣus. From this point on, the Buddhadharma will utterly and abruptly vanish. At that time, humans and devas, hearing what the Buddha spoke, all wept tears.”