[48] Bhikkhus, when human beings have a lifespan of eighty thousand years, girls of five hundred years will be marriageable. Bhikkhus, when human beings have a lifespan of eighty thousand years, there will be three afflictions: desire, going without food, and old age. Bhikkhus, when human beings have a lifespan of eighty thousand years, this Jambudīpa will be prosperous and flourishing, its villages, towns, and royal capitals but a cock's flight apart. Bhikkhus, when human beings have a lifespan of eighty thousand years, this Jambudīpa, one would think it Avīci, will be thronged with human beings, just like a thicket of reeds or a grove of sāra trees.
Bhikkhus, when human beings have a lifespan of eighty thousand years, this Bārāṇasī will be a royal capital named Ketumatī—prosperous, flourishing, populous, crowded with people, and abundant in food. Bhikkhus, when human beings have a lifespan of eighty thousand years, in this Jambudīpa there will be eighty-four thousand cities, with Ketumatī the royal capital foremost among them.
Bhikkhus, when human beings have a lifespan of eighty thousand years, in the royal capital Ketumatī there will arise a king named Saṅkha, a wheel-turning monarch (cakkavatti), righteous, a king of Dhamma, lord of the four quarters, victorious, having attained stability in his realm, endowed with the seven treasures. These seven treasures will be his, namely: the wheel-treasure, the elephant-treasure, the horse-treasure, the gem-treasure, the woman-treasure, the householder-treasure, and the counselor-treasure as the seventh. He will have more than a thousand sons—brave, of heroic form, crushers of hostile armies. Having conquered this earth bounded by the ocean without rod, without sword, by Dhamma, he will dwell over it.
Bhikkhus, when human beings have a lifespan of eighty thousand years, the Blessed One named Metteyya will arise in the world—an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge (vijjā) and conduct, a Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, an Enlightened One, a Blessed One—just as I have now arisen in the world, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, a Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, an Enlightened One, a Blessed One. He will make known this world—with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans—having realized it himself with direct knowledge, just as I now make known this world—with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans—having realized it myself with direct knowledge. He will teach the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with its meaning and its phrasing; he will proclaim the holy life entirely complete and pure, just as I now teach the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with its meaning and its phrasing, and proclaim the holy life entirely complete and pure. He will lead a Saṅgha of bhikkhus numbering many thousands, just as I now lead a Saṅgha of bhikkhus numbering many hundreds.
Then, bhikkhus, the king named Saṅkha will raise up the palace (yūpa) that was caused to be built by King Mahāpanāda; and having dwelt therein, having relinquished it, having given gifts to ascetics and brahmins, to the destitute, wayfarers, mendicants, and beggars, he will shave off his hair and beard, don the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness in the presence of the Blessed One Metteyya, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. Having thus gone forth, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent (ātāpī), and resolute, before long he will, in this very life, realize for himself with direct knowledge that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, he will dwell therein.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.