Questions about the Dharma Ending Age

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Wannabuddha
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Questions about the Dharma Ending Age

Post by Wannabuddha »

One thing I've never been clear on is the exact significance of the Three Ages concept. We are taught that people nowadays cannot attain liberation by self-power, because we are in a particular age of the Dharma. This seems to imply that during some periods of time, self-power is perfectly efficacious and nobody in these times needs to rely on the Primal Vow. But can this be right? It just doesn't sound right to me, though I can't put my finger on why. It seems to reduce the Primal Vow to a reliance for hard times only -- the spiritual equivalent of famine food.

Also, what is the mechanism behind the Three Ages? Why is it that during some periods people have different capacities? Where is this discussed in detail? Considering that this teaching totally underpins Pure Land Buddhism, I haven't seen much detailed discussion of why time unfolds in this structured way and what mechanism lies beneath it. Is it just that the beings with the worst karma tend, as a consequence of that bad karma, to be born in a period distant from the ministry of a Buddha? Or is it more complicated than that?
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: Questions about the Dharma Ending Age

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

Wannabuddha wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 10:57 pm One thing I've never been clear on is the exact significance of the Three Ages concept. We are taught that people nowadays cannot attain liberation by self-power, because we are in a particular age of the Dharma. This seems to imply that during some periods of time, self-power is perfectly efficacious and nobody in these times needs to rely on the Primal Vow. But can this be right? It just doesn't sound right to me, though I can't put my finger on why. It seems to reduce the Primal Vow to a reliance for hard times only -- the spiritual equivalent of famine food.

Also, what is the mechanism behind the Three Ages? Why is it that during some periods people have different capacities? Where is this discussed in detail? Considering that this teaching totally underpins Pure Land Buddhism, I haven't seen much detailed discussion of why time unfolds in this structured way and what mechanism lies beneath it. Is it just that the beings with the worst karma tend, as a consequence of that bad karma, to be born in a period distant from the ministry of a Buddha? Or is it more complicated than that?
The primal vow is the same now as it was before.
People were able to practice it 2600 years ago as well as today.
It’s people’s capacity to practice self-power methods which changes over time. Self-power practices are still valid for those who have the time and capacity to devote proper attention to it. Since you mentioned food as an analogy, it’s sort of like how in this modern age, so many people don’t seem to have the time or tools required to prepare meals from ingredients, so they find it much easier to eat microwave meals or take-away food.

But “age of degeneration” is also subjective. If you consider what life was like in 13th century Japan (Shinran’s time) most people had to work long hard hours farming. Few people had time to study and practice Buddhism in the traditional way, as monks and so on.. Today, you can learn from a hand-held device, and easily get teachings from anywhere in the world, already translated for you! And Buddhism is spreading in many parts of the world. Should this be regarded as a time of degeneration?

On the other hand, who today wouldn’t find rural Japan 800 years ago, free from pollution and electronic noise, cars, and other worldly distractions a perfect place to sit and meditate?

As to why it gets harder and harder for beings to appreciate and practice Dharma as years roll by, as I understand it, it’s basically like making a xerox copy of a copy of a copy of a copy. The Dharma message is still there, but it is made blurry by distortion created in people’s own minds.

Also, with each generation, the teachings are interpreted to fit the present context (for example, my using an analogy of microwave food), and even though they may essentially be the same, they are an echo. Even Pure Land teachings are an echo. It is very difficult for many people even to practice pure land Buddhism in general, not to mention Shinran’s insistence on ‘other power’ specifically.

So, the combination of people being distracted by worldly events, and the teachings being —not necessarily watered down— but, you aren’t sitting right there hearing them from the Buddha 2600 years ago, so they are an echo, people cannot as easily benefit from traditional self-power methods (even though the methods are still valid in themselves).
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
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Zhen Li
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Re: Questions about the Dharma Ending Age

Post by Zhen Li »

I think PVS answered the original question quite well. I just wanted to add that one of the textual sources for the three ages concept is the Mahāsaṃnipāta sūtra, which is still being translated into English. It is also discussed in other sūtras. It is also mentioned in the Lotus Sūtra, Diamond Sūtra, Kālacakra Tantra, and many others.
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