[395] 1. Seeing many inspiring [bhikkhus], self-developed and well restrained,
the seer of the Paṇḍarasa clan questioned the one named Pussa:[4]
#[1] Po., Ma., Yu.: "Pārāpariyo". [2] Ma., Yu.: "Telakāni". [3] Ma.: "parikittitā".
#[4] "Phussasavhayaṃ".
"Of what desires, of what intent, of what deportment will they be
in the time that is to come? Tell me this, for you are asked."
Hear my words, O seer named Paṇḍarasa;
mark them well with care: I shall declare the future.
Many will be wrathful and bearers of grudges,
given to detraction, obstinate, and crafty;
envious and of divergent doctrines
will they be in the time to come.
Fancying they have understood the Dhamma that is deep,
while ranging only along the bank,
flighty, holding the Dhamma in no esteem,
they will be without respect for one another.
Many dangers will arise
in the world in the time to come;
the dull-witted will defile
this well-taught Dhamma.
Even those void of virtue (sīla), holding forth in the Saṅgha, self-assured,
will become the powerful ones — loud-mouthed and unlearned;
while even those possessed of virtue, holding forth according to the true meaning,
will be the weak ones — scrupulous of heart and seeking nothing.
Silver and gold, fields and grounds,
goats and sheep, slave-women and slave-men —
these the witless will accept
in the time that is to come.
Fools bent on finding fault,
unsettled in the virtues,
they will roam about haughty,
delighting in quarrels, like beasts;
and they will be restless,
wrapped in dark-blue robes —
frauds, unbending, prattlers for gain, horned [with conceit],
they will go about as though they were noble ones.
Their hair sleeked with oil, frivolous,
their eyes painted with collyrium,
wrapped in robes of ivory hue,[1]
they will pass along the carriage-roads.
The deep-dyed ochre robe (kāsāva), banner of the arahants (arahaddhaja),
unrepugnant to the liberated —
this they will loathe,
infatuated with white.
Desirous of gain will they be, slothful, of feeble energy (vīriya);
finding the forest wilds a hardship, they will dwell hard by the villages.
Whoever it is that win gains,
ever delighting in wrong livelihood (micchājīva),
just these will they imitate and follow,[2]
unrestrained as they go;
while those who win no gains
will receive no honour then:
the wise, however amiable —
these they will not then attend upon.
Disparaging their own banner,
dyed with the milakkhu dye,
some will wear the white banner
of the sectarians (titthiya).[3]
Then no reverence for the ochre robe
will there be among them,
and reflection (paṭisaṅkhā) upon the ochre robe
will not exist for the bhikkhus.
Yet to the nāga [elephant], overwhelmed by suffering (dukkha),
pierced by the dart, wracked with pain,
reflection came — inconceivable
amid that great horror:
for Chaddanta, when he then beheld
the deep-dyed banner of the arahants,
straightway the tusker uttered
verses fraught with meaning:
#[1] Po., Ma.: "dantavaṇṇikapārutā". [2] Yu.: "bhajissanti asaṃyatā". [3] Po., Ma.:
#"dhārissanty avadātakaṃ".
"He who, not free of the stain (kasāva),
would wrap himself[1] in the ochre garment,
devoid of self-control and truth —
he is not worthy of the ochre robe;
but he who has cast out the stain,
well composed in the virtues,
endowed with self-control and truth —
he indeed is worthy of the ochre robe."
One of ruined virtue, dull-witted,
unguarded, doing whatever he desires,
his mind (citta) gone astray, devoid of zeal —
he is not worthy of the ochre robe;
but one accomplished in virtue,
free of lust, composed,
white-pure in the intentions of his mind —
he indeed is worthy of the ochre robe.
The restless, puffed-up fool
in whom no virtue is found
merits the white garment;
what shall he do with the ochre robe?
Bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs
of corrupted mind, without deference,
will in the time to come browbeat
the steadfast (tādī), whose minds are filled with loving-kindness (mettā).
Though the elders train them
in the wearing of the robe,
the witless fools will not listen,
unguarded, doing whatever they desire.
Those fools, though thus instructed,
without deference for one another,
will take no heed of their preceptors,
as an unruly colt heeds not the charioteer.
Even so will be the practice
of bhikkhus and of bhikkhunīs
in the course of the future,
when the last time has arrived.
Before it comes upon you,
that great peril of the future,
be easy to admonish, kindly of speech,
respectful of one another;
#[1] Po., Yu.: "paridahissati". Ma.: "paridhassati".
be of minds of loving-kindness and compassionate,
restrained within the virtues,
with energy aroused, resolute,
ever firm in your endeavour.
Seeing heedlessness as peril
and heedfulness as safety,
develop the eightfold path (aṭṭhaṅgika magga) —
[so] they touch the Deathless state.
Pussa the Elder.[1]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.