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Three Ages of Buddhism

The Three Ages of Buddhism, also known as the Three Ages of the Dharma (simplified Chinese: 三时; traditional Chinese: 三時; pinyin: Sān Shí), are three divisions of time following Shakyamuni Buddha's death and passing into Nirvana in East Asian Buddhism.

For other meanings of "Latter Days", see Latter Days (disambiguation). For other uses of Three Ages, see Three Ages (disambiguation).

Latter Day of the Dharma[edit]

Traditionally, this age is supposed to begin 2000 years after Shakyamuni Buddha's passing and last for 10,000 years or more. Shakyamuni, in the Sutra of the Great Assembly (Jpn. Daijuku-kyō), describes the Latter Day of the Dharma (Jpn. Mappo) as "the age of conflict", when "Quarrels and disputes will arise among the adherents to my teachings, and the Pure Dharma will become obscured and lost." In this evil latter age, when society is disordered, Shakyamuni's Buddhism will lose its power to benefit the people, as people born into the Latter Day of the Dharma, do not have the seed of Buddhahood sown into them.[7][8]


According to the interpretation of Nichiren Buddhism, in the Lotus Sutra (Jpn. Myōhō-Renge-Kyō) Shakyamuni Buddha entrusted the propagation of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Dharma to the Bodhisattva named Superior Practices (Jpn. Jogyo Bosatsu), the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Shakyamuni predicted in the 21st Chapter of the Lotus Sutra (jinriki), that Bodhisattva Jogyo, the ephemeral figure of the Original Buddha, would appear in the Latter Day of the Dharma, dispel the fundamental darkness of all mankind, and lead the people to attain enlightenment.[9]


The Nichiren Shoshu school of Buddhism believes that Nichiren Daishonin is Votary of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Dharma. Shakyamuni declared that the Votary of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Dharma would be "spoken ill of and cursed", "would be wounded by swords and staves and pelted with stones and tiles" and "again and again banished." Nichiren Shoshu states that Nichiren Daishonin's actions matched the prediction that Shakyamuni Buddha taught. They cite the Izu and Sado Exile ("again and again banished") and the Tatsunokuchi Persecution where the government attempted to execute the Daishonin ("wounded by swords and staves") for propagating Myōhō-Renge-Kyō throughout Japan. Thus, the Shoshu states that Nichiren Daishonin proved he was the votary of the Lotus Sutra by "reading the Lotus Sutra with his very life."[10][11]


Furthermore, when viewed from the standpoint of his ephemeral or transient (shaku) identity and his external function, Nichiren Daishonin is defined as the rebirth of Bodhisattva Superior Practices (Jogyo Bosatsu). However, when viewed from the standpoint of his true (hon) identity and his inner realization, Nichiren Daishonin is defined as the Buddha of Intrinsically Perfect Wisdom from the infinite past of kuon-ganjo (kuon-ganjo jijuyu hoshin nyorai). [12]

Teachings of different groups[edit]

The teaching appeared early.[15][16] 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.[17]


The Sanjiejiao was an early sect that taught about Mò Fǎ. It taught to respect every sutra and all sentient life.[18][19]


Late Buddhism in Central Asia taught the building of auspicious signs or miraculous Buddhist images.[20][21][22][23]


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.[24][25][26][27][28][29]


Nichiren Buddhism has taught that its teaching is the most suitable for the recent Mò Fǎ period.[30][31]


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.[32][33]


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.[34][35]


Some Chinese folk religions taught that the three ages were the teaching period of Dīpankara Buddha, Gautama Buddha, and the current era of Maitreya.[36][37][38]

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A Raft from the Other Shore: Honen and the Way of Pure Land Buddhism

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Seeking Enlightenment in the Last Age: "Mappō" Thought in Kamakura Buddhism: PART I

Stone, Jackie (1985). , The Eastern Buddhist New Series, 18, (2), 35-64

Seeking Enlightenment in the Last Age: "Mappō" Thought in Kamakura Buddhism: PART II

Zürcher, Eric (1981). Eschatology and Messianism in Early Chinese Buddhism, Leiden: Leyden Studies in Sinology

The Buddhist Text Translation Society

The Buddha Speaks the Ultimate Extinction of the Dharma Sutra