英語訳
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Four
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Daijō Hōsō Kenshin-shō, Volume One
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Four
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because it is not a great continent. Question: Why is it not a great or small continent? Answer: Small continents either have no people and have non-humans, or are simply empty. Carefully examining the "Record of the Western Regions," some have only Hinayana learning (such as Kharasha country, etc.). Some have only Mahayana learning (such as Khotan country, etc.). Some study both great and small vehicles (such as Puṇḍravardhana country, etc.). Some worship heavenly deities and do not believe in the Buddha's teaching, so from the time of the Buddha's arising until now, they still have not established monasteries (such as Kamalūpa country, etc.). Also, there are heretics who slander the Buddha's teaching, kill living beings and sacrifice to heaven. Due to these causes and conditions, many fall into hell. Also, in Great Tang country and others, there are many Taoists who wish to promote naturalism, also slandering the Buddha's teaching, their faith not being complete. However, in our sacred court of Japan, there are absolutely no such types. Abandoning national lands to establish various temples, ordaining many monks and nuns, and moreover, most of the great and small sūtras, treatises, and commentaries have all arrived. Therefore, those of the three studies are not few each year, and followers of the four assemblies are very numerous each year. The manifestation saints harmonize their light and leave traces, responding to scholars, mingling with dust to benefit sentient beings. Generally, one cannot not know the land where one dwells, just as one cannot not know one's parents' age. Question: What are the limits of bodily size and lifespan of people in the four great continents? Answer: The bodily size of Eastern Videha people is three and a half cubits by their own cubit measure. Measured by Jambudvīpa people's cubits, it is eight cubits. Southern Jambudvīpa people's bodily size is indefinite. Sometimes tall and large, sometimes short and small. By their own cubits, three and a half cubits. Western Godānīya people's bodily size is three and a half by their own cubits. Measured by Jambudvīpa cubits, it is sixteen cubits. Northern Kuru people's bodily size is three and a half by their own cubits.
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This is thirty-two cubits measured by Jambudvīpa cubits. People of the eight intermediate continents can be known accordingly. The lifespans of these four continents: the East is definitely 250 years, the South is indefinite—sometimes immeasurable years, sometimes extremely ten years, the West is definitely 500 years, the North is definitely 1,000 years. The eight intermediate continents can be known accordingly. Question: Do the lifespans of people in these four continents have premature death? Answer: Among the three continents there is the principle of premature death. The North has no premature death. The intermediate continents can be known accordingly.
Question: What do all sentient beings in the four great continents and eight intermediate continents experience? Answer: There are three experiences: first, experience of suffering and pleasure; second, experience of food and drink; third, experience of sexual desire. Question: What is the experience of suffering and pleasure? Answer: The Northern continent experiences various joys and pleasures. There are wish-fulfilling trees from which they experience various joys and pleasures. The other three continents mostly experience lack and pursue various sufferings, with small portions experiencing joys and pleasures corresponding to the six consciousnesses. Question: What is the aspect of food and drink experience? Answer: The Northern continent is at ease, constantly receiving from jeweled trees. People of the three continents pursue and eat. Mostly during formation kalpas, clothing and food are at ease; during abiding kalpas, it's difficult; during destruction kalpas, it's hard to obtain. This refers to solid food. The other three foods exist according to place. Question: What is the matter of sexual desire experience? Answer: People of the three continents keep wives and children, pairs harmonizing and conducting affairs as usual. The Northern continent is not like this. Why? Men and women both go under great trees. When the tree lowers its branches to provide shade, pairs meet. When the matter is finished, each disperses, with no nurturing affairs. When the tree does not lower branches to provide shade,
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Five
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Daijō Hōsō Kenshin-shō, Volume One
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Five
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they naturally know there is no connection and do not perform the act, each parting and going away. Question: The various matters of the great continents and intermediate continents have been briefly covered. How should the affairs of the upper six heavens be understood? Answer: Mount Sumeru rises from the sea, towering majestically, measuring 84,000 yojanas. It has four tiers. From this earth, 10,000-odd yojanas up, there is one tier, 16,000 yojanas wide. On that tier dwells a spirit called Firm-Hand Spirit. From this tier, 10,000-odd yojanas up, there is one tier half the width of the previous. A spirit dwells there called Blood-Hand Spirit. Passing another 10,000-odd yojanas, there is one tier half the width of the previous. A spirit dwells there called Ever-Intoxicated Spirit. Passing another 10,000-odd yojanas, there is one tier half the width of the previous. A spirit dwells there called Garland-Holding Spirit. The first golden mountain among the seven golden mountains is equal to the fourth tier without difference. On the four sides of that golden mountain peak are four royal capitals where the four kings dwell. The East is called Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the South is called Virūḍhaka, the West is called Virūpākṣa, and the North is called Vaiśravaṇa. This place is called the Heaven of the Four Great Kings. Where the four kings dwell is precisely on the fourth tier of Sumeru. That golden mountain peak is their settlement. The sun, moon, and stars revolve around the golden mountain peak. From the Four Kings Heaven, going up another 42,000 yojanas to the peak of Mount Sumeru, there are five clustered peaks. On the four directional peaks dwell eight heavenly princes according to direction. These are the four eights—thirty-two heavens. On the central peak is Indra's palace, where the heavenly emperor dwells. Combined, there are thirty-three heavens. Therefore it is called the Thirty-three Heavens. However, the Four Kings Heaven is at Sumeru's halfway point, and the
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Thirty-three Heaven is at Sumeru's peak. Therefore these two heavens dwell on earth. Question: In such three realms there are twenty-eight heavens—namely, six heavens in the desire realm, eighteen heavens in the form realm, and four in the formless realm. Combined there are twenty-eight. How far apart are these various heavens from each other? Answer: From this ground level, 42,000 yojanas up is the Four Kings Heaven. From this ground level, 84,000 yojanas up is the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven (from the Four Kings Heaven it is exactly 42,000 yojanas). From this ground level, 168,000 yojanas up is the Yāma Heaven. From this ground level, 336,000 yojanas up is the Tuṣita Heaven. From this ground level, 672,000 yojanas up is the Nirmāṇarati Heaven. From this ground level, 1,344,000 yojanas up is the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven. From this ground level, 2,688,000 yojanas up is the Great Brahmā Heaven, which is the first dhyāna stage. Question: From this human realm to the Great Brahmā Heaven, we know that measure. From the first Brahmā world to Akaniṣṭha, what is that measure? Answer: That measure is extremely distant and complex, so I stop here. Question: If so, excluding that, how far is it from this earth to Akaniṣṭha? Answer: Taking a stone forty li square and dropping it straight down without obstruction from Akaniṣṭha Heaven until it reaches this human earth takes a combined 18,383 years to reach the great earth of the human realm. The calculation methods of this region cannot reach such measures, so the quantity is difficult to know. Question: Should Akaniṣṭha Heaven, Maheśvara Heaven, and other heavenly places be understood as the same place or different places? Answer: Paranirmitavaśavartin and the demon palace