The Three Ages of Buddhism, also known as the Three Ages of the Dharma (), are three divisions of time following Shakyamuni Buddha's death and passing into Nirvana in East Asian Buddhism.
Three Ages
The Three Ages of Buddhism are three divisions of time following Buddha's passing:
Former Day of the Dharma — also known as the “Age of the Right Dharma” (; Japanese: ), the first thousand years (or 500 years) during which the Buddha's disciples are able to uphold the Buddha's teachings; Middle Day of the Dharma — also known as the “Age of Semblance Dharma” (; Japanese: ), the second thousand years (or 500 years), which only resembles the right Dharma; Latter Day of the Dharma — also known as “the Degenerate Age of Dharma” (; Japanese: ), which is to last for 10,000 years during which the Dharma declines.
In the Sutra of the Great Assembly (Sanskrit: ; Japanese: ), the three periods are further divided into five five-hundred year periods (, Chinese: ; Japanese: ), the fifth and last of which was prophesied to be when the Buddhism of Shakyamuni Buddha would lose all power of salvation and a new Buddha would appear to save the people. This time period would be characterized by unrest, strife, famine, and natural disasters.
The three periods are significant to Mahayana adherents, particularly those who hold the Lotus Sutra in high regard, namely the Tiantai and Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism, who believe that different Buddhist teachings are valid (i.e., able to lead practitioners to enlightenment) in each period due to the different capacity to accept a teaching (, Chinese: ; Japanese: ) of the people born in each respective period.
Latter Day of the Dharma
Traditionally, this age is supposed to begin 2000 years after Shakyamuni Buddha's passing and last for 10,000 years or more. Shakyamuni, in the Sutra of the Great Assembly (Jpn. Daijuku-kyō), describes the Latter Day of the Dharma (Jpn. Mappo) as "the age of conflict", when “Quarrels and disputes will arise among the adherents to my teachings, and the Pure Dharma will become obscured and lost.” In this evil latter age, when society is disordered, Shakyamuni's Buddhism will lose its power to benefit the people, as people born into the Latter Day of the Dharma, do not have the seed of Buddhahood sown into them.
According to the interpretation of Nichiren Buddhism, in the Lotus Sutra (Jpn. Myōhō-Renge-Kyō) Shakyamuni Buddha entrusted the propagation of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Dharma to the Bodhisattva named Superior Practices (Jpn. Jogyo Bosatsu), the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Shakyamuni predicted in the 21st Chapter of the Lotus Sutra (jinriki), that Bodhisattva Jogyo, the ephemeral figure of the Original Buddha, would appear in the Latter Day of the Dharma, dispel the fundamental darkness of all mankind, and lead the people to attain enlightenment.
The Nichiren Shoshu school of Buddhism, believes that Nichiren Daishonin is Votary of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Dharma. Shakyamuni declared that the Votary of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Dharma would be "spoken ill of and cursed", "would be wounded by swords and staves and pelted with stones and tiles" and "again and again banished." Nichiren Shoshu states that Nichiren Daishonin's actions matched the prediction that Shakyamuni Buddha taught. They cite the Izu and Sado Exile ("again and again banished") and the Tatsunokuchi Persecution where the government attempted to execute the Daishonin ("wounded by swords and staves") for propagating Myōhō-Renge-Kyō throughout Japan. Thus, the Shoshu states that Nichiren Daishonin proved he was the votary of the Lotus Sutra by "reading the Lotus Sutra with his very life."
Furthermore, when viewed from the standpoint of his ephemeral or transient (shaku) identity and his external function, Nichiren Daishonin is defined as the rebirth of Bodhisattva Superior Practices (Jogyo Bosatsu). However, when viewed from the standpoint of his true (hon) identity and his inner realization, Nichiren Daishonin is defined as the Buddha of Intrinsically Perfect Wisdom from the infinite past of kuon-ganjo (kuon-ganjo jijuyu hoshin nyorai).