金剛般若經贊述 1.155

1.155

後五百歲者，謂釋迦滅後，正法五百年，像法一千年，末法一萬年。未度比丘尼已前時，正法一千年也。然法有三種，謂教、行、證法，於中正法住時三種有；像法住時，而無證法，更不得果，故但有教、行，像似於正法時，故名像也；於末法時，唯教法而無行、證，設有持戒、修行者，多為名聞利養故。今言後者，即是第三五百年後，正法滅時也，故《能斷》云正行滅時也。又《月藏經》說，佛滅度後第一五百年解脫堅固，謂修行者多分竝得解脫出離故；第二五百年，禪定堅固，謂修行者多分得禪，不得聖故；第三五百年，多聞堅固，謂多因經論博達多智故；第四五百年，福德堅固，謂多福德，造塔寺等故；第五五百年，鬪諍堅固。今言後五百年者，謂於五時中皆有持戒、修福等也，謂於後五百年有具戒、定、慧者，於無相因果經教中能生淨信心，起隨順智以為實相也。

As for "the final five hundred years," this refers to the period after Śākyamuni's parinirvāṇa: the correct Dharma lasts five hundred years, the counterfeit Dharma one thousand years, and the final Dharma ten thousand years. (Prior to the ordination of bhikṣuṇīs, the correct Dharma was to last one thousand years.) Now, the Dharma is of three kinds: teaching, practice, and realization. During the abiding of the correct Dharma, all three kinds are present. During the abiding of the counterfeit Dharma, there is no realization and no further attainment of the fruits; thus there are only teaching and practice, which merely resemble the period of the correct Dharma, hence it is named "counterfeit." During the final Dharma, there is only the teaching, while practice and realization are absent; even if there are those who uphold the precepts and engage in practice, it is mostly for fame and gain. What is called "final" here refers to the time after the third five-hundred-year period, when the correct Dharma has perished; hence the Vajracchedikā [of Xuanzang] says, "at the time when the correct practice has perished." Furthermore, the Candragarbhasūtra states: In the first five hundred years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa, liberation is firm, meaning that most practitioners attain liberation and deliverance; in the second five hundred years, dhyāna-concentration is firm, meaning that most practitioners attain dhyāna but do not attain noble [fruition]; in the third five hundred years, extensive learning is firm, meaning that many become broadly versed and richly wise through sūtras and treatises; in the fourth five hundred years, merit is firm, meaning that merit is abundant through building stūpas, monasteries, and the like; in the fifth five hundred years, strife is firm. Now, stating "the final five hundred years" means that throughout all five periods there are those who uphold the precepts, cultivate merit, and so on; it means that in the final five hundred years there will be those possessing morality, concentration, and wisdom who, regarding the sūtra teachings on markless cause and effect, can give rise to pure faith and engender conforming wisdom, taking it to be the true mark.