英語訳
In Jambudvīpa, from the center heading north, there are three black mountains, and from these comes the great snow mountain. North of the snow mountain is the Fragrant Intoxication Mountain, and in the center between the two mountains is the Anavatapta Lake, measuring fifty yojanas in length and width, filled with water possessing the eight excellent qualities. Next, the lowest eight hot and eight cold hells are established, along with other small hells following the two great hells. Next, the realm of hungry ghosts is formed. Animals exist at the edges of human and heavenly realms in water, land, earth, and sky, with no separate location. Thus the thirty-six places of the desire realm are formed. The upper four space-dwelling heavens are formed from above, and the lower thirty-two places are formed from below. The establishment of the world in this way takes twenty eons. Within these twenty eons, the first nineteen eons see the formation of the vessel world, and in the final eon the world of sentient beings is formed. This is called the eon of formation. At this time, human lifespans are all immeasurable years, with thick and extensive merit and virtue. From this point onward, evil actions gradually arise among these sentient beings, merit gradually decreases, and lifespans progressively decrease to 84,000 years. This marks the end of the formation eon. Question and answer distinctions within such formation eons:
Question: Where are the two types of hells, the eight hot and eight cold? Answer: Below this great earth, past 32,000 yojanas down, is the first Reviving Hell. From this Reviving Hell, past 4,000 yojanas down, is the Black Line Hell. From this Black Line Hell, past 2,000 yojanas, is the Crushing Hell. The lower six hells are each separated by 2,000 yojanas below. The eight cold hells are the same, with both types of hells existing below.
Question: Among the four continents, under which continent do these hells exist? Answer: These various hells exist under South Jambudvīpa. One theory says they exist under three continents excluding North Uttarakuru, but the former explanation is better. Question: Why do hells exist only under this continent? Answer: Because the people of this continent create much evil karma, these hells exist under this continent.
Question: While North Uttarakuru understandably doesn't create evil, do the eastern and western continents create evil karma or not? Answer: For the most part they don't create it, though a small portion does. However, they only create light evil, not heavy evil. Therefore, there are no hells beneath those continents.
Question: If so, while South Jambudvīpa is a place where evil karma is created, why do Buddhas appear only in South Jambudvīpa and not in other continents? Answer: South Jambudvīpa has suffering and minds of renunciation, so Buddhas appear to liberate beings. The other three continents have no heavy suffering, so they lack minds of renunciation. Buddhas do not appear in the world there.
Gateway of World Abiding Characteristics
To explain the characteristics of the world's abiding eon: because it abides in the interval between formation and destruction of eons, it is called the abiding eon, consisting of twenty eons. The first eon is solely decrease, counted as one eon. The final eon is solely increase, counted as one eon. The middle eighteen eons are one increase and one decrease, counted as one eon. These constitute the twenty eons of abiding.
Question: What constitutes the beginning of the abiding eon, and what its end? Answer: Human lifespan of 84,000 years marks the beginning of abiding, and when human lifespan reaches its minimum of ten years marks the end of abiding. This present world time is precisely the first eon of the abiding eon. The middle eighteen eons use one increase and one decrease as one eon, and the final eon has only one increase. Thus in total there are twenty eons of abiding.
Question: What is the name of these twenty abiding eons explained here? Answer: They are called the Fortunate Eon. Question: Why is it called the Fortunate Eon? Answer: When this eon first formed, there was only a water mass, and in that water mass floated a single thousand-petaled lotus. At that time, a person from another realm who had attained supernatural powers saw that lotus and thought, "This eon will surely be fortunate." Due to this cause and condition, it is called the Fortunate Eon.
Question: Why is our Śākyamuni Buddha called the fourth Buddha of the Fortunate Eon? Answer: When human lifespan was 40,000 years, Krakucchanda Buddha appeared in the world to liberate beings. When human lifespan was 20,000 years, Kanakamuni Buddha appeared in the world to liberate beings. When human lifespan was 10,000 years, Kāśyapa Buddha appeared in the world to liberate beings. When human lifespan was 100 years, Śākya Buddha appeared in the world to liberate beings. In this present abiding eon, only four Buddhas appear in the world. Since Śākyamuni Tathāgata corresponds to the fourth Buddha, he is called the fourth.
Question: What is the extreme limit of lifespan length and shortness for people today? Answer: Eighty is the extreme. However, there can be small increases and decreases around seventy. From now onward, when human lifespan reaches its minimum of thirty years, the eon of famine will arise. For a total of seven years, seven months, and seven days, the majority of all sentient beings will die of famine. When human lifespan reaches its minimum of twenty years, the eon of disease will arise. For seven months and seven days, the majority will die of illness. When human lifespan reaches its minimum of ten years, the eon of weapons will arise. For seven months, seven days, and seven nights, the majority will die in warfare. In the famine eon, human body height is four feet. In the disease eon, human body size is two feet. In the weapon eon, human body size is four inches. However, through arising disgust, lifespans gradually increase to 84,000 years. The affairs of the twenty eons of abiding are thus completed.
Gateway of World Destruction Characteristics
To explain world destruction characteristics: First, sentient beings suffering in the three evil paths die and move to other worlds. Sentient beings in the eight difficulties all die without being reborn. The realm of hungry ghosts and animals are likewise - all die and move to other worlds. Next, there is one person who naturally and spontaneously attains the third concentration. With this person as teacher, people practice and learn, and upon death are born in the concentration ground they attained, never returning to rebirth. In the twenty eons, the first nineteen eons see the destruction of the world of sentient beings, and in the final eon the vessel world is destroyed. The world of sentient beings is destroyed, and the six paths and four types of birth all completely cease. This is called the completion of sentient world destruction.
At that time, heavenly rain completely ceases to fall. Due to the absence of water, all vegetation on the great earth withers and desiccates. The intense heat of the sun wheel increases tremendously, becoming extremely hot. The heat of the sun wheel increases and burns everything completely. Additionally, there are six more sun wheels whose heat doubles that of the previous sun. Due to this, large and small ditches and pits, great rivers and small rivers, the great Anavatapta Lake, the great ocean, and Mount Sumeru all blaze and burn. This great fire heat, blown by wind, reaches up to the Brahmā world. Thus the world is all completely burned up, and twenty eons are completed. There is not even ash or soot remaining - how much less any other traces?
Gateway of World Emptiness Characteristics
To explain world empty eon characteristics: Having been completely burned in this way, after twenty eons pass, it is empty and void of things, with only dark color existing. This is called the color of empty space. Since there is no substantial form, there are also no shadows. This time is called the empty eon of twenty eons. Thus from the thirty-six places of the desire realm up to the dwelling place of the Brahmā King are already destroyed. Fire disasters seven times then one water exchange, again fire disasters seven times then one water exchange, again fire disasters seven times then one water exchange, again fire disasters seven times then one water exchange, again fire disasters seven times then one water exchange, again fire disasters seven times then one water exchange, fire disasters seven times then one water exchange. The alternation of fire and water should be understood thus. Again fire disasters seven times then one wind arising. The alternation of fire and wind should be understood thus. In total, fire disasters fifty-six times.