The Dharma Ending Age began around the time of the six dynasties in Chinese history, before Yung-chia lived. Few people had good karmic roots, and most people had a difficult time accepting Buddhadharma. Yung-chia saw the decadence, and concluded that as time separates us from Sakyamuni Buddha, people sink deeper and deeper into perverted views; the strength of demons outweighs the strength of Buddhadharma.

At that time, Confucianists viciously attacked Buddhism. Furthermore, the ruling family of the T'ang Dynasty traced its lineage to Lao-tse, the founder of Taoism, and so it patronized Taoism, not Buddhism. Confucianism was adopted as the code of ethics and protocol, and Taoism was recognized as the official religion; therefore, Buddhism was attacked from all sides.

Nonetheless, Buddhism had loyal supporters and benefactors. Devoted patrons donated large sums of money, and because monks and nuns have few needs and lived simple lives, the wealth of monasteries grew rapidly. Confucianism did not receive donations because it had no clearly structured organizations, and because Confucian scholars lived and worked in society. The same, more or less, was true for the Taoists. Followers of these traditions envied the immense wealth of Buddhist monasteries and they influenced the government to persecute monks and nuns.

Detractors wanted to destroy Buddhism quickly and absolutely. In the following stanza, therefore, Yung-chia issued a warning.

That which acts is the mind, that which receives retribution is the body;