The Three Ages of Buddhism are three divisions of time following Buddha's passing:[1][2]
Former Day of the Dharma — also known as the "Age of the Right Dharma" (Chinese: 正法; pinyin: Zhèng Fǎ; Japanese: shōbō), the first thousand years (or 500 years) during which the Buddha's disciples are able to uphold the Buddha's teachings;[3]
Middle Day of the Dharma — also known as the "Age of Semblance Dharma" (Chinese: 像法; pinyin: Xiàng Fǎ; Japanese: zōhō), the second thousand years (or 500 years), which only resembles the right Dharma;[4]
Latter Day of the Dharma — also known as "the Degenerate Age of Dharma" (Chinese: 末法; pinyin: Mò Fǎ; Japanese: mappō), which is to last for 10,000 years during which the Dharma declines.[5]
In the Sutra of the Great Assembly (Sanskrit: Maha-Samnipata Sutra; Japanese: Daijuku-kyō), the three periods are further divided into five five-hundred year periods (五五百歳, Chinese: wǔ wǔ bǎi sùi; Japanese: go no gohyaku sai), the fifth and last of which was prophesied to be when the Buddhism of Shakyamuni Buddha would lose all power of salvation and a new Buddha would appear to save the people. This time period would be characterized by unrest, strife, famine, and natural disasters.[6]
The three periods are significant to Mahayana adherents, particularly those who hold the Lotus Sutra in high regard, namely the Tiantai and Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism, who believe that different Buddhist teachings are valid (i.e., able to lead practitioners to enlightenment) in each period due to the different capacity to accept a teaching (機根, Chinese: jīgēn; Japanese: kikon) of the people born in each respective period, as well as pure land practitioners.
Buddhist temporal cosmology assumes a cyclical pattern of ages, and even when the current Buddha's teachings fall into disregard, a new Buddha will at some point (usually considered to be millions of years in the future) be born to ensure the continuity of Buddhism. In the Lotus Sutra, Viśiṣṭacāritra is entrusted to spread Buddhist dharma in this age and save mankind and the earth. He and countless other bodhisattvas, specifically called Bodhisattvas of the Earth (of which he is the leader), vow to be reborn in a latter day to re-create Buddhist dharma, thus turning the degenerate age into a flourishing paradise. Gautama Buddha entrusts them instead of his more commonly known major disciples with this task since the Bodhisattvas of the Earth have had a karmic connection with Gautama Buddha since the beginning of time, meaning that they are aware of the Superior Practice which is the essence of Buddhism or the Dharma in its original, pure form. Kṣitigarbha is also known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds, in the era between the death of Gautama and the rise of Maitreya.[7] Teacher Shavaripa would also live in the world to teach someone.[8]
Teachings of different groups
The teaching appeared early.[9][10] References to the decline of the Dharma over time can be found in such Mahayana sutras as the Diamond Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, but also to a lesser degree in some texts in the Pāli Canon such as the Cullavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka. Nanyue Huisi was an early monk who taught about it; he is considered the third Patriarch of the Tiantai.[11]
The Sanjiejiao was an early sect that taught about Mò Fǎ. It taught to respect every sutra and all sentient life.[12][13]
Pure Land Buddhism in China and Japan believe we are now in this latter age of "degenerate Dharma". Pure Land followers therefore attempt to attain rebirth into the pure land of Amitābha, where they can practice the Dharma more readily.[18][19][20][21][22][23]
Nichiren Buddhism has taught that its teaching is the most suitable for the recent Mò Fǎ period.[24][25]
The Kalacakra tantra contains a prophecy of a holy war in which a Buddhist king will win.
Theravada Buddhists taught that Buddhism would decline in five thousand years.[26][27]
Some monks such as Dōgen and Xuyun had alternative views regarding dharma decline. Dōgen believed that there is no Mò Fǎ while Xuyun thought Mò Fǎ is not inevitable.[28][29]
^Dicks, Andrew (May 2015). Enlightening the Bats: Sound and Place Making in Burmese Buddhist Practice. pp. 25-26 and 32-33. pp 25-26:Many of the Burmese Buddhists I spoke with referenced a five thousand year period of decline noting that the current sāsana of the Buddha Sakyamuni who lived in India during the 5th century BCE, is already half way towards its complete disintegration. As time passes after the death of a Buddha, the sāsana becomes increasingly opaque until it finally disappears. There may be a period with no Buddha, and then a future Buddha descends from the celestial abodes, is born, and restores the sāsana on earth once again. Burmese Buddhist historian, Alicia Turner, has identified multiple chronologies for the decline of the sāsana that range from one hundred to five thousand years (2014). In the time of decay, also known as the Kaliyuga, all traces of the Tipitaka and their supporting practices eventually vanish destabilizing the sāsana and triggering its dissolution. pp 32-33:The Angata vamsa (dating to roughly 13th century) specifically depicts five stages in the decline of the sāsana. The first stage articulates the loss of the ability for monks to reach the four stages of enlightenment: sotapanna (stream-enterer), sakadagami (once-returner), anagami (non-returner), and arahant (fully awakened). The second stage relates the loss of patipatti (practice). In this stage, monks lose the ability to meditate and maintain their precepts. The loss of pariyatti (textual study) is the third stage and depicts the disappearance of the Tipitaka. The fourth stage illustrates the loss of maintaining even appearances of piousness i.e. respectful speech, attire, work, and morals. In this stage, monks no longer behave as monks. They are illustrated as married and working people. The final stage illustrates the disappearance of the Buddha's relics as they are returned to the location of the Buddha's enlightenment and engulfed in flames (ibid.)
^By contrast, refer to Bhikku Bodhi : The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha - A Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi. 2012. p. 1805. cf Note 1747- And this expression 'a thousand years' is said with reference to arahants who have attained the analytic knowledges. Following this, for another thousand years, there appear dry-insight arahants; for another thousand years, non-returners; for another thousand years, once-returners; for another thousand years, stream-enterers. Thus the good Dhamma of penetration will last five thousand years. The Dhamma of learning will also last this long. For without learning, there is no penetration, and as long as there is learning, there is penetration.
Lamotte, Etienne; Webb-Boin Sara, trans. (1988). History of Indian Buddhism: From the origins to the Śaka era. Louvain Paris: Peters Press, pp. 191-202
Marra, Michele (1988). "The development of mappō thought in Japan (I)", Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 15 (1), 25-54. PDF
Marra, Michele (1988). "The development of mappō thought in Japan (II)", Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 15 (4), 287-305. PDF
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