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The Three Ages of Buddhism, also known as the Three Ages of the Dharma, () are three divisions of time following Buddha's passing. The Latter Day of the Law is the third and last of the Three Ages of Buddhism. Mappō or Mofa (, Japanese: ''Mappō''), which is also translated as the ''Age of Dharma Decline'', is the "degenerate" Third Age of Buddhism. ==Three Ages of Buddhism== The Three Ages of Buddhism are three divisions of time following Buddha's passing:〔Marra, Michele (1988). The development of mappō thought in Japan (I), Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 15 (1), 25. (PDF )〕 # The Former Day of the Law, also known as the Age of the Right Dharma (; Jp: shōbō), the first thousand years (or 500 years) during which the Buddha's disciples are able to uphold the Buddha's teachings; # The Middle Day of the Law, also known as the Age of Semblance Dharma (; Jp: zōhō), the second thousand years (or 500 years), which only resembles the right Dharma; # The Latter Day of the Law (; mòfǎ; Jp: mappō), which is to last for 10,000 years during which the Dharma declines. 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 (機根 Cn: jīgēn; Jp: kikon) of the people born in each respective period. Further, in the ''Mahāsaṃnipāta Sutra'', the three periods are further divided into five five-hundred year periods (五五百歳 Cn: wǔ wǔ bǎi sùi; Jp: go no gohyaku sai), the fifth and last of which was prophesied to be when the Buddhism of Sakyamuni 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.〔Marra, Michele (1988). The development of mappō thought in Japan (I), Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 15 (1), 26-27. (PDF )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Three Ages of Buddhism」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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