📖 The book The Buddha Teaches Once More. Part 1: The Mystery of Origins. Chapter 9: The Early Blooming of the Udumbara Flower.
The Udumbara flower first appeared in 1992 in South Korea and has since been seen in many places around the world. This phenomenon is not merely a natural event but a sign of deeper mysteries. Listen as the Venerable Buddha reveals the reason behind the early blooming of the Udumbara flower.
Minh Nguyet: Venerable Buddha, many Buddhists, based on scriptures, believe that the Udumbara flower will bloom only once every 3,000 years, counting from the time Buddha Shakyamuni entered Nirvana. However, it has only been a little over 2,500 years, and yet the Udumbara flower has already bloomed. Could You explain why it has appeared 500 years earlier than expected?
It is true that the Udumbara flower has existed for a long time. Buddha once explained that this is a celestial flower, not an ordinary flower of the human world.
Buddha said that when sentient beings see the Udumbara flower appear in the world, it signifies that a great Wheel-Turning Sage King, a Golden Wheel King, or a Buddha has descended into the world. This flower only manifests due to the immense merit and virtue of that Being, following Him into the world. At present, He has appeared in the South-Central region of Vietnam.
Long ago, Buddha stated that the Udumbara flower blooms once every 3,000 years. He described it as white, with a body as small as a speck of dust. Now, after only about 2,500 years, we have already witnessed its appearance; which means that Buddha has returned to the world nearly 500 years earlier than expected.
This early arrival has its reasons, yet people, despite reading the scriptures, have failed to perceive its true meaning.
Buddhism Exists Only Through Three Eras
In the scriptures, Buddha foretold that His teachings would exist through three distinct periods:
- The Age of True Dharma – 1,000 years: During this period, practitioners can easily attain enlightenment by following His teachings.
- The Age of Semblance Dharma – 1,000 years: Similarly, people can still attain enlightenment, though not as many as in the previous era.
- The Age of Declining Dharma – 1,000 years: In this final period, no one will attain enlightenment, even though Buddhism still exists.
After these three eras, Buddhism will no longer be able to guide anyone to liberation.
Why Did the Udumbara Flower Bloom Early?
The reason for its early blooming traces back to an event in Buddha Shakyamuni’s time, when He permitted the establishment of The Bhikkhuni Sangha.
During a visit to His father, King Śuddhodana, after attaining enlightenment, many recognized that Buddha had realized the ultimate truth. His stepmother, Queen Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī, who raised Him, requested permission to ordain as a nun.
When Buddha left, she and her attendants sought permission from the King to renounce worldly life and follow Buddha’s path. Along with hundreds of palace maidens, she shaved her head, walked barefoot, and requested to join the monastic order.
At first, Buddha refused, believing that it would be difficult for women to attain enlightenment. However, Venerable Ānanda, moved by their devotion, pleaded on their behalf. Eventually, Buddha agreed, but under the condition that the Bhikkhuni Sangha follow stricter precepts than the male monastic order. They accepted these conditions and devoted themselves to practice.
Later, Buddha declared that because of the establishment of the Bhikkhuni Sangha, the Age of True Dharma would be shortened from 1,000 years to 500 years, meaning:
- True Dharma: 500 years
- Semblance Dharma: 1,000 years
- Declining Dharma: 1,000 years
It is important to understand that the Age of Declining Dharma means that Buddhism still exists but can no longer guide beings toward enlightenment; its influence becomes purely symbolic. To learn more, one can study the Sūtra of the Extinction of the Dharma.
Despite the stricter precepts and hardships, Bhikkhuni Sangha cultivated diligently and excelled in spiritual practice. Their perseverance and exceptional discipline accelerated the timeline of the Dharma’s decline. Because of this earlier transition, the Wheel-Turning Sage King has now appeared nearly 500 years earlier than Buddha originally predicted.
Minh Nguyet: I humbly express my gratitude to You for revealing the true cause behind this phenomenon. So, Buddha has indeed returned to this world, and that is why the Udumbara flower has bloomed early. Around my area, I have seen many of these flowers blossoming.
When reading scriptures, one must truly understand them.
- For Theravāda Buddhist scriptures, they should be interpreted literally.
- For Mahāyāna Buddhist texts, they should be understood symbolically, requiring the practitioner to use reasoning and contemplation.
Remember, this time, the Wheel-Turning Sage King is none other than Buddha Shakyamuni Himself. When He established Buddhism, He concealed many profound truths within the scriptures, using metaphorical imagery.
Notably, the Lotus Sutra holds even deeper cosmic secrets, which cannot be fully understood by ordinary beings. The one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it; therefore, He has returned to the world to reveal these hidden truths.
Conclusion:
Due to the establishment of the Bhikkhuni Sangha, the Age of True Dharma was shortened to only 500 years, leading to the early blooming of the Udumbara flower.
At present, He has manifested in the world and is revealing the hidden mysteries contained within Buddhist scriptures and the Prophecies in Sấm Trạng, the Vietnamese Oracular Texts.
