續集古今佛道論衡 1.8

1.8

案世傳記云。正法五百年。像法一千年。末法一萬年。經云。息用名滅。非死滅也。一本無像法有正末二法記。從佛入涅槃計漢明帝永平十年。凡一千二十年。從漢明帝永平十年計至大業十年甲戌歲。凡五百四十八年。合一千五百六十八年。從大業十年至貞觀十年歲次丙申二十二年。通前一千五百九十年。

According to traditional worldly records: The True Dharma lasts five hundred years; the Semblance Dharma lasts one thousand years; the Final Dharma lasts ten thousand years. The sūtra says: 'Ceasing of function is called extinction; it is not death.' One edition lacks the Semblance Dharma, having only a record of the two Dharmas, True and Final. Counting from the Buddha's entrance into nirvāṇa to the tenth year of Yongping of Emperor Ming of the Han, it is altogether one thousand and twenty years. Counting from the tenth year of Yongping of Emperor Ming of the Han to the jiashu year, the tenth year of Daye, it is altogether five hundred and forty-eight years; making one thousand five hundred and sixty-eight years in total. From the tenth year of Daye to the bingshen year, the tenth year of Zhenguan, is twenty-two years; combined with the preceding, it is one thousand five hundred and ninety years.