法苑珠林 98.22

98.22

如善見論云。中度女人出家。正法唯得五百歲住。由世尊制比丘尼行八敬教。正法還得千年。問千年已正法為都滅耶。答不都滅。於千年中得三達智。復千年中得愛盡羅漢無三達智。復千年中得阿那含。復千年中得斯陀含。復千年中得須陀洹。總得一萬年。初五千歲得道。後五千歲學而不得道。於萬歲後一切經書文字滅盡。但現剃頭袈裟法服而已。

As the Samantapāsādikā states: Because women were ordained as renunciants, the true Dharma would only abide for five hundred years. Because the World-Honoured One instituted the teaching of the eight heavy rules (garudhamma) for bhikṣuṇīs, the true Dharma was restored to one thousand years. Question: After the one thousand years, is the true Dharma completely extinguished? Answer: It is not completely extinguished. For one thousand years beings attain the three knowledges; for another thousand years they attain the arhatship with cessation of attachment, but without the three knowledges; for another thousand years they attain anāgāmin; for another thousand years they attain sakṛdāgāmin; for another thousand years they attain srotaāpanna; altogether reaching ten thousand years. For the first five thousand years beings attain the Way; for the latter five thousand years they study but do not attain the Way. After ten thousand years, all scripture texts and writing will be completely extinguished, and there will only remain shaved heads and kāṣāya robes.