The Three Periods: True-Dharma, Dharma-Semblance and Dharma-Degenerate   

Translation summary compiled based on the following key sutra excerpt and Buddhism Dictionary:

“According to the sutras, the Buddha had predicted that his teachings will undergo these three major phases when His Dharma will be taught and practised : The True-Dharma Age, the Dharma-Semblance Age and the Dharma-Ending (Degenerate) Age. The first 1,000 years following the Buddha’s Parinirvana is the True Dharma Age: when both the Dharma and jhana meditation or samadhi concentration are practised very seriously based on the suttas'/sutras’ teachings to attain liberation, when most practitioners achieve enlightenment. 

The next 1,000 years is the Dharma Semblance Age, when reading, reciting or learning many sutras and building many temples, pagodas or stupas are embraced much more than diligent, resolute, accurate Dharma practice to attain liberation, thus leading to most practitioners being unable to achieve enlightenment.

The next 10,000 years is the Dharma-Ending (Degenerate) Age, when the true Dharma becomes increasingly diluted and corrupted with counterfeit-Dharma elements, leading to extremely rare attaining of enlightenment in this world.  The Dharma-Ending Age is also characterized by hymns chanting, rampant disputes, fights, moral chaos, intense defilements, monastic precepts-breaking and monastic practices not in-line with the true Dharma. As the true Dharma and wholesome practices degenerate, it becomes extremely, extremely difficult to cultivate successfully to attain enlightenment based solely on the individual’s effort. 

It is said that during the True-Dharma Age, the monastics’ strict adherence to precepts had led to their enlightenment; while during the Dharma-Semblance Age, Zen or Ch’an practice had led to enlightenment; but during the Dharma-Ending (Degenerate) Age, only reliance on the Pure Land practice of reciting the Buddha-name will lead to enlightenment (in the Pure Land).”  

Word of advice from the Site Owner

·        This year, 2012, marks the 2556th anniversary of the Buddha's Parinirvana. This means we are already at least 556 years into the Dharma-Ending Age.

·        Can we rely solely on our ability to attain liberation in this life-time, when many sages had predicted that almost all practitioners will fail in their enlightenment attempts during the Dharma-Ending Age?

·        Our current human ability is very limited like a drop of water, compared to the Buddha’s unlimited power like the four great oceans of water.

·        In many Mahayana sutras, the Buddha had repeatedly advised us to rely on the Amitabha Buddha’s great powers and great vows to reborn in His western Pure Land of Utmost Bliss, where all will attain enlightenment.

·        We should certainly try our best to eliminate or at least minimize our afflictions and defilements, regardless of our preferred spiritual path --- be it Buddhism or other religions; Theravada or Mahayana, Zen/Ch’an or Tibetan or Pure Land practice.

·        But in this Dharma-ending age, without meeting any Buddha, it is realistically almost impossible for the people to utterly relinquish the ego based on the mistaken notion of “I”, “me” or “mine”.

·        Hence, while trying our best to be liberated in this life-time from the huge fires of our past infinite kalpas’ greed/desires/love, hatred/anger/aversion and ignorance/delusion/wrong views; 

simultaneously upholding the Pure Land practice will be a safe and wise complement. 

If we can rely on the Amitabha Buddha’s great support to attain both liberation and enlightenment speedily, why do we still insist on rejecting the Buddha and His Pure Land?