-6 2 On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land NCE there was a traveler who are those who follow the esoteric O spoke these words in sorrow to teachings of the True Word school his host: and conduct rituals in which they fill In recent years, there have been five jars with water,6 and others who unusual disturbances in the heavens, devote themselves entirely to seated strange occurrences on earth, famine meditation and try to perceive the and pestilence, all affecting every cor- emptiness of all phenomena as clearly ner of the empire and spreading as the moon.7 Some write out the throughout the land. Oxen and horses names of the seven guardian spirits8 and lie dead in the streets, and the bones paste them on a thousand gates, others of the stricken crowd the highways. paint pictures of the five mighty bo- Over half the population has already dhisattvas9 and hang them over ten been carried off by death, and there thousand thresholds, and still others is hardly a single person who does not pray to the heavenly gods and earthly grieve. deities in ceremonies conducted at the All the while some put their whole four corners of the capital and on the faith in the “sharp sword”1 of the Bud- four boundaries of the nation. Taking dha Amida and intone the name of pity on the plight of the common peo- this lord of the Western Land; others ple, the rulers carry out government believe that hearing the name of the on the national and local levels in a Buddha Medicine Master will “heal all benevolent manner. ills”2 and recite the sutra that describes But despite all these efforts, they this Thus Come One of the Eastern merely exhaust themselves in vain. Fam- Region. Some, putting their trust in ine and epidemics rage more fiercely the passage in the Lotus Sutra that says, than ever, beggars are everywhere in “His illness will be wiped out and he sight, and scenes of death fill our eyes. will know neither old age nor death,”3 Corpses pile up in mounds like obser- pay homage to the wonderful words of vation platforms, and dead bodies lie that sutra; others, relying upon the side by side like planks on a bridge. sutra passage that reads, “The seven If we look about, we find that the disasters will instantly vanish, and the sun and moon continue to move in seven blessings will instantly appear,”4 their accustomed orbits, and the five conduct ceremonies at which a hun- planets10 follow the proper course. The dred priests expound the sutra at a three treasures of Buddhism continue hundred preaching platforms.5 There to exist, and the period of a hun- 6 -7 ON ESTABLISHING THE CORRECT TEACHING dred reigns has not yet expired.11 Then sequence—upon what sutras do you why is it that the world has already base your views? Could you describe fallen into decline and that the laws of for me the passages of proof ? the state have come to an end? What The host said: There are numerous is wrong? What error has been com- passages that could be cited and a wide mitted? variety of proofs. For example, in the The host then spoke: I have been Golden Light Sutra we read: “[The brooding alone upon this matter, in- four heavenly kings said to the Bud- dignant in my heart, but now that you dha], ‘Though this sutra exists in the have come, we can lament together. nation, its ruler has never allowed it to Let us discuss the question at length. be propagated. In his heart he turns When a man leaves family life and away from it, and he takes no pleasure enters the Buddhist way, it is be- in hearing its teachings. He neither cause he hopes to attain Buddhahood makes offerings to it, honors it, nor through the teachings of the Buddha. praises it. Nor is he willing to honor But attempts now to move the gods or make offerings to the four kinds of fail to have any effect, and appeals to Buddhists who embrace the sutra. In the power of the Buddhas produce no the end, he makes it impossible for us results. When I observe carefully the and the other countless heavenly be- state of the world today, I see people ings who are our followers to hear who give way to doubt because of the this profound and wonderful teaching. lack of understanding [on the part of He deprives us of the sweet dew of eminent priests]. They look up at the its words and cuts us off from the flow heavens and mouth their resentment, of the correct teaching, so that our or gaze down at the earth and sink majesty and strength are drained away. deep into despair. Thus the number of beings who oc- I have pondered the matter carefully cupy the evil paths increases, and the with what limited resources I possess, number who dwell in the human and and have looked a little at the scriptures heavenly realms decreases. People fall for an answer. The people of today all into the river of the sufferings of birth turn their backs upon what is right; to and death and turn their backs on the a person, they give their allegiance to road to nirvana. evil. This is the reason that the be- “ ‘World-Honored One, we, the nevolent deities have abandoned the four heavenly kings, as well as our var- nation and departed together, that sages ious followers and the yakshas and oth- leave and do not return. And in their er beings, observing this state of affairs, stead devils and demons come, and have decided to abandon this nation, disasters and calamities occur. I cannot for we have no heart to protect it. And keep silent on this matter. I cannot sup- it is not we alone who cast aside this press my fears. ruler. All the great benevolent deities The guest said: These disasters that who guard and watch over the count- befall the empire, these calamities of less different regions of the country the nation—I am not the only one will also invariably reject him. And pained by them; the whole populace once we and the others abandon and is weighed down with sorrow. Now desert this nation, then many different I have been privileged to enter the types of disasters will occur in the orchid room12 and listen to these en- country, and the ruler will fall from lightening words of yours. You speak power. Not a single person in the of the gods and sages taking leave, and entire population will possess a heart of disasters and calamities arising in of goodness; there will be nothing 7 -8 ON ESTABLISHING THE CORRECT TEACHING but binding and enslaving, killing and into hillocks and gullies. All the moun- injuring, anger and contention. People tains will be swept by fire, and the will slander each other or fawn upon heavenly beings and dragons will no one another, and the laws will be longer send down rain. The seedlings twisted until even the innocent are of the crops will all wither and die, all made to suffer. Pestilence will become the living plants will perish, and even rampant, comets will appear again and the weeds will cease to grow any more. again, two suns will come forth side by Dust will rain down until all is darkness side, and eclipses will occur with un- and the sun and moon no longer shed accustomed frequency. Black arcs and their light. white arcs will span the sky as harbin- “All the four directions will be gers of ill fortune, stars will fall, the afflicted by drought, and evil omens earth will shake, and noises will issue will appear again and again. The ten from the wells. Torrential rains and evil acts will increase greatly, particu- violent winds will come out of sea- larly greed, anger, and foolishness, and son, famine will constantly occur, and people will think no more of their grains and fruits will not ripen. Ma- fathers and mothers than does the rauders from many other regions will roe deer.16 Living beings will decline invade and plunder the nation, the in numbers, in longevity, physical people will suffer all manner of pain strength, dignity, and enjoyment. They and affliction, and no place will exist will become estranged from the de- where one may live in safety.’ ” lights of the human and heavenly realms, The Great Collection Sutra says: and all will fall into the paths of evil. “When the teachings of the Buddha The wicked rulers and monks who truly become obscured and lost, then perform these ten evil acts will curse people will all let their beards, hair, and and destroy my correct teaching and fingernails grow long, and the laws make it difficult for those in the human of the world will be forgotten and and heavenly realms to stay there. At ignored. At that time, loud noises will that time the benevolent deities and sound in the air, and the earth will heavenly kings, who would ordinarily shake; everything in the world will take pity on living beings, will abandon begin to move as though it were a this impure and evil nation, and all waterwheel. City walls will split and will make their way to other regions.” tumble, and all houses and dwellings The Benevolent Kings Sutra states: will collapse. Roots, branches, leaves, “When a nation becomes disordered, it petals, and fruits will lose their medici- is the spirits that first show signs of nal properties.