1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then the Venerable Mahākassapa approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: sn.ii.224

"Venerable sir, what is the reason, what is the cause, why formerly there were fewer training rules but more bhikkhus were established in final knowledge, while now there are more training rules but fewer bhikkhus are established in final knowledge?" [n.311] The same question, but with a different reply, is at MN I 444,36–445,25. Possibly Mahākassapa's concern with the preservation of the true Dhamma, demonstrated in this sutta, presages his role as the convener of the First Buddhist Council soon after the Buddha’s parinibbāna (described at Vin II 284–85). There we see, in the ebullient reaction of the old bhikkhu Subhadda to the report of the Buddha’s death, the first stirring towards the emergence of a "counterfeit" Dhamma. Mahākassapa convenes the First Council precisely to ensure that the true Dhamma and Discipline will endure long and will not be driven out by counterfeit versions devised by unscrupulous monks.

"That's the way it is, Kassapa. When beings are deteriorating and the true Dhamma is disappearing there are more training rules but fewer bhikkhus are established in final knowledge. Kassapa, the true Dhamma does not disappear so long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world. But when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma arises in the world, then the true Dhamma disappears. [n.312] Spk: There are two counterfeits of the true Dhamma (saddhammapaṭirūpaka): one with respect to attainment (adhigama), the other with respect to learning (pariyatti). The former is the ten corruptions of insight knowledge (see Vism 633–38; Ppn 20:105–28). The latter consists of texts other than the authentic Word of the Buddha authorized at the three Buddhist councils, exception made of these five topics of discussion (kathāvatthu): discussion of elements, discussion of objects, discussion of foulness, discussion of the bases of knowledge, the casket of true knowledge. (The counterfeit texts include) the Secret Vinaya (guḷhavinaya), the Secret Vessantara, the Secret Mahosadha, the Vaṇṇa Piṭaka, the Angulimala Piṭaka, the Raṭṭhapala-gajjita, the Āḷavaka-gajjita, and the Vedalla Piṭaka.
Spk-pṭ: The "Vedalla Piṭaka" is the Vetulla Piṭaka, which they say had been brought from the abode of the nāgas; others say it consists of what was spoken in debates (vādabhāsita). "Other than the authentic Word of the Buddha" (abuddhavacana), because of contradicting the Word of the Buddha; for the Enlightened One does not speak anything internally inconsistent (pubbāparaviruddha). They apply a dart to it; the removal of defilements is not seen there, so it is inevitably a condition for the arising of defilements.
An attempt to identify the texts cited by Spk is made in the fourteenth century work, Nikāyasangraha, discussed by Adikaram, Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon, pp. 99–100. The Nikāyasangraha assigns each text to a different non-Theravadin school. The late date of this work casts doubt on its reliability, and its method of identification is just too neat to be convincing. Spk-pṭ's comment on the Vedalla Piṭaka suggests it may be a collection of Mahāyāna sūtras. The Mahāyāna is referred to in the Sri Lankan chronicles as the Vetullavāda (Skt Vaitulyavāda); see Rahula, History of Buddhism in Ceylon, pp. 87–90. Spk-pṭ is apparently alluding to the belief that Nagarjuna had brought the Prajñaparamita Sūtras from the nāga realm. The five types of "topics of discussion" (kathāvatthu), accepted by the Theravādins though not authorized as canonical, were probably philosophical treatises recording the opinions of famous teachers on important points of doctrine. Spk describes at length the gradual disappearance of the Buddha’s Dispensation as a threefold disappearance of achievement, practice, and learning (adhigama-, paṭipatti-, pariyatti-saddhamma).

2"Just as, Kassapa, gold does not disappear so long as counterfeit gold has not arisen in the world, but when counterfeit gold arises then true gold disappears, so the true Dhamma does not disappear so long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world, but when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma arises in the world, then the true Dhamma disappears.

3"It is not the earth element, Kassapa, that causes the true Dhamma to disappear, nor the water element, nor the heat element, nor the air element. It is the senseless people who arise right here who cause the true Dhamma to disappear.

"The true Dhamma does not disappear all at once in the way a ship sinks. [n.313] Spk glosses: adikena ti adanena gāhaṇena; opilavati ti nimujjati . Spk-pṭ: adanaṁ adi, adi eva adikaṁ. Spk explains the simile thus: "Unlike a ship crossing the water, which sinks when receiving goods, there is no disappearance of the true Dhamma by being filled up with learning, etc. For when learning declines the practice declines, and when the practice declines achievement declines. But when learning becomes full, persons rich in learning fill up the practice, and those filling up the practice fill up achievement. Thus when learning, etc., are increasing, my Dispensation increases, just like the new moon." C.Rh.D, following this explanation, renders the line: "Take the sinking of a ship, Kassapa, by overloading" (KS 2:152). I find dubious, however, Spk's understanding of adikena as meaning "taking, grasping." Elsewhere adikena has the sense of "all at once, suddenly," contrasted with anupubbena, "gradually" (see MN I 395,4, 479,35; II 213,4; Ja VI 567,6, 14). This is clearly the meaning required here.

4There are, Kassapa, five detrimental things [n.314] Pañca okkamaniya dhamma. Spk glosses: okkamaniya ti heṭṭhagamaniya, "leading downwards." A parallel passage at AN III 247 repeats the first four causes but replaces the fifth by "lack of mutual respect and deference." that lead to the decay and disappearance of the true Dhamma. What are the five? Here the bhikkhus, the bhikkhunīs, the male lay followers, and the female lay followers dwell without reverence and deference towards the Teacher; they dwell without reverence and deference towards the Dhamma; they dwell without reverence and deference towards the Saṅgha; sn.ii.225 they dwell without reverence and deference towards the training; they dwell without reverence and deference towards concentration. [n.315] Spk: One dwells without reverence for concentration when one does not attain the eight attainments (aṭṭha samāpattiyo) or make any effort to attain them. These, Kassapa, are the five detrimental things that lead to the decay and disappearance of the true Dhamma.

5"There are five things, Kassapa, that lead to the longevity of the true Dhamma, to its nondecay and nondisappearance. What are the five? Here the bhikkhus, the bhikkhunīs, the male lay followers, and the female lay followers dwell with reverence and deference towards the Teacher; they dwell with reverence and deference towards the Dhamma; they dwell with reverence and deference towards the Saṅgha; they dwell with reverence and deference towards the training; they dwell with reverence and deference towards concentration. These, Kassapa, are the five things that lead to the longevity of the true Dhamma, to its nondecay and nondisappearance."

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahākassapo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena pubbe appatarāni ceva sikkhāpadāni ahesuṁ bahutarā ca bhikkhū aññāya saṇṭhahiṁsu? Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yenetarahi bahutarāni ceva sikkhāpadāni appatarā ca bhikkhū aññāya saṇṭhahantī"ti?

"Evañcetaṁ, kassapa, hoti sattesu hāyamānesu saddhamme antaradhāyamāne, bahutarāni ceva sikkhāpadāni honti appatarā ca bhikkhū aññāya saṇṭhahanti. Na tāva, kassapa, saddhammassa antaradhānaṁ hoti yāva na saddhammappatirūpakaṁ loke uppajjati. Yato ca kho, kassapa, saddhammappatirūpakaṁ loke uppajjati, atha saddhammassa antaradhānaṁ hoti.

2Seyyathāpi, kassapa, na tāva jātarūpassa antaradhānaṁ hoti yāva na jātarūpappatirūpakaṁ loke uppajjati. Yato ca kho, kassapa, jātarūpappatirūpakaṁ loke uppajjati, atha kho jātarūpassa antaradhānaṁ hoti. Evameva kho, kassapa, na tāva saddhammassa antaradhānaṁ hoti yāva na saddhammappatirūpakaṁ loke uppajjati. Yato ca kho, kassapa, saddhammappatirūpakaṁ loke uppajjati, atha saddhammassa antaradhānaṁ hoti.

3Na kho, kassapa, pathavīdhātu saddhammaṁ antaradhāpeti, na āpodhātu saddhammaṁ antaradhāpeti, na tejodhātu saddhammaṁ antaradhāpeti, na vāyodhātu saddhammaṁ antaradhāpeti; atha kho idheva te uppajjanti moghapurisā ye imaṁ saddhammaṁ antaradhāpenti.

Seyyathāpi, kassapa, nāvā ādikeneva opilavati; na kho, kassapa, evaṁ saddhammassa antaradhānaṁ hoti.

4Pañca khome, kassapa, okkamaniyā dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti. Katame pañca? Idha, kassapa, bhikkhū bhikkhuniyo upāsakā upāsikāyo satthari agāravā vihāranti appatissā, dhamme agāravā vihāranti appatissā, saṅghe agāravā vihāranti appatissā, sikkhāya agāravā vihāranti appatissā, samādhismiṁ agāravā vihāranti appatissā – ime kho, kassapa, pañca okkamaniyā dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

5Pañca khome, kassapa, dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattanti. Katame pañca? Idha, kassapa, bhikkhū bhikkhuniyo upāsakā upāsikāyo satthari sagāravā vihāranti sappatissā, dhamme sagāravā vihāranti sappatissā, saṅghe sagāravā vihāranti sappatissā, sikkhāya sagāravā vihāranti sappatissā, samādhismiṁ sagāravā vihāranti sappatissā – ime kho, kassapa, pañca dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattantī"ti.

Terasamaṁ.

Kassapavaggo paṭhamo.

Kassapasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.