T12n0396_佛說法滅盡經

大正藏第 12 冊 No. 0396 佛說法滅盡經

No. 396

佛說法滅盡經

僧祐錄中失譯經人名今附宋錄

聞如是：

一時佛在拘夷那竭國——如來三月當般涅槃——與諸比丘及諸菩薩。

無央數眾來詣佛所，稽首于地。世尊寂靜默無所說，光明不現。賢者阿難作禮白佛言：「世尊前後說法威光獨顯，今大眾會光更不現，何故如此？其必有故，愿聞其意。」

佛默不應，如是至三。

佛告阿難：「吾涅槃后法欲滅時，五逆濁世魔道興盛。魔作沙門壞亂吾道，著俗衣裳，樂好袈裟、五色之服；飲酒、啖肉、殺生、貪味；無有慈心，更相憎嫉。

「時有菩薩、辟支、羅漢，精進修德，一切敬待，人所宗向教化平等——憐貧、念老、鞠育窮厄。恒以經像令人奉事，作諸功德；志性恩善，不侵害人；損身濟物，不自惜己，忍辱仁和。設有是人，眾魔比丘咸共嫉之，誹謗揚惡，擯黜驅遣不令得住。

「自共於後不修道德，寺廟空荒無復修理轉就毀壞；但貪財物，積聚不散，不作福德；販賣奴婢耕田種植、焚燒山林、傷害眾生，無有慈心。奴為比丘、婢為比丘尼，無有道德，淫妷濁亂，男女不別，令道薄淡皆由斯輩。

「或避縣官依倚

【現代漢語翻譯】現代漢語譯本如是我聞：一時，佛陀在拘夷那竭國（Kusinagara，古印度地名，佛陀涅槃之地），當時如來（Tathagata，佛的稱號）預知三個月后將入般涅槃（Parinirvana，佛陀的最終寂滅）。與眾多比丘（Bhiksu，佛教出家男眾）和菩薩（Bodhisattva，發願成佛的修行者）在一起。無數的眾生來到佛陀所在之處，向佛陀頂禮。世尊（Bhagavan，佛的尊稱）寂靜無言，沒有說法，也沒有顯現光明。賢者阿難（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）向佛陀頂禮並說道：『世尊，您之前說法時威光獨顯，如今大眾聚集，光明卻不再顯現，這是為何？其中必有緣故，希望能夠聽聞其中的含義。』佛陀沉默不語，如此重複了三次。佛陀告訴阿難：『我涅槃之後，佛法將要滅盡之時，五濁惡世（five turbidities，指劫濁、見濁、煩惱濁、眾生濁、命濁）魔道將會興盛。魔會化作沙門（Sramana，佛教出家修行者），擾亂我的教法，他們會穿著世俗的衣裳，喜愛華麗的袈裟（Kasaya，佛教僧侶的法衣）和五彩的服裝；他們會飲酒、吃肉、殺生、貪圖美味；他們沒有慈悲之心，互相憎恨嫉妒。『那時會有菩薩、辟支佛（Pratyekabuddha，獨覺的修行者）、羅漢（Arhat，已證得解脫的聖者），他們精進修行，德行高尚，受到一切人的尊敬和敬待，人們都以他們為榜樣，他們教化眾生平等，憐憫貧窮，關懷年老，養育困苦的人。他們常常用佛經和佛像來引導人們奉行佛法，行各種功德；他們的心性善良，不傷害他人；他們犧牲自己來幫助他人，不愛惜自己，能夠忍辱和藹。如果出現這樣的人，那些魔化的比丘會一起嫉妒他們，誹謗他們，宣揚他們的惡行，排斥驅逐他們，不讓他們居住。『他們自己之後不修道德，寺廟荒廢，無人修繕，逐漸毀壞；他們只貪圖財物，積聚起來不肯施捨，不做善事；他們販賣奴婢，耕田種植，焚燒山林，傷害眾生，沒有慈悲之心。奴僕成為比丘，婢女成為比丘尼，他們沒有道德，淫亂污穢，男女不分，使得佛法衰微，都是因為這些人的緣故。『有些人爲了躲避官府的追捕，依附於佛法，

【English Translation】 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,'

吾道，求作沙門，不修戒律。月半月盡雖名誦戒，厭倦懈怠不欲聽聞，抄略前後不肯盡說。經不誦習，設有讀者不識字句，為強言是。不咨明者貢高求名，虛顯雅步以為榮冀，望人供養。

「眾魔比丘命終之後，精神當墮無擇地獄，五逆罪中餓鬼、畜生靡不經歷，恒河沙劫罪竟乃出，生在邊國無三寶處。

「法欲滅時，女人精進，恒作功德；男子懈慢，不用法語，眼見沙門如視糞土，無有信心。法將殄沒，登爾之時諸天泣淚。水旱不調、五穀不熟，疫氣流行死亡者眾。人民勤苦，縣官計克，不順道理，皆思樂亂。惡人轉多如海中沙，善者甚少若一、若二。

「劫欲盡故，日月轉短、人命轉促。四十頭白，男子淫妷，精盡夭命，或壽六十。男子壽短，女人壽長，七、八、九十或至百歲。

「大水忽起卒至無期，世人不信故為有常。眾生、雜類，不問豪賤，沒溺浮漂，魚鱉食啖。

「時有菩薩、辟支、羅漢，眾魔驅逐不預眾會。三乘入山福德之地，恬怕自守以為欣快，壽命延長。諸天衛護月光出世，得相遭值，共興吾道五十二歲。

「《首楞嚴經》、《般舟三昧》先化滅去，十二部經尋后覆滅，盡不復現。不見文字，沙門袈裟自然變白。

「吾法滅時，譬如油燈，臨欲滅時光

【現代漢語翻譯】現代漢語譯本：我說，那些出家為沙門（佛教修行者）的人，不遵守戒律。在每月初一和十五，雖然名義上誦戒，卻厭倦懈怠，不願聽聞，抄略戒條的前後部分，不肯完整宣說。佛經不勤加誦習，如果有誦讀者不認識字句，就強行解釋。不向明白的人請教，反而貢高自大，追求名聲，虛假地顯示優雅的姿態，以此為榮，希望得到別人的供養。這些魔性比丘死後，靈魂會墮入無擇地獄（最痛苦的地獄），在五逆罪（殺父、殺母、殺阿羅漢、出佛身血、破和合僧）中，經歷餓鬼、畜生等各種苦難，經過恒河沙數般的劫難后才能脫離，轉生到邊遠地區，沒有佛法僧三寶的地方。當佛法將要滅亡時，女人會精進修行，恒常行善積德；而男子則懈怠懶散，不聽從佛法教誨，看到沙門就像看到糞土一樣，沒有絲毫的信心。當佛法即將消亡時，諸天都會哭泣。水旱災害不調，五穀不豐收，瘟疫流行，死亡的人很多。人民生活困苦，地方官員苛捐雜稅，不講道理，都想著作亂。惡人越來越多，像海中的沙子一樣多，而善人卻很少，只有一兩個。因為劫數將盡，日月執行的時間變短，人的壽命也縮短。四十歲頭髮就白了，男子沉溺於淫慾，精氣耗盡而早夭，有的能活到六十歲。男子壽命短，而女人壽命長，能活到七八九十歲，甚至一百歲。突然間，大水毫無預兆地到來，世人因為不相信，所以認為一切如常。眾生，各種各樣的生物，不論貧富貴賤，都被淹沒漂浮，被魚鱉吞食。那時會有菩薩（覺悟的眾生）、辟支佛（獨自覺悟者）、阿羅漢（已證得解脫的聖者），被魔眾驅逐，不能參與大眾集會。三乘（聲聞乘、緣覺乘、菩薩乘）的修行者進入山林福德之地，安靜地守護自己，以此為快樂，壽命得以延長。諸天護衛，月光菩薩出世，他們得以相遇，共同弘揚佛法五十二年。《首楞嚴經》（一部重要的佛教經典）和《般舟三昧》（一種禪定修行方法）會先消失，十二部經（佛教經典的總稱）隨後也會消失，全部不再出現。人們看不到文字，沙門的袈裟自然變成白色。我的佛法滅亡時，就像油燈一樣，在即將熄滅時，光芒會更加明亮。

【English Translation】 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.

明更盛，於是便滅；吾法滅時亦如燈滅。自此之後難可數說。

「如是之後數千萬歲，彌勒當下世間作佛，天下泰平，毒氣消除，雨潤和適，五穀滋茂。樹木長大、人長八丈，皆壽八萬四千歲，眾生得度不可稱計。」

賢者阿難作禮白佛：「當何名斯經？云何奉持？」

佛言：「阿難！此經名為『法滅盡』，宣告一切宜令分別，功德無量不可稱計。」

四部弟子聞經，悲慘惆悵，皆發無上聖真道意，悉為佛作禮而去。

佛說法滅盡經

【現代漢語翻譯】現代漢語譯本光明更加旺盛，然後就熄滅了；我的佛法滅亡時也像燈火熄滅一樣。從這之後的情況就難以一一述說了。如此經過數千萬年後，彌勒（Maitreya，未來佛）將降生於世間成佛，天下太平，毒氣消除，雨水調和，五穀豐茂。樹木長大，人身高八丈，壽命都長達八萬四千歲，得到度化的眾生數量不可計數。賢者阿難（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）行禮后問佛：『這部經應當叫什麼名字？我們應當如何奉持？』佛說：『阿難！這部經名為《法滅盡經》，應當宣告一切，使他們明白分辨，功德無量，不可計數。』四部弟子（比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷）聽聞此經，悲傷惆悵，都發起了無上聖真道意，都向佛行禮后離去。佛說《法滅盡經》

【English Translation】 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