金剛經纂要刊定記 4.164

4.164

皆如例者。須有五百歲及牢固之言。牢固者。人多相襲，決定不捨也。然此但就增勝說之，非不相通。如佛滅後二百年內，育王造塔，豈局第四耶？又《菩薩藏經》云：「後五百歲，無量善人修禪定、解脫、多聞，豈唯一二三耶！」今經云：「後五百歲」，即此時也。雖當鬪諍之代，亦有戒德之人，是知五種牢固但約增勝而說。

Regarding "all follow the same pattern": there must be the words "five hundred years" and "firmness." Regarding "firmness": many people follow one another and are determined not to abandon it. However, this is spoken merely in terms of predominance, not that they do not interpenetrate. For example, within two hundred years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa, King Aśoka built stūpas; how could this be restricted to the fourth [period]? Furthermore, the Bodhisattvapiṭaka Sūtra states: "In the final five hundred years, immeasurable good people cultivate meditative concentration, liberation, and great learning; how could it be only the first, second, or third?" The present sūtra states, "in the final five hundred years," which is precisely this time. Although it corresponds to the age of conflict, there are also people of moral virtue; thus we know the five kinds of firmness are spoken of merely in terms of predominance.