📖 The book The Buddha Teaches Once More. Part 1: The Mystery of Origins. Chapter 8: The Wheel-Turning Sage King
During the Age of Declining Dharma in Buddhism, we will witness the arrival of the Wheel-Turning Sage King, an event closely linked to the prophecy of the Udumbara Flower’s blooming. Let us explore this discourse to uncover the important revelations about His appearance.
Minh Nguyet: Venerable Buddha, Buddhist scriptures have mentioned the coming of the Wheel-Turning Sage King. May I ask: Who is He, and what is the purpose of His descent into the world?
He is God the Almighty, who has now incarnated into the human world.
Five hundred years ago, a revered figure known as Bạch Vân am cư sĩ (the Hermit of White Clouds), also known as Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm (Trạng Trình), left behind prophetic verses about the arrival of the Wheel-Turning Sage King.
To learn about His birthplace and identity, you should study the Prophecies in Sấm Trạng, the Vietnamese Oracular Texts.
One such prophecy describes His place of birth:
Có đất sinh thánh bên kia cuối làng
Nhìn đi nhìn lại cho tường
Dường như chửa có sinh vương đâu là
Chảng tìm thì đến bình gia
Thánh chưa sinh thánh báo ca địa bình
Nhìn xem phong cảnh cũng xinh
Tả long triều lại có thành đợt vây
Hữu hổ uấn khúc giang này
Minh Ðường thất diệu trước bày mặt tai
Ở xa thấy một con voi
Cúi đầu quen bụi trông vời hồ sâu
Ấy điềm thiên tử về chầu
Tượng trưng đế thánh tô lâu trị đờithe Prophecies in Sấm Trạng
I will now explain each line of this prophecy so that you may understand the revelations that Trạng Trình (Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm) foresaw 500 years ago.
| Sấm Trạng | Interpretation |
| Tìm lên đến thạch bàn khê | This refers to seeking the sacred land, a place abundant with rocks, mountains, and streams. |
| Có đất sinh thánh bên kia cuối làng | There are two villages: Cà Ná and Thương Diêm. Thương Diêm is located at the village’s far end, and this is where the Sage King is “born”. |
| Nhìn đi nhìn lại cho tường | One must observe carefully and examine the surroundings thoroughly. |
| Dường như chửa có sinh vương đâu là | Though one looks, no sign of the Sage King is apparent, leading to the assumption that He has not yet appeared. |
| Chảng tìm thì đến bình gia | There is a flat house, and from below, one can look up to see it. |
| Thánh chưa sinh thánh báo ca địa bình | It is sacred land, yet the Sage is not yet visibly present. |
| Nhìn xem phong cảnh cũng xinh | The surrounding landscape is picturesque. |
| Tả long triều lại có thành đợt vây | To the left of the flat house, there is a playground. |
| Hữu hổ uấn khúc giang này | To the right of that house, there is a flowing stream. |
| Minh Ðường thất diệu trước bày mặt tai | This location features a water canal and a communal village temple situated beside each other. |
| Ở xa thấy một con voi | When looking far out, an island can be seen. This island is where Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is said to reside. |
Hidden Name of the Wheel-Turning Sage King in Sấm Trạng
Below are six prophetic verses from Sấm Trạng that conceal the name of the Wheel-Turning Sage King:
Phong điều vũ thuận thú rày an dân
Phong đăng hòa cốc chứa chang
Vua ở trên ngàn có ngũ sắc mây
Chính cung phương khảm vần mây
Thực thay thiên tử là nay trị đờithe Prophecies in Sấm Trạng
These prophetic lines must be decoded in order to reveal the hidden name of the Wheel-Turning Sage King, which has been encrypted within them.
| Sấm Trạng | Interpretation |
| Vua còn cuốc nguyệt cày mây | Cuốc → Quốc: This is His middle name. “Nguyệt cày mây” (The moon plows through the clouds): His surname could be Huỳnh or Hoàng, as the moon passing beneath the clouds creates a golden light. |
| Phong điều vũ thuận thú rày an dân | He has a gentle nature and does not engage in worldly conflicts. |
| Phong đăng hòa cốc chứa chang | Awaiting the divine harvest of the Heavenly Plan. |
| Vua ở trên ngàn có ngũ sắc mây | The place where He resides is filled with multicolored flowers. |
| Chính cung phương khảm vần mây | In this region, there will be a central palace governing the world, concealed by clouds, making it unseen to the ordinary eye. |
By taking the first word of each prophetic line, we obtain the following sequence:
| Vua | Phong | Phong | Vua | Chính | Thực |
When read together, these words form the phrase: “Chính Thực Vua Phong“
This phrase can be understood as “Truly, the King is Phong“, indicating that His name is Phong.
The Purpose of His Descent into the World
He has descended into the world to awaken the Buddha-nature within sentient beings, reveal the true origin of humanity, and restore order amid chaos, aiming to eradicate the negative traits of humankind during the Age of Declining Dharma. From this transformation, He will lead humanity into the Era of Sacred Virtue, where righteousness and goodness flourish.
Alongside Him, Maitreya Buddha will also appear with the mission of enlightening sentient beings and leading the Third Universal Salvation. This signifies that in the future, the Dharma of Maitreya Buddha will replace the Dharma of Buddha Shakyamuni.
It is essential to fully understand that the Wheel-Turning Sage King consists of two figures:
- The Father Sage King – Shakyamuni Buddha
- The Son Sage King – Maitreya Buddha
During the transition period, the Father Sage King will gradually pass down His responsibility to the Son Sage King, marking the continuation and evolution of the Dharma in this new era.
