Here's a translation of the "Sutra on the Extinction of the Dharma" (Fo Shuo Fa Mie Jin Jing) into English. Please note that this sutra is considered apocryphal (not part of the mainstream Buddhist canon) in many traditions, and its content focuses on a dire prophecy of the Dharma's decline.
Recorded in Sangha-yu's catalog as an anonymous translator, now appended to the Song Dynasty catalog.
Thus have I heard:
At one time, the Buddha was in the country of Kuśinagara – where the Tathagata was to enter Nirvana in three months. He was with numerous bhikshus and bodhisattvas.
Innumerable multitudes came to the Buddha's abode, bowed down to the ground. The World-Honored One was silent, speaking nothing, and his light did not manifest. The Venerable Ananda bowed and spoke to the Buddha, saying, "World-Honored One, in previous preachings, your majestic light always shone forth uniquely. Now, in this great assembly, your light does not appear. Why is this so? There must be a reason; I wish to hear your intention."
The Buddha remained silent, and this happened three times.
The Buddha told Ananda: "After my Nirvana, when the Dharma is about to perish, in the five turbid and evil eras, the demonic way will flourish. Demons will become śramaṇas, corrupting my Way. They will wear worldly clothes, delight in fine kasayas and multi-colored garments; they will drink alcohol and eat meat, kill living beings for their taste; they will have no compassion, but instead will be jealous and hateful towards each other.
"At that time, there will be Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats who diligently cultivate virtue. They will be respected by all, revered by people; they will teach impartially, show compassion for the poor and care for the elderly, nurturing the destitute and suffering. They will constantly instruct people to honor sutras and images, and perform various meritorious deeds. Their character will be kind and benevolent, never harming others; they will sacrifice themselves to help others, not sparing themselves, enduring insults with benevolence and harmony. Should such people exist, all the demonic bhikshus will collectively envy them, slander and spread evil about them, ostracize and expel them, not allowing them to stay.
They themselves, thereafter, will not cultivate morality. Temples will become desolate, no longer repaired, gradually falling into ruin; they will only covet wealth, accumulating it without disbursing, performing no meritorious deeds. They will sell slaves and maidservants, cultivate fields and plant crops, burn mountains and forests, harm living beings, having no compassion. Slaves will become bhikshus, maidservants will become bhiksunis, having no morality. They will be lustful, impure, and disorderly, with no distinction between men and women. This will cause the Way to become shallow and weak, all due to such people. Some, fleeing from government officials, will rely on my Way, seeking to become śramaṇas but not observing the precepts. Though they recite precepts on the half-moon and full moon days, they will be tired and lazy, unwilling to listen, skimming through sections, refusing to recite entirely. Sutras will not be studied; even if there are readers, they will not recognize words or phrases, falsely claiming to know them, not consulting enlightened ones. They will be arrogant, seeking fame, falsely displaying elegant demeanor, considering it an honor and hoping for offerings from people. After these demonic bhikshus die, their spirits will fall into the Avici Hell, among the five heinous crimes, through hungry ghosts and animals, enduring innumerable kalpas until their sins are exhausted. Then they will emerge, born in remote lands where the Three Jewels do not exist.
"When the Dharma is about to perish, women will be diligent, constantly performing meritorious deeds; men will be lazy and negligent, not using the Dharma words, seeing śramaṇas as if they were excrement, having no faith. When the Dharma is about to be extinguished, at that moment, all the devas will weep tears. Droughts and floods will be unbalanced, the five grains will not ripen, epidemics will spread, and many will die. People will suffer hardships, government officials will be calculating and unjust, not following reason, everyone yearning for chaos. Evil people will become as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, while good people will be very few, like one or two. Because the kalpa is nearing its end, the sun and moon will turn shorter, human lives will become shorter, with hair turning white at forty. Men will be lustful, exhausting their essence and dying young, perhaps living to sixty. Men's lives will be short, while women's lives will be long, seventy, eighty, ninety, or even reaching one hundred years.
"Great floods will suddenly arise, arriving unexpectedly. Worldly people will not believe, thinking it is normal. All sentient beings and various creatures, regardless of their status, will be submerged and float, eaten by fish and turtles.
"At that time, there will be Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats, driven out by the demonic beings, not participating in their assemblies. The Three Vehicles will enter the mountains, places of merit and virtue, keeping to themselves in tranquility, finding joy in this. Their lives will be prolonged. All devas will protect them. When the moonlight appears in the world, they will meet each other, and together they will revive my Way for fifty-two years. The Śūraṅgama Sutra and Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra will be the first to vanish. The twelve divisions of sutras will soon follow, disappearing completely, no longer manifesting. No words or characters will be seen. The kasayas of the śramaṇas will naturally turn white.
"When my Dharma perishes, it will be like an oil lamp about to go out, its light momentarily flaring brighter before being extinguished – my Dharma's extinction will also be like the extinguishing of a lamp. After this, it will be difficult to enumerate. After such a time, countless tens of thousands of years later, Maitreya will descend into the world to become a Buddha. The world will be at peace, poisonous gases will be eliminated, rain will be harmonious and appropriate, the five grains will flourish, trees will grow tall, people will be eight zhang tall, and all will live eighty-four thousand years. The number of sentient beings to be delivered will be immeasurable."
The Venerable Ananda bowed and spoke to the Buddha, saying, "What shall this sutra be named? How shall it be upheld?"
The Buddha said, "Ananda! This sutra is named 'The Extinction of the Dharma.' Proclaim it to all, and make them understand. Its merits are immeasurable and countless."
The four assemblies of disciples, hearing the sutra, were mournful and sorrowful. All resolved to attain the unsurpassed, sacred, and true Way. They all bowed to the Buddha and departed.
