In medieval japan, one reaction to the fear of entering the final buddhist stage (mappō) was

Mappo is not the last age in Buddhism, but the third. there was fear in entering this stage because it is termed as an age of degeneration. there would be no need to fear the final stage because that is the time that another budha will come back to restore Buddha laws.  fear was in the third stage(mappo) for it would led  to the breakdown of morals and observance of Buddha laws. it is the current stage of Buddhism and is predicted to last  ten years.