法苑珠林 30.23

30.23

As the Kāśyapa Sūtra says: At that time the Buddha said to Mahākāśyapa, "Before long, the Tathāgata shall enter parinirvāṇa." Kāśyapa said to the Buddha, "World-Honoured One, we pray only that the World-Honoured One remain in the world for one kalpa, or slightly less than one kalpa, to guard and protect the saddharma." The Buddha told Kāśyapa, "Even if a thousand Buddhas were to appear in the world, with all kinds of supernormal powers, preaching the Dharma and transforming them, those foolish people could not be made to cease their evil desires. Kāśyapa, in the future degenerate age, during the final five hundred years, there will be sentient beings who are fully endowed with good roots and whose minds are pure, who can repay the Buddha's kindness and guard and protect my Dharma." Kāśyapa said to the Buddha, "World-Honoured One, I cultivate few practices and my wisdom is shallow and slight; like carrying a heavy burden, I cannot bear it. Only a bodhisattva is able to shoulder such a heavy burden. For example, suppose there were a person advanced in years, fully one hundred and twenty years old, afflicted with severe illness and unable to stand or walk. At that time there is a person of immense wealth and abundant treasures who takes precious jewels and comes to the sick person's place, saying to him, 'I have matters that require me to go to another land. I entrust these treasures to you to guard and protect for me. Wait until my return, and then you shall give them back to me.' That old sick person has no sons or daughters and is all alone. Not long after that person departs, the old man becomes critically ill and dies. The entrusted property is entirely scattered and lost. When that person returns from his journey, he seeks it in vain. World-Honoured One, the śrāvaka is also like this: his wisdom is shallow and slight, he cultivates very little, and moreover he has no companions; he cannot remain long in the world. If the saddharma were entrusted to him, before long it would be scattered and extinguished." The Buddha praised Kāśyapa: "I already knew this, and yet I entrusted it to you so that those foolish people, having heard this, might give rise to remorse." At that time Kāśyapa said to the Buddha, "World-Honoured One, I shall now speak a second parable. For example, suppose there is a man whose physical strength is flourishing and robust, without any afflictions or suffering. His lifespan is immeasurable, hundreds of thousands of millions of years. He is born of a great lineage and fully endowed with wealth and treasures. He maintains pure precepts well, possesses great loving-kindness and compassion, harbors joy within, and benefits many people, causing them to attain peace and happiness. At that time a person carrying precious objects comes to his place and says to him, 'I have matters that require me to go to another land. I entrust these treasures to you to guard and protect well. Whether I return in ten years or return in twenty years, wait until I come and then return them to me.' That man receives the treasures, stores them, and guards them. When that person returns from his journey, he immediately returns them to him. World-Honoured One, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is also like this. If one entrusts the Dharma jewel to the bodhisattvas, through immeasurable thousands of kotis of nayutas of kalpas it will never be lost or destroyed; it will benefit immeasurable and boundless sentient beings, not letting the Three Jewels be severed. World-Honoured One, such an affair I cannot sustain; only a bodhisattva is able to bear it. World-Honoured One, this Maitreya Bodhisattva-mahāsattva is right here in this assembly. Let the Tathāgata entrust it to him. In the future age, during the final five hundred years when the Dharma is about to be extinguished, he will be able to guard and protect, circulate, and extensively preach all the Dharma gathered by the Tathāgata. Why is this? Because this Maitreya Bodhisattva will realize anuttarā-saṃbodhi in a future age. For example, the foremost prince of a king will handle the affairs of state and govern the world according to the law. Maitreya Bodhisattva is also like this: he will govern the realm of the Dharma King and guard and protect the saddharma." At that time the Buddha praised Kāśyapa: "It is as you have said." He then extended his right hand, stroked Maitreya's head, and spoke these words: "Maitreya, I entrust this to you. In the future degenerate age, during the final five hundred years when the saddharma is being extinguished, you must guard and protect the Three Jewels and not let them be severed." At that time, when the Tathāgata stroked Maitreya's head, this trichiliocosm quaked in six ways, and radiance completely filled the great chiliocosm. At that time the earth devas, the sky devas, up to the Akaniṣṭha devas, all joined their palms and addressed Maitreya Bodhisattva-mahāsattva, saying, "The Tathāgata has entrusted the Dharma to the holy one. We pray only that the holy one, for the benefit of all devas and humans, receive this saddharma." At that time Maitreya Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, joined his palms in reverent devotion, and addressed the Buddha, saying, "World-Honoured One, for the benefit of all sentient beings, I would even endure the suffering of immeasurable kotis of kalpas; how much more so when the Tathāgata entrusts to me the saddharma—how could I not receive it? World-Honoured One, I now receive and maintain it, and in a future age I shall preach the anuttarā-saṃbodhi Dharma gathered by the Tathāgata over immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas." When Maitreya Bodhisattva spoke these words, the trichiliocosm quaked in six ways.