“Venerable Lord, this morning I had 16 strange dreams. It was a dream that caused
indescribable fear,” King Pasenadi told the Buddha about all his dreams.

“And what do you think about them, Your Majesty?” the Buddha asked after King
Pasenadi finished recounting.

“I have no opinion, because it was such a bizarre dream that I can remember every
detail accurately. Then I told the Brahmins who are skilled in divination. They said it
was an ominous sign that would befall me and my city. I must avert it with four types of
sacrifices, using a hundred birds, a hundred four-legged animals, a hundred aquatic
animals, and a hundred amphibians. They said I must perform the sacrificial rites as
soon as possible. But because it is currently a time of hardship, with famine and
scarcity, those animals are hard to find. Therefore, I thought of the Venerable Lord. You
are the greatest in both the human and heavenly worlds. You are the greatest from the
past to the present and into the future. You should have a way to help me avert this
misfortune,” King Pasenadi explained his concerns to the Buddha in detail.

“Listen, Your Majesty, it is true that these dreams are omens, but all these evil events
will not happen in your time. They will happen in the future. Please abandon those
sacrificial rites. Abandon the killing that will taint your own life and the lives of others.
Because your dreams this time are omens for people in the future, when the world
element turns into the ultimate decay. When the rulers of the country are not moral,
when the ministers and officials are not moral, when the common people are not
moral, and when the monks, ascetics, Brahmins are not moral, that will be the day of
judgment. All your dreams are a signal for the people of the world to realize that it is
time to do something. Like the four dark, raging bulls, poised to charge at each other,
but they are waiting for the new decision of the people of the world at that time, so
they have not yet charged,” the Buddha said with a slight smile, his voice so gentle that
King Pasenadi felt relieved.

“Oh… I feel as relieved as if a mountain has been lifted from my chest. Then what do all
the remaining images mean?” King Pasenadi expressed his feeling and asked further.

“All that remains will be images of various events that are warning signs of whether the
time for those events has come.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of ethics, when all human beings
openly accept evil deeds, when the royal attendants who receive gold coins from their
lord go on to receive bribes to benefit outsiders, that is the time of the great
catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you saw a noble horse with two mouths,
able to eat the grass fed to it from both sides.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of lust and sexual desire, when
all human beings have no shame for sin, copulating indiscriminately in secret and in
public, living in indulgence and infatuation with sensual pleasures, copulating even with young children, that is the time of the great catastrophe to come.

Like your dream where you saw trees only a span high but full of flowers and fruits
hanging down to the ground.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of governance, when
incompetent people are appointed to administer the country, when foolish, ignorant,
and inexperienced people are chosen to administer the country, that is the time of the
great catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you saw someone trying to yoke
young bulls to a cart, but they stubbornly refuse to pull.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of human dignity, when all
human beings see wrong as right, praise evildoers, when mothers willingly support
their children to earn a living as prostitutes so that they themselves can live
comfortably, that is the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like your dream where
you saw a large cow suckling from the udder of a young calf.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of the mind, when humans don’t
value goodness but value physical appearance and external ornaments, when wives
take the money their husbands work hard for to indulge their lovers, that is the time of
the great catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you saw a man sitting and
weaving a rope from vines on a seat, but under the seat, a vixen is gnawing at the rope.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of morality, when rulers lack
wisdom, don’t value knowledgeable and capable people, don’t value virtuous people,
but reward and praise the deceitful and dishonest, when good people face hardship
and are ignored, while the wicked rule the country, that is the time of the great
catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you saw a rich man using a golden tray to
catch the excrement and urine of a wild fox.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of virtue, when the laws of the
country lose their sanctity, society is filled with injustice, lawbreakers roam free
because they have many followers and much wealth, virtuous people flee to the
countryside, leaving the country with only groups conspiring to cheat and exploit, that
is the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you saw a large
pond with a herd of animals drinking water, but instead of the water being muddy
where the animals drink, it is clear, while the middle of the pond, which should be clear,
is muddy.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of living conditions, extreme
exploitation occurs, when the majority of people fall into poverty, without even food to
survive, when a small group of people has immense wealth, when the wealthy exploit
the poor, that is the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you
saw a crowd of people pouring water into a full jar again and again until it overflows,
but the empty jar has not a drop of water.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of honor, when wicked monks
rise to power, monks who profit from belief, using various tricks to make people
infatuated with merit, when monks who practice well and virtuously are ignored and have to retreat, when good and noble people are seen as worthless, while foolish and
ignorant people rule the country, that is the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like
your dream where you saw a flock of sheep attacking and devouring the flesh of a
tiger.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of dignity, when those in power
are infatuated with lust, when society favors having young wives, who can be
capricious, and whatever they say, their old husbands will agree, just to enjoy their
youth, that is the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you
saw a swarm of frogs chasing and devouring the flesh of a cobra.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of intellect, when the rulers of
the country do not come from scholars, without virtue in their hearts, they will appoint
deceitful and dishonest people to power, when good and virtuous people, intelligent
people, fall into hardship, that is the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like your
dream where you saw golden swans digging for food on the ground, with a crow
perched on a branch above those golden swans.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of art and science, when the
words of scholars who are profound in worldly and spiritual knowledge are seen as
meaningless and worthless, that is the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like your
dream where you saw a dry gourd sinking in water.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of the conscience of
distinguishing right from wrong, when the words of rude, obscene, and vulgar people
are praised, become popular with the masses, become famous and respected, that is
the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you saw a large rock
floating on water.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of religion, when the religion of
the Tathagata declines, when monks do not show people the way to be free from
suffering, do not show the way to become a radiant mind, when monks show the
Dharma for gain, fame, and praise from the masses, that is the time of the great
catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you saw people exchanging expensive
sandalwood for rotten vines.”

“When the world turns to the ultimate decay in terms of the environment, when the
world turns to abnormality and perversity, when in one day there is sun, rain, and cold,
when in one province there is abundant water, floods, and drought, when in one
province there is a pleasant breeze, scorching heat, and storms that destroy houses,
that is the time of the great catastrophe to come. Like your dream where you saw a pot
of rice that was cooked with both raw rice, mushy rice, and perfectly cooked rice.”

“Listen, Your Majesty, all that the Tathagata has told you is a message from the great
god intended to pass on to you, so that the people of that time would be aware of the
danger that will occur in the future, the day when our world turns into the ultimate
decay. Please do not worry. Please abandon the idea of performing those sacrificial
rites,” the Buddha said.

“A message from the great god? Who is this great god, and why did he send it to me?”
King Pasenadi said.

“You don’t need to know who the great god is, because that is not the crucial point. But
please know one thing: you are one of those who will participate in this future event.
Therefore, the great god intentionally sent this message to you,” the Buddha said.

“Does that mean I will have to be born in that era of decay?” King Pasenadi asked.
“That depends on your choice, Your Majesty,” the Buddha replied.

“I definitely won’t choose that. I desire not to be reborn. This life will be my last,” King
Pasenadi said.

“You don’t have to choose at this moment. When the time for the choice comes, Your
Majesty can decide again,” the Buddha said.

“Even so, I will not choose to be born in that era,” King Pasenadi insisted.

“This is your dream, which means it is your future mind, inspired by the great god. You
must be one of those who will be in that event,” the Buddha affirmed.