[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [釋淨土群疑論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1960) › 3.8 # 釋淨土群疑論 3.8 釋淨土群疑論 3.8 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1960.3.8) 問曰：《大集月藏分》言「佛滅度後第一五百年，我諸弟子學慧得堅固。第二五百年，學定得堅固。第三五百年，我諸弟子學慧多聞得堅固。第四五百年，造立塔寺得堅固。第五五百年，白法隱滯多有諍訟，微有善法得堅固。」今勸修十六觀及念佛三昧，此並是定慧法，只應合初二五百年中修學此法，何因今日勸修學耶？今三階學者多引此文，證第三五百年已後不合學定。何因今勸學修十六觀及念佛三昧也？ > Question: The Candragarbha section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra states: 'In the first five hundred years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa, my disciples will be firm in learning wisdom. In the second five hundred years, they will be firm in learning meditation. In the third five hundred years, my disciples will be firm in learning wisdom and extensive learning. In the fourth five hundred years, they will be firm in building stūpas and monasteries. In the fifth five hundred years, the pure dharmas will be obscured and submerged, there will be much dispute and litigation, and they will be firm only in meager wholesome dharmas.' Now you urge the cultivation of the sixteen contemplations and the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi; these are both methods of meditation and wisdom, which should only be appropriately cultivated and learned in the first two periods of five hundred years. Why do you urge their cultivation and study today? Today, scholars of the Three Stages mostly cite this text to prove that after the third period of five hundred years, it is inappropriate to learn meditation. Why do you now urge the study and cultivation of the sixteen contemplations and the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi? > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.7.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1960.3.7.4) - [Next: 3.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1960.3.9) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1960.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1960~en-mt.3.8) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [淨土論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1963.3.35) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1960.3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1960.3.8) · Pramāṇa