法苑珠林 98.16

98.16

Furthermore, the Great Sūtra on the Five Turbidities states: After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, there will be five disorders. First, future bhikṣus will study the Dharma from white-robed laymen; this is the first disorder in the world. Second, white-robed laymen will sit in the high seats while bhikṣus occupy lower seats; this is the second disorder in the world. Third, when bhikṣus preach the Dharma, people will not practice or receive it, but when white-robed laymen preach the Dharma, people will take it as unsurpassed; this is the third disorder in the world. Fourth, bhikṣus belonging to Māra's fold will arise of their own accord in the world and consider themselves as possessing the truth of the authentic Way, being ignorant of the authentic scriptures of the Buddha's Dharma, and feigning [virtue] to gain faith; this is the fourth disorder in the world. Fifth, future bhikṣus will keep wives, children, and slaves, engaged in livelihood, only wrangling together and not abiding by the Buddha's teachings; this is the fifth disorder in the world. Nowadays, one frequently sees ignorant laymen who understand nothing yet feign knowledge of the Dharma; they do not renounce their domestic households, yet act as teachers and models. Foolish commoners take them as their guides, vainly wasting their efforts so that in the end their strivings are of no benefit, and in future rebirths they still cannot escape hell. Therefore the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states: 'There was a blind man who, not seeing the road himself, falsely claimed to see the road, and led five hundred other blind men along with him to fall into a cesspit. Standing oneself in a rushing torrent, how can one save those who are drowning?'