When I read the Buddha’s prophecy about the decline of Buddhism, I could sense with the Knowing Mind that it would indeed come true. Even those without spiritual insight can see how accurate it is. The prophecy was as follows:
After 1,000 years: No monk will attain the Analytic Insight.
After 2,000 years: No monk will be able to fly. People will turn to worship demons, spirits and devils. Many will have wrong views, leading them to ruin and hell.
After 3,000 years: Wisdom will be absent from humans, and the world will be hot like fire.
After 4,000 years: There will be no monks left. Alms bowls, robes, and monastic attire will disappear.
After 5,000 years: People will scorn Buddhism. People will do as they please, even harming others. The teachings of the Buddha will come to an end.
In the first case, after 1,000 years, no monk will attain the Analytic Insight, which are:
1. Attha-paṭisambhidā – discrimination of meanings; analytic insight of consequence.
2. Dhamma-paṭisambhidā – discrimination of ideas; analytic insight of origin.
3. Nirutti-paṭisambhidā – discrimination of language; analytic insight of philology.
4. Paṭibhāṇa-paṭisambhidā – discrimination of sagacity; analytic insight of ready wit; initiative, creative and applicative insight.
No monks will attain Arahantship (the last stage of spiritual enlightenment) with complete Analytic Insight. There will be some with partial Analytic Insight.
By our time, 2,000 years after the Buddha’s teachings, people will be deluded, turning to worship demons, spirits, and devils. Widespread wrong views will lead people to ruin and hell. This issue is of particular concern because the world has become increasingly materialistic, obsessed with money, wealth, and fame. Buddhists have forgotten their past vows to seek refuge in the Triple Gem. They study Dhamma to show off their degrees instead of practicing to end suffering. They are taught to perform good deeds for personal gain rather than for liberation.
Some listen to Dhamma for entertainment rather than for genuine self-improvement. The more they indulge in such practices, the more the Impurities grow. The devil is content with superficial Dhamma because it knows that indulgence leads to further attachment.
Matters of Dhamma, merit, and hell are not taught or discussed. People demand to see proof of their existence. They never practice but argue about the subject as if they were knowledgeable.
In the current era, where the world is interconnected, those who promote wrong views overshadow those who seek truth. The internet spreads misinformation widely, leading many astray.
Years ago, the news about Knowing Buddha Organization’s efforts to defend the Buddha’s image from disrespectful acts attracted significant attention, with 40,000 readers. Some supported it, while others dismissed it, saying that if people want to desecrate the Buddha’s image, let them do it because what should be prioritized is the Buddha’s teachings and that Buddhists need to learn to ‘let go’ as the Buddha had taught. Their misuse of word ‘Letting go’ only led to further misunderstanding and misdirection.
I want those who claim to have let go to test themselves. If a manufacturer put an image of the Buddha on flip-flops, would they dare step on them? Most people lack true understanding of the Buddha’s teachings but show off their thoughts that lead others to also have wrong views.
I can’t “let go” superficially but have to stay committed to doing good and burning ignorance to transcend happiness and suffering and be free from Impurities. Letting go of Impurities does not mean abandoning goodness.
“Wrong views” are very strong in our era. Protect your children from them. Teach them to make a wish that they be free from wrong views. People tend to turn a blind eye and listen to what benefits them while ignoring the truth.
The Buddha’s prophecy can never be false. Therefore, strive diligently to perfect your goodness. If you are heedless and let Impurities overcome you, you could commit sins that lead you to hell. If you are reborn in the year close to 5,000, it will be even more dreadful. Make a careful consideration of your life because life is short. Be diligent and perseverant in liberating yourself from the cycle of rebirth.
When making a wish in front of a Buddha statue, let it be the wish to be free from Impurities. Ignore the illusions of money, wealth and fame. Make a wish to be free from wrong views and to end suffering, and to have a prosperous life that support gaining spiritual insight. Make a wish that “May I attain the Dhamma that the Buddha had shown.”
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