Mahavagga 1.2: The Origin of the Monastic Law, Bhikkhu Brahmali trans. wrote:
“Sāriputta, the dispensation established by Master Vipassī, Master Sikhī, and Master Vessabhū didn’t last long. But the dispensation established by Master Kakusandha, Master Konāgamana, and Master Kassapa did last long.”
“And what’s the reason why the dispensation established by Master Vipassī, Master Sikhī, and Master Vessabhū didn’t last long?”
“Master Vipassī, Master Sikhī, and Master Vessabhū were disinclined to give detailed teachings to their disciples. They gave few discourses in prose and in prose and verse, few expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, amazing accounts, and analyses; and they didn’t lay down training rules or recite a monastic code. After the disappearance of those Buddhas, after the disappearance of the disciples awakened under them, those who were the last disciples—of various names, clans, and social standing, who had gone forth from various families—allowed that dispensation to disappear rapidly. It’s just like flowers not tied with a thread to a wooden plank: they’re scattered about, whirled about, and destroyed by the wind. Why’s that? Because they’re not held together by a thread. Just so, after the disappearance of those Buddhas, after the disappearance of the disciples awakened under them, those who were the last disciples allowed that dispensation to disappear rapidly.
But those Masters were untiring in exhorting their disciples after reading their minds. At one time, Sāriputta, while staying in a certain frightening forest grove, Master Vessabhū, the Perfected and the fully Awakened One, instructed an Order of a thousand monks, reading their minds and saying, ‘Think like this, not like this; pay attention like this, not like this; abandon this; having attained this, abide in it.’ When those thousand monks had been instructed by Master Vessabhū, their minds were freed from the corruptions without grasping. But when anyone with sensual desire entered that frightening forest grove, usually their hair would stand on end. This is the reason why the dispensation established by Master Vipassī, Master Sikhī, and Master Vessabhū did not last long.”
“What then is the reason why the dispensation established by Master Kakusandha, Master Konāgamana, and Master Kassapa lasted long?”
“Master Kakusandha, Master Konāgamana, and Master Kassapa were diligent in giving detailed teachings to their disciples. They gave many discourses in prose and in prose and verse, many expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, amazing accounts, and analyses; and they laid down training rules and recited a monastic code. After the disappearance of those Buddhas, after the disappearance of the disciples awakened under them, those who were the last disciples—of various names, clans, and social standing, who had gone forth from various families—made that dispensation last for a long time. It’s just like flowers tied with a thread to a wooden plank: they are not scattered about, whirled about, or destroyed by the wind. Why is that? Because they are held together by a thread. Just so, after the disappearance of those Buddhas, after the disappearance of the disciples awakened under them, those who were the last disciples made that dispensation last for a long time. This is the reason why the dispensation established by Master Kakusandha, Master Konāgamana, and Master Kassapa lasted long.