釋迦方志 2.116

2.116

According to the Māyā Sūtra, after the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa, the True Dharma lasts five hundred years, and the Semblance Dharma lasts one thousand years. Furthermore, according to the Samantapāsādikā, after the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa, the True Dharma lasts one thousand years, and the Semblance Dharma also does so; because women were ordained, the True Dharma was reduced by five hundred years. If women are able to observe the Eightfold Respect and practice the Way in accordance with the Dharma, the True Dharma will still abide in the world for one thousand years. It also states: the Buddha's Dharma abides in the world for ten thousand years. For the first five thousand years, those who cultivate the Way and leave home attain the spiritual wisdom of the three knowledges. For the latter five thousand years, those who leave home and cultivate the Way do not attain the spiritual wisdom of the three knowledges. After this has passed, the sūtras will return to the Dragon Palace, images will collapse of themselves, and the bhikṣus will be no different from the common folk, retaining only shaved heads and kāṣāya robes. (When the Buddha's Dharma reached China, it was subjected three times to destruction and burning: first, Helian Bobo titled [his realm] the Xia state; when he first took Chang'an, he slaughtered every monk he encountered. Second, Emperor Taiwu of the Wei followed the counsel of Cui Hao and eradicated the Three Jewels; later repenting, he subjected Hao to the five punishments. Third, Emperor Wu of the Zhou merely ordered [monks] to return to lay life. None of them died a natural death, as detailed in the biographies.)