仁王般若經疏 3.172

3.172

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.