Buddhist Prophecy

[mahavir]

i heard somewhere that Buddhism will ast 500 years, and i heard somewhere else that buddhism will last 5000 years. The first one is obviously wrong, but in the 5000 year one, it says that 500 years after the paranirvana of Buddha, there will be no more enlightened people, or Arahants until Maitreya. which one it true, or do you dissagree with both?

 

[Smoke]

I can't think of any reason I should believe in either one, or even care. A Buddhist's job is to wake up; speculations about prophecy seem to me like an unprofitable distraction.

 

[Sunstone]

i heard somewhere that Buddhism will ast 500 years, and i heard somewhere else that buddhism will last 5000 years. The first one is obviously wrong, but in the 5000 year one, it says that 500 years after the paranirvana of Buddha, there will be no more enlightened people, or Arahants until Maitreya. which one it true, or do you dissagree with both?

I think such "prophecies" are not meant to be taken literally, but are meant to cause us to reflect that Buddhism is, like everything else, transient.

 

[methylatedghosts]

i heard somewhere that Buddhism will ast 500 years, and i heard somewhere else that buddhism will last 5000 years.

I think that perhaps the remainder may ahve been left out:

".... Unless it does not."

 

[freethinker44]

I think that perhaps the remainder may ahve been left out:

".... Unless it does not."

That sounds more like a "buddhist" statement now.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Smoke,

I can't think of any reason I should believe in either one, or even care. A Buddhist's job is to wake up; speculations about prophecy seem to me like an unprofitable distraction.

On the contrary, it may be a profitable proposition for some, who spreads such prophecies.

Buddhism total focus is HERE-NOW and not past or future.
Prophecies are about future and surely who ever said that is not a buddha.

Love & rgds

 

[Smoke]

I think such "prophecies" are not meant to be taken literally, but are meant to cause us to reflect that Buddhism is, like everything else, transient.

And that's okay. Sakyamuni was not the first one to wake up, or the last. He founded Buddhism, but he did not found waking up. Maybe in 2500 there will be no Buddhism, but I think there will be awakening no matter who or what comes and goes.

 

[Engyo]

i heard somewhere that Buddhism will ast 500 years, and i heard somewhere else that buddhism will last 5000 years. The first one is obviously wrong, but in the 5000 year one, it says that 500 years after the paranirvana of Buddha, there will be no more enlightened people, or Arahants until Maitreya. which one it true, or do you dissagree with both?

There is another prophecy, concerning the Three Ages of the Dharma. The first two ages are 1,000 years each, and the 3rd is said to be 10,000 years long Then the Buddha's teachings begin dying out until they are gone completely. Then, after some 5 million years, Maitreya will become the next Buddha and start the three-age cycle all over again.

 

[Herr Heinrich]

I would have to agree that prophecy is not something a Buddhist should be worrying about.

 

[Ywet War]

i heard somewhere that Buddhism will ast 500 years, and i heard somewhere else that buddhism will last 5000 years. The first one is obviously wrong, but in the 5000 year one, it says that 500 years after the paranirvana of Buddha, there will be no more enlightened people, or Arahants until Maitreya. which one it true, or do you dissagree with both?

Anyone (even The Buddha) cannot guess how Buddhism will last.

It depends on people.

If There is no one who study and follow Buddhism, Buddhism will disappear.
If there is only one person who study Buddhism, Buddhism can still exist in the world and he can make it propagation.

As you know at first there is nobody, who knew Dhamma.
Only The Buddha knew Dhamma and he made it expanse through the whole Indian subcontinent.

Nowadays some people can study Buddhism easily.
But some need to face so many difficulties to be able to study Buddhism.
Unfortunately the others cannot study it no how.

As a Buddhist I suppose that it depends on individual karma of passed lives.
Some don’t have enough karma of good deeds to meet with Buddhism.

I also agree that we (Buddhists) no need to worry about any prophecy. Worry is a kind of impurities of mind. We need to eliminate it by means of meditation.

 

[zenzero]

Friends,

Besides understanding that everything goes in cycles.
Be they the planets or happenings like the ice age, global warming or the flowering of buddhas.

All that is important is to be a buddha and that is always HERE-NOW.

Love & rgds

 

[Master Vigil]

My favorite prophecy... "Right now I'm going to take a nap."

 

[Engyo]

Wow, you are really going out on a limb with that one, MV!

 

[Mr Cheese]

I agree with Zen zero..about cycles....

but I'll just add, numbers in such things are often not to be taken too literally....