法苑珠林 30.41

30.41

The Saṃyuktāgama also states: At that time the World-Honoured One told Śakra, Devendra, and the Four Heavenly Kings, "The Tathāgata shall before long enter parinirvāṇa through the nirvāṇa without remainder. You shall each protect and uphold the saddharma in your respective regions. Over a thousand years after my passing away, when the taught Dharma disappears, un-dharma will appear in the world, the ten good deeds will all be ruined, and in Jambudvīpa there will be many afflictions and disasters. The Tathāgata's cranial bone, the Buddha's tooth, and the Buddha's bowl will be placed in the eastern direction." (Such final entrustments to the deva kings, Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the six heavens of desire are fully contained in the sūtra text and cannot be related in full.) Furthermore, the Suvikrāntacintidevaputra-paripṛcchā-sūtra says: Some sentient beings see this bodhisattva only now attaining the Way, while some see the bodhisattva having attained the Way long ago. Some see the Four Heavenly Kings of one world present alms bowls, while others see the Four Heavenly Kings of worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions present alms bowls. "Śāriputra, at that time, in order to deliver sentient beings, the bodhisattva received the many bowls, stacked them within his palm, and merged them into one. Those deva kings also could not see one another, each supposing, 'The World-Honoured One is using my bowl alone.'"