What happens when morality begins to fade?
In the time of the Buddha, King Pasenadi of Kosala saw sixteen dreams that deeply troubled him
The Buddha explained the meaning of each as signs of future moral decline.
Let us explore these dreams and reflect on what they may reveal about the dangers that lie ahead
1st Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, one of the dreams I saw is as follows:
From the four directions, four mighty black bulls—dark as collyrium—came thundering into the royal courtyard, bellowing fiercely, clearly intent on fighting.
A great crowd had gathered to witness the fight. The bulls pawed the ground and roared as if preparing for a fierce battle. Yet in the end, they did not fight; instead, they turned and went away.
Bhante, this was the first dream I saw. What is the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
“Great King, this dream will not bear its result in your time or in mine. In the future, there will come a time when rulers are weak and unrighteous, and the people, too, will be immoral. Because of their actions, goodness in the world will decline, and evil will flourish.
During such a time, rain will not fall in due season, clouds will vanish, crops will wither, and drought will spread across the land. Then, suddenly, from all four directions, great clouds will appear in the sky. Women will hurriedly gather the rice they had laid out to dry in the sun. Men will seize their spades and rush to prepare the fields and strengthen the embankments to collect water. The sky will darken, lightning will flash, thunder will rumble—yet no rain will fall. The clouds will pass, and the drought will continue.
Just like the four great bulls that came charging from the four directions, only to roar and paw the earth before turning away without fighting, so too will the clouds show signs of rain, but yield nothing. This, Great King, is the meaning of your dream. This is something that will happen in the future.
2nd Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, this is the second dream I saw.
Bhante, there were tiny trees that had broken through the earth
and grown upward — only about the height of a span or a cubit.
Yet, they had well-blossomed flowers and were bearing fruit.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this is something that will happen in the future, at a time when people are declining — a time when the human lifespan is decreasing.
In that era, those who are born will be possessed of strong lust. Young girls will marry before reaching maturity. They will give birth at a very young age.
Their coming of age will be like small trees beginning to bloom early. Their bearing children will be like those small trees producing fruit.
Great King, there is nothing for you to fear in this matter.
3rd Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, in the third dream I saw, cows were drinking
milk from their own calves born that very day.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great king, in the future, beings will lead their own family lives and will not take care of their parents or their parents-in-law. They will no longer be willing to offer even a little food to the elderly.
Then, those elders, helpless & dependent, have to live by trying to please their own children. It will be like cows drinking the milk of their own newborn calves.
There is nothing for you to fear from this dream.
4th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the fourth dream that I saw was this.
There were large, strong oxen, well-built and fully capable of bearing heavy loads. However, it was the young oxen that were yoked to the carts.
They were too weak to pull the carts. The carts remained at a standstill.
Bhante, what is the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
This is also a dream about the future. In the future, there will be a period of unrighteous and weak rulers. Positions of authority will not be given to ministers who have skills gained through generations and the ability to resolve critical problems.
Ministers, advanced in age and skilled in decision-making and judgment, will not be appointed to proper posts. Instead, positions of authority will be given to young people with misguided views. Those who do not understand what should and should not be done will disrupt the affairs of the state. Because of their incompetence, necessary duties will be neglected.
Even the wise ministers will fail to do what needs to be done, thinking, “We are of no use to them anymore. We are outsiders now. The ones inside will know what needs to be done.”
In this way, the state will be harmed from all sides. It is like yoking weak calves, unable to bear weight, to the cart, while leaving aside the strong, capable oxen who have the strength to carry
the load.
Great King, there is nothing for you to fear regarding this.
5th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, in the fifth dream,
I saw a horse with mouths on both sides. It was given grain on both sides, and it ate from both sides.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this dream, too, is about a future time of unrighteous rulers.
In the future, such rulers will appoint greedy people, driven by craving, to positions where decisions are made. They have no regard for merit or demerit.
Those foolish men, who have no compassion for the people, will take bribes from both sides when making decisions. It is just like a horse with two mouths eating grain from both sides.
Great King, there is nothing for you to fear regarding this.
6th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the sixth dream I saw was this.
There was a golden vessel worth a hundred thousand, shining brightly. That golden vessel was given to a worthless jackal, saying, ‘Urinate in this.’
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this too is a dream that will bear its result in the future.
In the future, unrighteous rulers, foreign in origin, will favor outsiders and will not give positions to the well-born sons of the land. The native people of the land will fall into suffering, while those of lesser standing will become wealthy.
Having no means of livelihood, those from the native population will think, ‘Through these people we can survive,’ and will give their daughters to those of other groups. The union of those outsiders with the daughters of noble families will be like worthless jackals urinating into a golden vessel.
Great King, there is nothing for you to fear from this.
7th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the seventh dream I saw was this.
A man was twisting a rope. As he twisted it, he placed the rope at his feet. Under the seat on which he was sitting, there was a hungry and thirsty female jackal. Without his knowledge, the jackal was eating that rope.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this too is about something that will occur in the future.
In the future, women will be given to sensual pleasures. They will be attached to men, fond of intoxicants, fond of wandering about, and attached to wealth. They will be unvirtuous. They will have no regard for family traditions. Their husbands, striving with difficulty, will protect and sustain the household, working and gathering wealth.
But those women, thinking only of their lovers, will take that wealth and even pound and cook the seed grain kept for the next day’s sowing, thereby destroying it. It is just like the hungry and thirsty jackal sitting beneath the seat, eating the rope that the man twists and places at his feet.
Great King, there is nothing for you to fear from this.
8th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the eighth dream I saw was this.
At the gate of the royal palace, there was a large water vessel surrounded by many empty vessels. That large vessel was already full of water. Yet, people from all castes—khattiyas, brahmins, merchants, & workers—came from the four directions, brought water, and poured it again and again into that vessel which was already full. The water kept overflowing and spilling away. Still, they continued to fill that same vessel again & again. No one paid any attention to the empty vessels.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this dream too is about the future.
In the future, the world will decline, and the vitality of the land will fade. Kings will become very poor. At that time, even the wealthy will have only a small amount of wealth remaining. The people, afflicted by hardship, will abandon the livelihoods they had carried on in their own regions.
They will come to serve the king and will work in fields and estates belonging to the king. They will labor in the sugarcane fields and in the flower and fruit gardens, filling the king’s storehouses.
Meanwhile, the storehouses in their own homes will become empty, and no one will even look after them. It is just like bringing more and more water to fill a vessel that is already full.
Great King, there is danger for you from this dream.
9th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the ninth dream I saw was this.
There was a deep pond with many access points on all sides, and lotuses in five colors were in bloom. Creatures of two legs and four legs came from all around and drank water from that pond.
The water in the deep middle of the pond was stirred up and muddy, but at the places where those creatures entered and drank, the water was clear, settled, and undisturbed.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this too is a dream that concerns the future.
In the future, rulers will become unrighteous. They will be overcome by desire, ill will, fear, and delusion. They will not make fair decisions. They will be deceitful and greedy for wealth. They will lack patience, compassion, and loving-kindness towards citizens.
Just as sugarcane is crushed in a press to extract its juice, so will they oppress the people, imposing tax upon tax and draining their wealth. Burdened by taxes, people will be unable to pay and will abandon their villages and go away to foreign lands.
The towns and countryside will become deserted. It will be like the pond, where the water in the middle is disturbed, while the water around the edges remains calm.
Great King, there is no danger to you from this dream.
10th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the tenth dream I saw was this.
I saw rice being cooked in a pot. Thinking that it was cooked, I opened the pot and looked. It was as if it had been divided into three parts: in one part, it was overcooked and mushy; in another part, the rice was still raw; and in another part, it was properly cooked.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this dream too concerns the future.
In the future, rulers will become unrighteous. Because of such unrighteous rulers, ministers and officials, brahmins and householders, and those living in towns and villages, as well as ascetics and brahmins, will all become unrighteous. Even the guardian deities who receive offerings, the tree- deities, and the deities of the sky and rain will become unrighteous. Even the winds that blow through such a kingdom will become harsh and uneven. By those rough winds, the celestial mansions of the gods will be shaken, and the gods will become angered.
Then the rains will not fall in due season. Even when rain falls, it will not fall evenly across the land, nor will it fall in a way that benefits the fields and crops. If it rains in the upper regions, it will not rain in the lower; if it rains in the lower regions, it will not rain in the upper. In one region, excessive rain will destroy the crops; in another, drought will destroy them; while in yet another region, the crops alone will flourish.
It will be like a single pot of rice cooked in three different ways.
Great King, there is no danger to you from this dream.
11th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the eleventh dream I saw was this.
There was a piece of fine sandalwood worth a hundred thousand, of great value. But it was sold in exchange for a lump of rotten buttermilk.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, in the future there will arise shameless monks who are fond of gain, honor, and praise.
The Dhamma taught by the Buddha to restrain the desire for gain and honor will instead be preached by them for the sake of gain and honor. They will not be able to teach the Dhamma in a way that leads to liberation from suffering. Instead, they will just recite Buddhas teachings
in a pleasant voice.
Those who hear them will offer valuable requisites and will develop a desire to give such offerings. They will begin to preach the Dhamma in public places and royal courts for the sake of money.
In this way, the Dhamma taught by the Buddhas for the sake of Nibbana will be sold for the sake of material gain, just like a piece of sandalwood worth a hundred thousand being sold for the price of rotten buttermilk.
Therefore, Great King, there is no danger to you from this dream.
12th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the twelfth dream I saw was this.
I saw empty gourds sinking in water.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?”
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, in the future, unrighteous rulers will arise. They will not appoint worthy and well-born men to positions, but will instead give offices to the unworthy. Others will fall into poverty.
In the presence of the king, at the palace gate, in the council of ministers, and in the courts of justice, unworthy persons, like empty gourds, will put forward their views and have them accepted and established.
Even among the Sangha, in its affairs and in assemblies where decisions are made, the words of immoral and corrupt individuals will be accepted as if they were noble, while virtuous and well-conducted monks will be disregarded and cast aside. Just as empty gourds sink beneath the water, so too will the views of such immoral persons prevail.
Great King, this brings no danger to you.
13th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the thirteenth dream I saw was this.
I saw very large blocks of stone, as big as houses, floating on the water like boats.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this too is a dream that concerns the future.
In the future, rulers will become unrighteous.
They will appoint the unworthy to positions of ministers, while the worthy will be pushed aside and live in poverty. In the presence of the king, before ministers, and even in courts, the words of important people, who are like great blocks of stone, will be disregarded and cast aside. They will even be treated with ridicule.
Even when monks assemble, it will be the same. Virtuous and well conducted monks will not be respected, and their words will be mocked. It will be like large stones floating on water.
Great King, there is no danger to you from this dream.
14th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the fourteenth dream I saw was this.
There were small frogs, like tiny flower buds. They chased after large, fierce, and venomous serpents, and, like breaking lotus stalks, tore them apart and swallowed pieces of their flesh.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this too is a dream about the future.
In the future, the world will decline. At that time, people will be overcome by intense sensual desire. Being enslaved by defilements, they will take very young girls as wives.
Those women will bring under their control servants, workers, cattle and buffaloes, as well as wealth such as gold and silver. When their husbands ask, ‘Where is such-and-such gold and silver? Where is that wealth?’ they will reply harshly, saying, ‘It is wherever it is—what is it to you?’
In such ways, they will keep them subdued with harsh and abusive words. It is like tiny frogs chasing after great serpents, tearing them apart and devouring them.
Great King, from this, there is no fear for you.
15th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the fifteenth dream I saw was this.
There was a crow, possessed of ten kinds of unwholesome qualities, feeding on refuse in the village. A group of golden-colored swans was seen surrounding that crow.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this too is a dream concerning the future.
In the future, weak rulers will arise. They will not be skilled in governance, nor in matters of industry, nor in warfare.
Thinking that if they appoint capable and powerful men it may become a threat to their rule, they will instead give high positions to low and unworthy persons—those who bow at their feet and agree with everything they say, such as footmen, bath-attendants and barbers.
Then, those of noble lineage and royal families, though possessing ability, will have no means of livelihood and will live by serving those inferior individuals.
It will be like golden swans surrounding a crow.
Great King, there is no danger to you from this dream.
16th Dream
Pasenadi of Kosala:
Bhante, the sixteenth dream I saw was this.
In the past, it was tigers that preyed upon goats. But I saw the opposite of that.
Goats were chasing after tigers. They caught them and, with a crunching sound, devoured them.
Seeing the goats even from afar, the tigers, overcome by fear, fled and hid in the bushes of the forest.
Bhante, what will be the result of this dream?
Supreme Buddha:
Great King, this dream is also related to the future.
In the future, unrighteous rulers will come to power. During their time, unsuitable people will be appointed to positions of authority, while those with suitable qualifications will not be recognised. They will fall into poverty. Then, those unsuitable people, using the power of their offices, will lay claim to and seize lands which were inherited by noble families throughout generations. Even when the rightful owners seek justice through legal means, they will be beaten, dragged out, threatened, and driven away. They will be silenced with threats of imprisonment and even of having their limbs cut off. The true owners will hand over their possessions and live in fear.
At that time, immoral monks will harass virtuous and well-conducted monks. Receiving no support from monks in authority, the virtuous monks will go to forests and remote places and live in seclusion.
In this way, good people, oppressed by inferior and unworthy individuals, will withdraw and live in hiding.
It is like tigers fleeing and hiding, frightened at the sight of goats.
Great King, from this dream too there is no fear for you.