Chinese
大正藏第 12 册 No. 0396 佛说法灭尽经 No. 396 佛说法灭尽经 僧祐录中失译经人名今附宋录 闻如是： 一时佛在拘夷那竭国——如来三月当般涅槃——与诸比丘及诸菩萨。 无央数众来诣佛所，稽首于地。世尊寂静默无所说，光明不现。贤者阿难作礼白佛言：“世尊前后说法威光独显，今大众会光更不现，何故如此？其必有故，愿闻其意。” 佛默不应，如是至三。 佛告阿难：“吾涅槃后法欲灭时，五逆浊世魔道兴盛。魔作沙门坏乱吾道，着俗衣裳，乐好袈裟、五色之服；饮酒、啖肉、杀生、贪味；无有慈心，更相憎嫉。 “时有菩萨、辟支、罗汉，精进修德，一切敬待，人所宗向教化平等——怜贫、念老、鞠育穷厄。恒以经像令人奉事，作诸功德；志性恩善，不侵害人；损身济物，不自惜己，忍辱仁和。设有是人，众魔比丘咸共嫉之，诽谤扬恶，摈黜驱遣不令得住。 “自共于后不修道德，寺庙空荒无复修理转就毁坏；但贪财物，积聚不散，不作福德；贩卖奴婢耕田种植、焚烧山林、伤害众生，无有慈心。奴为比丘、婢为比丘尼，无有道德，淫妷浊乱，男女不别，令道薄淡皆由斯辈。 “或避县官依倚 现代汉语译本 如是我闻： 一时，佛陀在拘夷那竭国（Kusinagara，古印度地名，佛陀涅槃之地），当时如来（Tathagata，佛的称号）预知三个月后将入般涅槃（Parinirvana，佛陀的最终寂灭）。与众多比丘（Bhiksu，佛教出家男众）和菩萨（Bodhisattva，发愿成佛的修行者）在一起。 无数的众生来到佛陀所在之处，向佛陀顶礼。世尊（Bhagavan，佛的尊称）寂静无言，没有说法，也没有显现光明。贤者阿难（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）向佛陀顶礼并说道：‘世尊，您之前说法时威光独显，如今大众聚集，光明却不再显现，这是为何？其中必有缘故，希望能够听闻其中的含义。’ 佛陀沉默不语，如此重复了三次。 佛陀告诉阿难：‘我涅槃之后，佛法将要灭尽之时，五浊恶世（five turbidities，指劫浊、见浊、烦恼浊、众生浊、命浊）魔道将会兴盛。魔会化作沙门（Sramana，佛教出家修行者），扰乱我的教法，他们会穿着世俗的衣裳，喜爱华丽的袈裟（Kasaya，佛教僧侣的法衣）和五彩的服装；他们会饮酒、吃肉、杀生、贪图美味；他们没有慈悲之心，互相憎恨嫉妒。 ‘那时会有菩萨、辟支佛（Pratyekabuddha，独觉的修行者）、罗汉（Arhat，已证得解脱的圣者），他们精进修行，德行高尚，受到一切人的尊敬和敬待，人们都以他们为榜样，他们教化众生平等，怜悯贫穷，关怀年老，养育困苦的人。他们常常用佛经和佛像来引导人们奉行佛法，行各种功德；他们的心性善良，不伤害他人；他们牺牲自己来帮助他人，不爱惜自己，能够忍辱和蔼。如果出现这样的人，那些魔化的比丘会一起嫉妒他们，诽谤他们，宣扬他们的恶行，排斥驱逐他们，不让他们居住。 ‘他们自己之后不修道德，寺庙荒废，无人修缮，逐渐毁坏；他们只贪图财物，积聚起来不肯施舍，不做善事；他们贩卖奴婢，耕田种植，焚烧山林，伤害众生，没有慈悲之心。奴仆成为比丘，婢女成为比丘尼，他们没有道德，淫乱污秽，男女不分，使得佛法衰微，都是因为这些人的缘故。 ‘有些人为了躲避官府的追捕，依附于佛法，
English
English version Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was in the country of Kusinagara (the place of the Buddha's Parinirvana), when the Tathagata (an epithet of the Buddha) knew that he would enter Parinirvana (the final passing away of a Buddha) in three months. He was with many Bhiksus (Buddhist monks) and Bodhisattvas (beings who aspire to Buddhahood). Countless beings came to where the Buddha was, and bowed their heads to the ground before him. The Bhagavan (another epithet of the Buddha) was silent, without speaking, and did not emit light. The venerable Ananda (one of the Buddha's ten great disciples) bowed to the Buddha and said, 'World Honored One, when you previously taught, your majestic light was uniquely radiant, but now that the assembly is gathered, the light is no longer present. Why is this? There must be a reason, and I wish to hear its meaning.' The Buddha remained silent, and this happened three times. The Buddha told Ananda, 'After my Parinirvana, when the Dharma is about to perish, the evil ways of the five turbidities (the five defilements of the age) will flourish. Demons will transform into Sramanas (Buddhist renunciates), disrupting my teachings. They will wear secular clothing, delight in fine Kasayas (Buddhist robes) and colorful garments; they will drink alcohol, eat meat, kill living beings, and crave delicious flavors; they will have no compassion, and will hate and envy each other.' 'At that time, there will be Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas (solitary realizers), and Arhats (enlightened beings), who diligently cultivate virtue, are highly respected by all, and are models for people. They will teach beings equally, have compassion for the poor, care for the elderly, and nurture the distressed. They will often use scriptures and images of the Buddha to guide people to practice the Dharma and perform meritorious deeds; their nature will be kind, they will not harm others; they will sacrifice themselves to help others, not cherish themselves, and will be patient and gentle. If such people appear, those demonized Bhiksus will all envy them, slander them, spread their evil deeds, and expel them, not allowing them to stay.' 'They themselves will not cultivate virtue, temples will be desolate, without repair, and will gradually be destroyed; they will only crave wealth, accumulate it without giving, and not perform good deeds; they will sell slaves, cultivate fields, burn forests, harm living beings, and have no compassion. Slaves will become Bhiksus, and maids will become Bhiksunis (Buddhist nuns), they will have no virtue, be promiscuous and impure, not distinguish between men and women, causing the Dharma to decline, all because of these people.' 'Some people, in order to avoid pursuit by the authorities, will rely on the Dharma,' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
吾道，求作沙门，不修戒律。月半月尽虽名诵戒，厌倦懈怠不欲听闻，抄略前后不肯尽说。经不诵习，设有读者不识字句，为强言是。不咨明者贡高求名，虚显雅步以为荣冀，望人供养。 “众魔比丘命终之后，精神当堕无择地狱，五逆罪中饿鬼、畜生靡不经历，恒河沙劫罪竟乃出，生在边国无三宝处。 “法欲灭时，女人精进，恒作功德；男子懈慢，不用法语，眼见沙门如视粪土，无有信心。法将殄没，登尔之时诸天泣泪。水旱不调、五谷不熟，疫气流行死亡者众。人民勤苦，县官计克，不顺道理，皆思乐乱。恶人转多如海中沙，善者甚少若一、若二。 “劫欲尽故，日月转短、人命转促。四十头白，男子淫妷，精尽夭命，或寿六十。男子寿短，女人寿长，七、八、九十或至百岁。 “大水忽起卒至无期，世人不信故为有常。众生、杂类，不问豪贱，没溺浮漂，鱼鳖食啖。 “时有菩萨、辟支、罗汉，众魔驱逐不预众会。三乘入山福德之地，恬怕自守以为欣快，寿命延长。诸天卫护月光出世，得相遭值，共兴吾道五十二岁。 “《首楞严经》、《般舟三昧》先化灭去，十二部经寻后复灭，尽不复现。不见文字，沙门袈裟自然变白。 “吾法灭时，譬如油灯，临欲灭时光 现代汉语译本：我说，那些出家为沙门（佛教修行者）的人，不遵守戒律。在每月初一和十五，虽然名义上诵戒，却厌倦懈怠，不愿听闻，抄略戒条的前后部分，不肯完整宣说。佛经不勤加诵习，如果有诵读者不认识字句，就强行解释。不向明白的人请教，反而贡高自大，追求名声，虚假地显示优雅的姿态，以此为荣，希望得到别人的供养。 这些魔性比丘死后，灵魂会堕入无择地狱（最痛苦的地狱），在五逆罪（杀父、杀母、杀阿罗汉、出佛身血、破和合僧）中，经历饿鬼、畜生等各种苦难，经过恒河沙数般的劫难后才能脱离，转生到边远地区，没有佛法僧三宝的地方。 当佛法将要灭亡时，女人会精进修行，恒常行善积德；而男子则懈怠懒散，不听从佛法教诲，看到沙门就像看到粪土一样，没有丝毫的信心。当佛法即将消亡时，诸天都会哭泣。水旱灾害不调，五谷不丰收，瘟疫流行，死亡的人很多。人民生活困苦，地方官员苛捐杂税，不讲道理，都想着作乱。恶人越来越多，像海中的沙子一样多，而善人却很少，只有一两个。 因为劫数将尽，日月运行的时间变短，人的寿命也缩短。四十岁头发就白了，男子沉溺于淫欲，精气耗尽而早夭，有的能活到六十岁。男子寿命短，而女人寿命长，能活到七八九十岁，甚至一百岁。 突然间，大水毫无预兆地到来，世人因为不相信，所以认为一切如常。众生，各种各样的生物，不论贫富贵贱，都被淹没漂浮，被鱼鳖吞食。 那时会有菩萨（觉悟的众生）、辟支佛（独自觉悟者）、阿罗汉（已证得解脱的圣者），被魔众驱逐，不能参与大众集会。三乘（声闻乘、缘觉乘、菩萨乘）的修行者进入山林福德之地，安静地守护自己，以此为快乐，寿命得以延长。诸天护卫，月光菩萨出世，他们得以相遇，共同弘扬佛法五十二年。 《首楞严经》（一部重要的佛教经典）和《般舟三昧》（一种禅定修行方法）会先消失，十二部经（佛教经典的总称）随后也会消失，全部不再出现。人们看不到文字，沙门的袈裟自然变成白色。 我的佛法灭亡时，就像油灯一样，在即将熄灭时，光芒会更加明亮。
English
English version: I say, those who become monks (Shramanas, Buddhist practitioners) do not observe the precepts. Although they nominally recite the precepts on the first and fifteenth of each month, they are weary and lazy, unwilling to listen, and they abbreviate the beginning and end of the precepts, refusing to fully proclaim them. They do not diligently recite the scriptures, and if there are reciters who do not recognize the words, they force interpretations. They do not consult those who understand, but instead are arrogant, seeking fame, falsely displaying elegant manners, taking this as glory, and hoping to receive offerings from others. After these demonic monks die, their spirits will fall into Avici Hell (the most painful hell), and among the five heinous crimes (killing one's father, killing one's mother, killing an Arhat, shedding the blood of a Buddha, and disrupting the Sangha), they will experience various sufferings as hungry ghosts and animals. Only after countless kalpas (eons) like the sands of the Ganges will they be able to escape, and be reborn in remote areas where there are no Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). When the Dharma is about to perish, women will be diligent in practice, constantly doing good deeds and accumulating merit; while men will be lazy and lax, not listening to the teachings of the Dharma, seeing monks as if they were seeing dirt, without any faith. When the Dharma is about to disappear, the heavens will weep. Water and drought will be imbalanced, the five grains will not be abundant, epidemics will spread, and many will die. The people will live in hardship, local officials will impose heavy taxes, acting unreasonably, and all will think of rebellion. Evil people will become more and more numerous, like the sands in the sea, while good people will be very few, only one or two. Because the kalpa (eon) is about to end, the time of the sun and moon will become shorter, and people's lifespans will also shorten. Hair will turn white at forty, men will indulge in lust, exhausting their essence and dying young, some may live to sixty. Men's lifespans will be short, while women's lifespans will be long, able to live to seventy, eighty, ninety, or even a hundred years. Suddenly, a great flood will come without warning, and because people do not believe it, they will think everything is normal. All beings, all kinds of creatures, regardless of wealth or poverty, will be submerged and float, and be eaten by fish and turtles. At that time, there will be Bodhisattvas (enlightened beings), Pratyekabuddhas (those who achieve enlightenment on their own), and Arhats (saints who have attained liberation), who will be driven away by the demonic hordes and unable to participate in public gatherings. Practitioners of the Three Vehicles (Shravakayana, Pratyekabuddhayana, Bodhisattvayana) will enter the mountains and lands of merit, quietly guarding themselves, taking this as joy, and their lifespans will be extended. The heavens will protect them, and the Bodhisattva Moonlight will appear in the world, and they will be able to meet, and together they will propagate the Dharma for fifty-two years. The Shurangama Sutra (an important Buddhist scripture) and the Pratyutpanna Samadhi (a method of meditation) will disappear first, and the twelve divisions of scriptures (a general term for Buddhist scriptures) will also disappear afterward, all ceasing to appear. People will not be able to see the words, and the robes of the monks will naturally turn white. When my Dharma perishes, it will be like an oil lamp, when it is about to go out, its light will shine even brighter. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
明更盛，于是便灭；吾法灭时亦如灯灭。自此之后难可数说。 “如是之后数千万岁，弥勒当下世间作佛，天下泰平，毒气消除，雨润和适，五谷滋茂。树木长大、人长八丈，皆寿八万四千岁，众生得度不可称计。” 贤者阿难作礼白佛：“当何名斯经？云何奉持？” 佛言：“阿难！此经名为‘法灭尽’，宣告一切宜令分别，功德无量不可称计。” 四部弟子闻经，悲惨惆怅，皆发无上圣真道意，悉为佛作礼而去。 佛说法灭尽经 现代汉语译本 光明更加旺盛，然后就熄灭了；我的佛法灭亡时也像灯火熄灭一样。从这之后的情况就难以一一述说了。 如此经过数千万年后，弥勒（Maitreya，未来佛）将降生于世间成佛，天下太平，毒气消除，雨水调和，五谷丰茂。树木长大，人身高八丈，寿命都长达八万四千岁，得到度化的众生数量不可计数。 贤者阿难（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）行礼后问佛：‘这部经应当叫什么名字？我们应当如何奉持？’ 佛说：‘阿难！这部经名为《法灭尽经》，应当宣告一切，使他们明白分辨，功德无量，不可计数。’ 四部弟子（比丘、比丘尼、优婆塞、优婆夷）听闻此经，悲伤惆怅，都发起了无上圣真道意，都向佛行礼后离去。 佛说《法灭尽经》
English
English version The light becomes even brighter, and then it is extinguished; when my Dharma perishes, it will be like a lamp being extinguished. After this, it is difficult to describe in detail. After tens of millions of years, Maitreya (the future Buddha) will descend into the world and become a Buddha. The world will be peaceful, poisonous gases will be eliminated, rain will be harmonious, and the five grains will flourish. Trees will grow tall, people will be eight 'zhang' (a Chinese unit of length, approximately 2.67 meters) tall, and their lifespans will all be eighty-four thousand years. The number of sentient beings who attain liberation will be countless. The venerable Ananda (one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha) bowed and asked the Buddha: 'What should this sutra be called? How should we uphold it?' The Buddha said: 'Ananda! This sutra is called the 'Sutra of the Extinction of the Dharma'. It should be proclaimed to all, so that they may understand and discern it. Its merits are immeasurable and countless.' The fourfold assembly (bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas, and upasikas) who heard this sutra were saddened and distressed. They all aroused the unsurpassed aspiration for the holy path, and after bowing to the Buddha, they departed. The Buddha speaks the Sutra of the Extinction of the Dharma --------------------------------------------------------------------------------