History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c91.343

v7.c91.343

When Moslem invaders exterminated the monks the laity became bewildered and were either converted to Islam or became slowly absorbed among Hindus. It has been already stated that Buddha himself was against the admission of women into the Sangha but at the persistent requests of his favourite pupil Ānanda he yielded and prophesied that his pure Dharma, which otherwise would have flourished for a thousand years, would not last so long but only for 500 years Vide 'Cullavagga' in SBE. vol XX p 325