"If, Ânanda, women had not retired from household life to the houseless one, under the Doctrine and Discipline announced by The Tathâgata, religion, Ânanda, would long endure; a thousand years would the Good Doctrine abide. But since, Ânanda, women have now retired from household life to the houseless one, under the Doctrine and Discipline announced by The Tathâgata, not long, Ânanda, will religion endure; but five hundred years, Ânanda, will the Good Doctrine abide. Just as, Ânanda, those families which consist of many women and few men are easily overcome by burglars, in exactly the same way, Ânanda, when women retire from household life to the houseless one, under a doctrine and discipline, that religion does not long endure. Just as, Ânanda, when the disease called mildew falls upon a flourishing field of rice, that field of rice does not long endure, in exactly the same way, Ânanda, when women retire from household life to the houseless one, under a doctrine and discipline, that religion does not long endure. Even as, Ânanda, when the disease called rust falls upon a flourishing field of sugar-cane, that field of sugar-cane does not long endure, in exactly the same way, Ânanda, when women retire from household life to the houseless one, under a doctrine and discipline, that religion does not long endure. And just as, Ânanda, to a large pond a man would prudently build a dike, in order that the water might not transgress its bounds, in exactly the same way, Ânanda, have I prudently laid down eight weighty regulations, not to be transgressed as long as life shall last."
