The Coming Buddha,
Ariya Metteyya
Sayagyi U Chit Tin
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The
Duration of the Sasana of Buddha Gotama
Namo Tassa
Bhagavato Arahatto Sammasambuddhassa
During the period
from the time of Buddha Gotama to the minimum life span, the Buddha's
Dispensation (Buddha-sasana) will disappear. When the Buddha
agreed to create the Bhikkhuni Sangha, he told Ven. Ananda that
the Sasana would last only half as long because of this. Instead
of lasting one thousand years, it would last five hundred years. The
commentary on the Abhidhamma text, Dhammasangani, says that when
the First Buddhist Council convened by Ven. Maha-Kassapa rehearsed the
Pali Canon, this made it possible for the Sasana to endure for
five thousand years.[48]
The commentaries on the Vinaya Pitaka[49]
and the Anguttara-nikaya[50] say that the eight important rules
which the Buddha gave to the Bhikkhuni Sangha will make his Teachings
last for five thousand years rather than five hundred. There will be one
thousand years for Arahats who attain analytical insight, one thousand
years for Arahats without those attainments, one thousand years for
Non-returners, one thousand years for Once-returners, and one thousand
years for Stream-winners. After these five thousand years of penetration
of the true Doctrine (pativedha-sadhamma),[51] the accomplishment in the
texts (pariyatti-dhamma) will remain. After the accomplishment in the
texts disappears, the signs (linga) will continue for a long time.
In the commentary to the Theragatha[52]
the Sasana is said to consist of five periods: (1) the age of
deliverance (vimutti-yuga), (2) the age of concentration
(samadhi-yuga), (3) the age of morality (sila-yuga), (4) the
age of learning [the texts] (suta-yuga), and (5) the age of
generosity (dana-yuga). Ven. Dhammapala says, conerning the
disappearance of learning, "In a region where there is no purity of
morality, accomplishment (in the texts) remains through taking up great
learning, through the desire to acquire, etc. But when accomplishment in
the summary [i.e., the Patimokkha] is completley ended, it
disappears. From that time on, only the mere sign (linga) remains. Then,
having accumu- lated riches in various ways, they give away gifts (dana);
this, truly, is the last right practice. Then, [the period starting]
after the disappearance of learning is the last time (pacchima-kala).
Others say that it is from the time of the disappearance of
morality." According to the tradition in Burma, the Sasana
will last five thousand years. The five periods will occur twice. The
first half of the Sasana has just passed, with each of the five
periods lasting five hundred years. We are now in the second half, when
these periods will be repeated, each lasting for another five hundred
years.
In the Anagatavamsa commentary, the
Buddha is said to preface the account of the future Buddha Ariya
Metteyya by saying his own dispensation will disappear in five stages:
(1) the disappearance of analytical insight (patisambhida), (2)
the disappearance of the Paths and Fruition States, (3) the
disappearance of the practice (patipatti), (4) the disappearance
of the texts (pariyatti), and (5) the disappearance of the Sangha.
Other commentaries also speak in terms
of five stages of disappearance (antaradhana) of the Sasana:[53]
(1) First, there will be the disappearance of attainment (adhigama),
which would correspond to the age of deliverance. (2) The second
disappearance is of the practice (patipatti), which corresponds
to the ages of concentration and morality. (3) The disappearance of
accomplishment in the texts (pariyatti) is third and corresponds
to the age of learning. (4) The fourth disappearance is of the signs (linga).
During this period, the only good action left is making gifts to those
who wear a yellow strip of cloth around their necks, so this would
correspond to the age of generosity. When this disappearance occurs,
five thousand years will have passed.[54] After this period there occurs
(5) the disappearance of the relics (dhatu). When the relics no
longer receive honour, they will assemble at the seat where the Buddha
attained Awakening under the Great Bodhi tree. There, they will make an
effigy of the Buddha and perform a marvel similar to the Twin Marvel and
will teach the Doctrine. No human being will be present, only Devas from
the ten thousand world systems will listen, and many of them will attain
release. After that, the relics will be burned up without remainder.[55]
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FOOTNOTES:
- As 27, see Expos. 35.
- Sp 1291.
- Mp IV 136f.
- Ven. Ledi Sayadaw (MB 169) calls
these five thousand years the age of Ariyas (Noble Ones).
- Th-a III 89.
- ] See the commentary on A (Mp I 87),
Moh 201-203, and the extract from the Anag commentary (JPTS,
1886, pp. 33-36; translated in BT 481-486).
- The number of years are mentioned
only in the Anag commentary.
- Some texts speak of three
disappearances. See CPD under antaradhana for references.
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