仁王般若經疏 3.172

3.172

所言八十年者，佛滅度後也。佛滅度後一百年中，五師持法各二十年，迦葉、阿難、末田地此三人親見佛化，行法如佛在世，故法不滅。三人逕六十年。第四商那和修、第五優婆毱多，此二師各二十年持法。商那和修當八十年，以不親覩佛化，故威儀法滅也。言八百年者，正證法滅。五百年內，二十五師並是聖人相傳，故證法不滅。六七二百年內，馬鳴、龍樹二人傳法，以弘法人強，故法不滅。八百年中餘人弘法，以人弱故，令法滅也。言八千年者，像末法滅也。由末法眾生好行邪法、惡賤正法，正法不行，故像末二法滅耳。依《涅槃經》像末世有十二萬大菩薩善持我法，我法不滅。前就凡夫，故云滅也。言無佛法僧者，正明法滅，故須付囑。無信男信女者，明前無三寶可歸依，故無生信處。以無信心謗毀三寶，故令不現。第二明所付人中有二：初付囑國王，有威力，護法功強，故先付之；二付四部弟子，此是通付一切眾生，以四部攝眾生盡故。第三明流通利益，內文言為三界眾生開空慧道者，證無所得解，故云開空慧道也。又云：證二無我理，故云開空慧道也。言修七賢行者，即七方便也，一五停心觀、二別想念處、三總想念處、四煖法、五頂法、六忍法、七世第一法。言十善行化一切眾生者，一不殺、二不盜、三不邪婬、四不妄語、五不惡口、六不兩舌、七不綺語、八不貪、九不瞋、十不邪見。以此十行教化眾生，故云十善行化一切眾生。總勸流通竟。

The "eighty years" refers to the time after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa. During the one hundred years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, five masters upheld the Dharma for twenty years each. Kāśyapa, Ānanda, and Madhyāntika—these three persons personally witnessed the Buddha's conversion [of beings], and their practice of the Dharma was just as when the Buddha was in the world; thus the Dharma did not perish. The three persons spanned sixty years. The fourth, Śāṇakavāsin, and the fifth, Upagupta—these two masters each upheld the Dharma for twenty years. Śāṇakavāsin corresponded to the eighty years; because he had not personally beheld the Buddha's conversion [of beings], the rules of deportment perished. What is called "eight hundred years" refers to the decline of the true Dharma of realization. Within five hundred years, twenty-five masters were all holy ones who transmitted it to one another; therefore the realized Dharma did not perish. Within the six hundredth and seven hundredth years, Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna transmitted the Dharma; because those who propagated the Dharma were strong, the Dharma did not perish. In the eight hundredth year other people propagated the Dharma; because the people were weak, they caused the Dharma to perish. What is called "eight thousand years" refers to the decline of the seminal and final Dharma. Because sentient beings in the final Dharma age are fond of practicing wrong dharmas and despise the saddharma, the saddharma is not practiced; thus both the semblance and final Dharmas perish. According to the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, in the semblance and final ages there are one hundred and twenty thousand great bodhisattvas who uphold my Dharma well, and my Dharma does not perish. The former was spoken in terms of ordinary persons, and therefore says 'perish'. What is called 'no Buddha, Dharma, or Saṅgha' directly explains the decline of the Dharma, and therefore it must be entrusted. 'No faithful laymen or laywomen' explains that previously there were no Three Jewels to take refuge in, and therefore no place for faith to arise. Because without faith they slander and destroy the Three Jewels, [the Three Jewels] are made not to manifest. Second, within explaining the persons to whom it is entrusted there are two parts: first, it is entrusted to the kings, who possess majesty and power, and whose merit in protecting the Dharma is strong; hence it is entrusted to them first. Second, it is entrusted to the four groups of disciples; this is a general entrustment to all sentient beings, because the four groups encompass all sentient beings. Third, within explaining the benefits of dissemination, where the text says 'opening the path of empty wisdom for the sentient beings of the three realms', realizing the understanding of aprāptitva is called 'opening the path of empty wisdom'. It is also said: realizing the principle of the two kinds of selflessness is called 'opening the path of empty wisdom'. What is called 'cultivating the practices of the seven worthies' refers to the seven upāyas: first, the fivefold contemplation for stilling the mind; second, mindfulness of specific characteristics; third, mindfulness of general characteristics; fourth, heat; fifth, summit; sixth, patience; seventh, supreme mundane dharmas. What is called 'transforming all sentient beings through the ten good actions' refers to: first, not killing; second, not stealing; third, not engaging in sexual misconduct; fourth, not lying; fifth, not speaking harshly; sixth, not speaking divisively; seventh, not speaking frivolously; eighth, not coveting; ninth, not harboring ill will; tenth, not holding wrong views. Edifying sentient beings with these ten practices is called 'transforming all sentient beings through the ten good actions'. The general exhortation to disseminate is concluded.