Total Annihilation

[Zenji]

http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra10.html

佛說法滅盡經
Buddha Pronounces the Sūtra of the Total Annihilation of the Dharma.

Read it, and let us discuss.

I didn't know if this Sutra is within the Gelug tradition, so I stuck it here.  Feel free to move it if it should be in the main Dharma Talk board.

My questions: The Buddha states that after his parinirvana the world will begin to become degenerate.  Then goes on to describe the "end times" of the dharma on this planet as it were.  Given that climate change is a large factor in today's world, and we may be on the tipping point of a global flood of sorts, do you think we might be nearing the end of the dharma?  Or do we have a few more kalpas to go before we have to find that mountain and hope to be rescued by the Moonlight Bodhisattva?

[spiritnoname]

N ot sure about this sutra but I know that texts from the Mahasanghika time period of Buddhism, prominent texts that should be respected by all lineages equally, point out the view that Dharma cannot be practiced properly at a certain time, discouraging people from trying, is a fault causing teaching. That is in the Vishuddhi Magga if I remember correctly.

[spiritnoname]

 FYI, the Dharma is about to explode in the West. Tibet was just a container to preserve the teachings for a while, now it belongs to the world and our generation's perfected tantrikas are going to spread it like wild fire.

 Of course those who have watered down teachings, edited sadhanas to make the ignorant submissive to them, and shamed their whole lineage by passing down half baked nonsense will not last, but they aren't respectable members of the Bodhisattva family anyways, who needs them?

[wmw111]

Buddha Shakyamuni predicted his teachings will only last 5000 year s, we are at halfway mark. 

"All Buddhist scriptures are either part or preliminary of the Lam Rim", hence the Lam Rim is very like a cook book towards to enlightenment .  As Lama Atisha through his great learning and kindness compiled this cook book for us so we do not have to refer to thousands of teachings from all manner of scripture. 

[wmw111]

Also like Zion in the movie matrix, the universe has been destroyed and created again , it has happened many times before . So can you imagine how long we have existed as deluded sentient beings .
 

[ysng101]

way...way.....too long.

it's about time we get off the ferris wheel don't you think  ?   

[Zenji]

i'm working on it... i just need to secure the finances to get to Malaysia, or to extend my stay at the Abbey.

[Joey]

I have come across a master that quoted from that sutra before, and it is said that the Buddha had a conversation with Mara, who said that he will destroy the Dharma from within by emanating as Dharma students.

At first it sounds very distant and very not likely, but now it seems that this may be the way Dharma will go down here in Jambudipa as there are many people who claim to be Buddhist, but only use Buddhism as a front for their own ideas of what they think thing should. In this way Dharma is misrepresented and corrupted, when ideas get mixed up with the actual teachings and people take it as that.

Again, this stresses the important of lineage and Guru Devotion.

[GonzoEnder]

Yes something so secure as Buddhism could probably only be destroyed from the inside.