a thought

Grandmaster once wrote in His book that He has seen the future, and was saddened and astonished by it...

I think Grandmaster also said before that when tantric buddhism is at its height of popularity, so will the abundance of Maras...

I can't help feeling that  if Maras get the come-uppance, the future (that is, Dharma-ending age) would be what Grandmaster has seen...

I hope that that day will never come...I was surfing the Surangama Sutra website just now, and i saw this para, which tells of one indication to see when Dharma-ending age is coming...
-->"The Shurangama Sutra is said to be the last of the Buddha's Sutras to reach China, but during the Dharma-ending Age, it will be the first Sutra to disappear into oblivion. Following it, the other Sutras will gradually disappear as well, until only the Amitabha Sutra will be left."

I think we must value whatever Buddhist text and sutras availble right now. More importantly, Grandmaster's teachings must be valued in our daily living...(my humble opinion, not trying to preach..)

Just some thought after some web surfing...

Jessie,
   i wouldnt spend such time thinking about the Dharma ending age... personally i think its a long time from now... Buddhism is flurishing in the west and every day more and more people are finding that buddhism is the balance to their fast paced life... many sutras are being copied and recited...
    i know Grand Master can see the future... but i think that future is a long time from now... its probably going to be a time when the west becomes like the east... in the east buddhism seems to be disappearing and people there consider it "out dated" or "ancient tradition" looking at something "newer"...
     there is a Korean Buddhist temple near where i live... the person who spent money on its construction is also korean and hoped that it would help the korean community but more western caucasions would show up than Koreans and this angered the owner so she changed things to make it less appealing for them to want to be there...
     i know its not like this everywhere but i see the signs that buddhism is growing in the west and will for many generations to come... id even say that things will be good for the next 2500 years...

         om mani padme hum

Jessie,
I have never heard of the dharma-ending age...never even knew about it. Kinda sounds like armageddon! Yes, it does sound scary. That makes me even more grateful and appreciate GM's teachings. What book was it that GM wrote that?

Lyciss,
About Buddhism spreading to the west, I remember that Master Tighe said that Buddha Sakyamumi predicted that when the iron bird is in the air, and the iron horse is on the road, Buddhism will spread to the west. Of course, the iron bird and iron horse means airplanes and cars. I thought that was very interesting.

I never noticed that Buddhism is declining in the East and growing in the West until you mentioned it. Good observation!

I think i worry too much ;)

hi celestialmaiden
i need to look through Grandmaster's books to remember where He said about Dharma-ending age! If i am not mistaken and to clarify, Grandmaster said He was shocked about the future when He saw it, but He didn't explicitly link to dharma-ending age.

if you were to read what i have written in my first posting,
it's just that I tend to postulate what He meant to what i am reading (the sutra i am reading now implies dharma-ending age) cos' everything seems to fit well into the jigsaw puzzle in my head. Also Grandmaster said about the emergence of more Maras just seems to fit into the picture...

But I guess, Lyciss is correct. I worry too much. Just concentrate on cultivation. Grandmaster once said, you must treat everyday as the last day of your life, since life is ever-changing -- this way you will cultivate even more earnestly.

Lyciss,
Yes, it was Padmasambhava that made that prediction...not Sakyamuni. I forgot, thanks for clarifying. I only remember bits and pieces but you know the whole story in detail.  :) Nice to have people like you who are so knowledgeable about sutras and specific teachings. No, I am not worried about a Dharma-ending age. I'll be dead by then and hopefully won't be reborn as a human....hopefully. Must be optimistic and think positively! Thanks for sharing the story about Maitreya with me. Until you posted it, I'd never heard of it either. Gee...I learn so much from Padmakumara!!!


Om Mani Padme Hom

heehee.. I learnt a lot too. Didn't know about Matreya will be teaching differently too...If i am re-born even then (i hope i dun), i wish i could learn directly from Matreya!