英語訳
Answer: If it is the general retribution body, the eighth Ālayavijñāna consciousness and its mental factors serve as the essence. If it is the specific retribution body, among the six consciousnesses, the vipāka-generated mind and mental factors, along with the five sense faculties and five sense objects, serve as the essence. The body of specific retribution has different bodies according to the place of birth. This should be understood by analogy.
Question: Are these five realms real or conventional?
Answer: The essence of direct retribution is the eighth mind-king and five mental factors. Establishing one realm-name upon these six dharmas combined makes it conventionally existent—what obstruction would there be? Or although there are six dharmas, each has a separate essence. Establishing the name of realm-birth, by this principle saying they are really existent—what obstruction would there be? Whether realms, destinations, or births, their essential nature can all be like this.
Regarding specific retribution, there are specific retributions according to different places. The desire realm is caused by meritorious karma: the vipāka mind and mental factors of six consciousnesses, five faculties and five objects serve as the essence. Among the form realm heavens, the three heavens of the first dhyāna have vipāka nature: four consciousnesses, five faculties, and three sense objects serve as the essence. Because they lack fragrance and taste, and lack nose and tongue. For the specific retribution bodies of the upper three concentrations: the sixth vipāka-generated consciousness, five faculties, and three sense objects serve as the essence. For the specific retribution bodies of formless heavens: the vipāka-generated sixth consciousness serves as the essence. For general retribution bodies, as previously stated, there is only one: the eighth serves as the essence.
Question: There are three types of karma: 1) meritorious karma, 2) non-meritorious karma, 3) immovable karma. Among these five realms, which realm is the result of which karma?
Answer: Humans and gods of the desire realm are both caused by meritorious karma. The three evil destinations are both caused by non-meritorious karma. The upper two realms are both results caused by immovable karma.
Question: Among the six heavens of the desire realm, why is the first heaven called the "Heaven of the Four Great Kings and Their Retinues"?
Answer: Because in that heaven there are four heavenly kings and their retinues, it is called the "Heaven of the Four Great Kings and Their Retinues."
Question: Why is the second heaven called the "Thirty-three Heavens"?
Answer: Long ago there were thirty-three people who cultivated the ten virtues. In their later birth they were born there together, so it is called the "Thirty-three Heavens." Details are as in the Chapter on the Distinctions of the Three Realms.
Question: What is Yāma Heaven?
Answer: "Yāma" means "time division." Because they receive pleasure without interruption, it is called "time division."
Question: How do the upper three heavens get their names?
Answer: Among receiving pleasures, having a mind of contentment and not seeking superior pleasures, it is called Tuṣita Heaven. This means "contentment."
Question: Why must Maitreya necessarily be born in Tuṣita (contentment)?
Answer: Because the upper two heavens have much heedlessness, and the lower three heavens have many sensual desires and sink into entertainment. When all Buddhas are about to achieve enlightenment, they necessarily are born in Tuṣita and not in other heavens.
Question: The formless realm is extremely tranquil. Why are bodhisattvas not born there?
Answer: Because the four formless spheres lack form and thus lack benefit, bodhisattvas are not born there. Similarly, the Unconscious Heaven lacks the six consciousnesses and thus lacks benefit, so bodhisattvas are not born there. The Heaven of Delighting in Transformations uses only self-created sensual objects, not using others' creations, so it is called "Delighting in Transformations." The Heaven of Controlling Others' Transformations, though also creating transformations itself, uses others' creations. Because this is extraordinary, it is called "Controlling Others' Transformations."
Question: What is the arrangement of the six heavens?
Answer: As stated in the Chapter on the Three Realms. Mount Sumeru has equal length and width of 168,000 yojanas. Seven golden mountains surround it. The first golden mountain is half of Mount Sumeru. The other six golden mountains gradually decrease by half each. Mount Sumeru has four terraces. The distance between terraces is over ten thousand yojanas. The width of those terraces is 16,000 yojanas, where the Four Great Kings dwell. The fourth terrace is the peak of the seventh golden mountain. 42,000 yojanas above Mount Sumeru's fourth terrace, at the very top of Sumeru, is Indra's palace. These two heavens above are earth-dwelling heavens.
Question: How high above this ground level are there heavenly dwelling places?
Answer: 42,000 yojanas from this ground level reaches the Heaven of the Four Great Kings and Their Retinues. 84,000 yojanas from this ground level reaches Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. 168,000 yojanas from this ground level reaches Yāma Heaven. 336,000 yojanas from this ground level reaches Tuṣita Heaven. 672,000 yojanas from this ground level reaches Nirmāṇarati Heaven. 1,344,000 yojanas from this ground level reaches Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven. 2,688,000 yojanas from this ground level reaches the first dhyāna's Mahābrahmā.
Question: The distances from this ground level to the second dhyāna and above can be known by analogy. Generally, how high up from the human realm does one reach the Akaniṣṭha realm?
Answer: Calculating from below, the numbers are extremely large and truly difficult to know. Now calculating from above: dropping a great stone mountain from the peak of the Pure Abodes, falling unobstructedly straight down for 18,383 years before finally reaching this human realm. As extensively explained in the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra, volume 9.
Question: How are the four continents of the human realm arranged?
Answer: In the east is Pūrvavideha continent, 7,500 yojanas in length and width. In the south is Jambudvīpa continent, 6,500 yojanas in length and width. In the west is Aparagodānīya continent, 7,500 yojanas in length and width. In the north is Uttarakuru continent, 8,000 yojanas in length and width.
Question: What are the shapes of these four continents?
Answer: The eastern continent's shape is like a half-moon. The southern continent's shape is like a cart. The western continent's shape is like a full moon. The northern continent's shape is square. The faces of people in each continent match their location: eastern people have half-moon faces, southern people have cart-shaped faces, western people have full-moon faces, northern people have square faces.
Question: The Four Great Kings each rule the four continents. What shapes do their faces follow according to which direction?
Answer: I have not yet seen clear texts on this. The images of the four kings made by painters are distinguished only by color. Regarding lifespans, body sizes, etc., it is as in the Chapter on the Distinctions of the Three Realms.
Question: How many countries and towns are there in these four continents?
Answer: In Jambudvīpa there are 84,000 cities, towns, and villages, and 84,000 human kings. This appears in the Suvarṇaprabhāsottama Sūtra, volume 6. The affairs of other continents are not yet clear. We temporarily use the southern continent as the standard.
Question: Regarding the formless realm pervading the two realms, how does this pervading work?
Answer: Although pervading the two realms and pervading all places, their dwelling is not fixed. Sometimes they transform concentrated form and dwell in that place. Sometimes they transform form-bodies to resemble lower bodies. Sometimes tears fall like rain, grieving for Śāriputra's passing.
Question: Is there an order in listing the names of the five realms?
Answer: They are listed differently in various places, so the listing is not fixed. The ten virtuous karmic paths have lower, middle, and upper levels. Following this, humans, gods, and asuras are listed in order. The ten non-virtuous karmic paths have lower...