The Truth of Dharma Propagation and Decline

When the Dharma is about to perish, the Sangha will split and fight among themselves. Arhats will be envied and first killed alive, until finally all monastic members are slain. From then on, the propagation of the Dharma ceases, and all Buddhist teachings vanish. That is, once the Sangha Jewel perishes, the Three Jewels perish, because in the Saha World, it is the monastic Sangha Jewel that transmits the Buddha's Dharma lineage. Without the Sangha Jewel, there are no transmitters for the Buddha Jewel and Dharma Jewel, and Buddhism will inevitably perish. This is explained in the Sutra on the Total Extinction of the Dharma. We who study Buddhism should read the sutras extensively, as they contain the most comprehensive and accurate scope of the Dharma. By reading the sutras more, we can better understand Buddhist history, its development, and trajectory, thereby enhancing our wisdom and strengthening our resolve on the path.

When the World-Honored One first came to the Saha World to propagate the Dharma, He first liberated the five bhikkhus including Kaundinya, establishing the monastic Sangha. Next, He liberated former adherents of other paths who had renounced, such as Mahakasyapa, and finally, He liberated His own family members and relatives in the secular world. All who could renounce household life were liberated by the Buddha to become monastics. Then, He transmitted the Dharma step by step: first the Hinayana path to liberation, then the Mahayana Prajnaparamita, and finally the comprehensive Yogacara. After the Buddha's parinirvana, He instructed His monastic disciples to widely propagate the Dharma, appointing several great Arhats led by Mahakasyapa to remain in the world without entering Nirvana, in order to protect the transmission of the Dharma. Some great Bodhisattvas, including those from other Buddha-lands, vowed to propagate the Dharma in the Saha World, but the Buddha did not consent. The Buddha said, "In My Saha World, there are monastic Sangha members residing and propagating the Dharma. Bodhisattvas in the ten directions all have their own Dharma propagation duties and are very busy. Therefore, let the Saha World rely primarily on My monastic Sangha for Dharma propagation." Thus, from the time the Buddha established the Sangha until the final extinction of the Dharma, the propagation has been primarily carried out by the monastic Sangha, and the Buddha considered Himself as part of the monastic community. Once the monastic Sangha fractures and the monastics are killed, Buddhism perishes immediately, with no transmitters left.

During the Dharma Ending Age, Arhats are almost all wisdom-liberated, with meditative attainments only at the level of the first dhyana, thus lacking supernatural powers. Even if they possess such powers, when karmic obstacles manifest, no one can evade them, and they can still be killed. Mahamaudgalyayana possessed the greatest supernatural powers among the Sravaka disciples, yet at the end of his life, he was beaten to death—supernatural powers cannot overcome karmic force.

After the Dharma of Sakyamuni Buddha becomes extinct, we can only await the advent of Maitreya Buddha to liberate sentient beings. Through three great Dharma assemblies, He will lead nearly thirty billion beings to attain the fruits of enlightenment. At that time, we, as disciples remaining from Sakyamuni Buddha’s era, will be taken over and liberated by Maitreya Buddha due to our roots of virtue and merit. Therefore, every sentient being does not belong solely to one Buddha; one must learn the Dharma from countless Buddhas and practice alongside countless Bodhisattvas to master all Buddhist teachings. Learning from only one Buddha is insufficient for attaining Buddhahood, and following only one Bodhisattva or one teacher is even less sufficient. Thus, every sentient being should vow to make offerings to and protect all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions.