Description of the World (DA30)

Three Reasons the Oceans Are Salty

“There are three circumstances for the ocean’s saltiness. What are the three? First, a spontaneous cloud covers the entire sky up to the Ābhāsvara Heaven and releases its rain everywhere. It washes over the heavenly palaces and the world. The Brahmakāyika Heaven’s palace, Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven’s palace … Yama Heaven’s palace, the four continents, 80,000 islands, mountains, great mountains, and Sumeru the mountain king are washed and cleansed. In those places, the pollutants and impure substances are bitter and salty. They flow down into the ocean and combine into a single flavor. Therefore, the ocean’s water is salty.

“Second, a great sage in the past cast a spell on the ocean that made it grow salty and bitter so that people couldn’t drink it. Therefore, it’s salty and bitter.

“Third, that ocean’s water is home to a variety of sentient beings, and their bodies grow large. Some are a hundred yojanas … two hundred yojanas … seven hundred yojanas in size. They spit, drool, urinate, and defecate in the water. Therefore, the ocean’s water is salty.

“This is the catastrophe of fire.”

The Catastrophe of Water

The Buddha told the monks, “What is the catastrophe of water? When the catastrophe of water happens, the world’s people uphold the correct Dharma, have right view, don’t have wrong views, and cultivate the ten good deeds. After they cultivate the ten good deeds, there are people who attain the third dhyāna that’s without joy and leap up into the sky. Those people on the noble path, the heavenly path, and the path of Brahma call out from above: ‘Good people, you should know the happiness of the third dhyāna without joy! The third dhyāna that’s without joy is happiness!’

“When the world’s people hear this call, they look up and say to them, ‘Excellent, excellent! Please explain for us the path of the third dhyāna that’s without joy!’

“When the people in the sky hear that, they explain the path of the third dhyāna that’s without joy. When the world’s people hear that explanation, they cultivate the path of the third dhyāna, and they’re born in the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven when their bodies break up and their lives end.

“When sentient beings’ punishment in hell is finished and their lives end, they’re reborn among humans. They too cultivate the path of the third dhyāna, and they’re born in the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven when their bodies break up and their lives end. Sentient beings born as animals … hungry ghosts … asuras … four god kings … Trāyastriṃśa gods … Yama gods … Tuṣita gods … Nirmāṇarati gods … Paranirmitavaśavartin gods … Brahma gods … Ābhāsvara gods are reborn as humans when their lives end. They too cultivate the path of the third dhyāna, and they’re born in the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven when their bodies break up and their lives end.

“As a result of these causes, the destiny of hell is ended … animals … hungry ghosts … asuras … the four god kings … Ābhāsvara Heaven is ended.

“As this happens, hell disappears first, and then animal births disappear after it. After animal births are gone, the hungry ghosts disappear. After the hungry ghosts are gone, the asuras disappear. After the asuras are gone, the four god kings disappear. After the four god kings are gone, the Trāyastriṃśa gods disappear. After the Trāyastriṃśa gods are gone, the Yama gods disappear. After the Yama gods are gone, the Tuṣita gods disappear. After the Tuṣita gods are gone, the Nirmāṇarati gods disappear. After the Nirmāṇarati gods are gone, the Paranirmitavaśavartin gods disappear. After the Paranirmitavaśavartin gods are gone, the Brahma gods disappear. After the Brahma gods are gone, then the Ābhāsvara gods disappear. After the Ābhāsvara gods are gone, then humans disappear with none remaining. After humans are gone with none remaining, the world is destroyed when the catastrophe takes place.”

“A long, long time after that, a huge black storm rises up to the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven and releases a deluge everywhere. The rain is boiling hot water that cooks the heavens. It washes over all the heavenly palaces there without any exceptions. Like butter put in a fire that’s cooked and melts away until nothing remains, the palace of the Ābhāsvara Heaven is likewise.

“You should know from this that all formed things are impermanent. They are liable to change and disintegrate, which makes them unreliable. Conditioned things are quite troublesome. You should seek the path of freedom that transcends the world.

“After that, this rain again soaks the palace of the Brahmakāyika Heaven, cooking and melting it away until nothing remains. Just as when butter is put into a fire and nothing remains of it, the palace of the Brahmakāyika Heaven is likewise.

“After that, this rain again soaks the palaces of the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven … Nirmāṇarati Heaven … Tuṣita Heaven … Yama Heaven, cooking and melting them away until nothing remains. Just as when butter is put into a fire and nothing remains of it, those heavenly palaces are likewise.

“After that, this rain again soaks the four continents, 80,000 islands, the mountains, great mountains, and Sumeru the mountain king, cooking and melting them away until nothing remains. Just as when butter is put into a fire and nothing remains of it, those places are likewise.

“Therefore, you should know from this that all formed things are impermanent. They are liable to change and disintegrate, which makes them unreliable. Conditioned things are quite troublesome. You should seek the path of freedom that transcends the world.

“After that, the rain cooks the whole earth. When nothing else remains, the water beneath the earth disappears, and then the wind beneath the water disappears.

“Therefore, you should know from this that all formed things are impermanent. They are liable to change and disintegrate, which makes them unreliable. Conditioned things are quite troublesome. You should seek the path of freedom that transcends the world.”

The Buddha told the monks, “The palaces [below] the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven are cooked and melt away, but who would believe that? Only someone who witnessed it would, but how could anyone know about it? The Brahmakāyika palace cooks and melts away … the water beneath the earth disappears, and the wind beneath the water disappears. Who would believe that? Only someone who witnessed it would, but how could anyone know about it?

“This is the catastrophe of water.

The Second Restoration of the World

“How is the world restored after the catastrophe of water? A long, long time after that, a huge black cloud fills the sky up to the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven and releases rain everywhere. The raindrops are the size of cartwheels. It rains like this for countless hundreds of thousands of years. The water gradually accumulates [countless hundreds of thousands of yojanas high], reaching the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven.

“Then, four great winds arise to support this water. What are the four? The first is called the standing wind. The second is called the holding wind. The third is called the immovable wind. The fourth is called the steadfast wind. After that, this water subsides [by a hundred thousand yojanas], but it’s still countless hundreds of thousands of yojanas deep. A great wind rises on all four sides of that water, which is called Saṅgha. It blows on the water and agitates it. The crashing of the waves is immense, and a mass of foam accumulates. The wind blows it off of the water and into the sky. It spontaneously hardens there, forming the Ābhāsvara Heaven’s palace, which is decorated with the seven treasures. As a result of these events, the palace of the Ābhāsvara Heaven comes to be.

“That water continues to subside countless hundreds of thousands of yojanas. That Saṅgha wind rises. It blows the water and agitates it. The crashing of the waves is immense, and a mass of foam accumulates. The wind blows it off of the water and into the sky. It spontaneously hardens there, forming the Brahmakāyika Heaven’s palace, which is decorated with the seven treasures … Thus, the ocean’s water has the single flavor of salty bitterness again as it did after the catastrophe of fire.

“This is the catastrophe of water.”

The Catastrophe of Wind

The Buddha told the monks, “What is the catastrophe of wind? When the catastrophe of wind happens, the world’s people uphold the correct Dharma, have right view, don’t have wrong views, and cultivate the ten good deeds. After they cultivate the ten good deeds, there are people who attain the pure equanimity and mindfulness of the fourth dhyāna and leap up into the sky. Those people on the noble path, the heavenly path, and the path of Brahma call out from above: ‘Good people, [you should know] the happiness of the pure equanimity and mindfulness of the fourth dhyāna! The pure equanimity and mindfulness of the fourth dhyāna is happiness!’

“When the world’s people hear that voice, they look up and say to it, ‘Excellent, excellent! Please explain for us the path of the fourth dhyāna’s pure equanimity and mindfulness!’

“When the people in the sky hear that, they explain the path of the fourth dhyāna’s pure equanimity and mindfulness. When the world’s people hear that explanation, they cultivate the path of the fourth dhyāna, and they’re born in the Bṛhatphala Heaven when their bodies break up and their lives end.

“When sentient beings’ punishment in hell is finished and their lives end, they’re reborn among humans. They too cultivate the path of the fourth dhyāna, and they’re born in the Bṛhatphala Heaven when their bodies break up and their lives end. Sentient beings born as animals … hungry ghosts … asuras … four god kings … [Trāyastriṃśa gods … Yama gods … Tuṣita gods … Nirmāṇarati gods … Paranirmitavaśavartin gods … Brahma gods … Ābhāsvara gods] … Śubhakṛtsna gods are reborn as humans when their lives end. They too cultivate the path of the fourth dhyāna, and they’re born in the Bṛhatphala Heaven when their bodies break up and their lives end.

“As a result of these causes, the destiny of hell is ended … animals … hungry ghosts … asuras … the four god kings … Śubhakṛtsna Heaven is ended.

“As this happens, hell disappears first, and then animal births disappear after it. After animal births are gone, the hungry ghosts disappear. After the hungry ghosts are gone, the asuras disappear. After the asuras are gone, the four god kings disappear. After the four god kings are gone, the Trāyastriṃśa gods disappear. After the Trāyastriṃśa gods are gone, the Yama gods disappear. After the Yama gods are gone, the Tuṣita gods disappear. After the Tuṣita gods are gone, the Nirmāṇarati gods disappear. After the Nirmāṇarati gods are gone, the Paranirmitavaśavartin gods disappear. After the Paranirmitavaśavartin gods are gone, the Brahma gods disappear. After the Brahma gods are gone, then the Ābhāsvara gods disappear. After the Ābhāsvara gods are gone, the Bṛhatphala gods disappear. After the Bṛhatphala gods are gone, then humans disappear with none remaining. After humans are gone with none remaining, the world is destroyed when the catastrophe takes place.

“A long, long time after that, a gale rises called Great Saṅgha. It goes up to the Bṛhatphala Heaven and disperses in four directions. It blows on the Bṛhatphala Heaven’s palace and Ābhāsvara Heaven’s palace, causing those palaces to crash into each other. This pulverizes them to dust. Just as a strong man uses a pair of bronze hammers to smash something between them to pulverize it until nothing remains, those two palaces crashing into each other is likewise.

“You should know from this that all formed things are impermanent. They are liable to change and disintegrate, which makes them unreliable. Conditioned things are quite troublesome. You should seek the path of freedom that transcends the world.

“After that, this wind blows on the Brahmakāyika Heaven’s palace and the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven’s palace, causing those palaces to crash into each other. This pulverizes them to dust until nothing remains. Just as a strong man uses a pair of bronze hammers to smash something between them to pulverize it until nothing remains, those two palaces crashing into each other is likewise.

“You should know from this that all formed things are impermanent. They are liable to change and disintegrate, which makes them unreliable. Conditioned things are quite troublesome. You should seek the path of freedom that transcends the world.

“After that, this wind blows on the Nirmāṇarati Heaven’s palace and the Tuṣita Heaven’s palace, causing those palaces to crash the into each other. This pulverizes them to dust until nothing remains. Just as a strong man uses a pair of bronze hammers to smash something between them to pulverize it until nothing remains, those two palaces crashing into each other is likewise.

“You should know from this that all formed things are impermanent. They are liable to change and disintegrate, which makes them unreliable. Conditioned things are quite troublesome. You should seek the path of freedom that transcends the world.

“After that, this wind blows the four continents, 80,000 islands, mountains, great mountains, and Sumeru the mountain king a hundred thousand yojanas up into the sky. The mountains collide and pulverize each other to dust. Like a strong man throwing a handful of chaff into the air, the four continents, Sumeru, and the mountains are all pulverized and scatter in the same way.

“You should know from this that all formed things are impermanent. They are liable to change and disintegrate, which makes them unreliable. Conditioned things are quite troublesome. You should seek the path of freedom that transcends the world.

“After that, the wind blows the whole earth away. The water beneath the earth disappears, and then the air beneath the water disappears.

“You should know from this that all formed things are impermanent. They are liable to change and disintegrate, which makes them unreliable. Conditioned things are quite troublesome. You should seek the path of freedom that transcends the world.”

The Buddha told the monks, “The Śubhakṛtsna Heaven’s palace and Ābhāsvara Heaven’s palace crash into each other, and they’re pulverized to dust. Who would believe that? Only someone who witnessed it would, but how could anyone know about it? … Thus, the water beneath the earth disappears, and then the air beneath the water disappears. Who would believe that? Only someone who witnessed it would, but how could anyone know about it?

The Third Restoration of the World

“How is the world restored after the catastrophe of wind? A long, long time after that, a huge black cloud fills the sky up to the Bṛhatphala Heaven and releases a deluge. The raindrops are the size of cartwheels. This heavy rain lasts for countless hundreds of thousands of years. The water gradually accumulates [countless hundreds of thousands of yojanas high], reaching the Bṛhatphala Heaven.

“Then, four great winds arise to support this water. What are the four? The first is called the standing wind. The second is called the holding wind. The third is called the immovable wind. The fourth is called the steadfast wind. After that, this water gradually subsides by countless hundreds of thousands of yojanas. A great wind rises on all four sides of that water, which is called Saṅgha. It blows on the water and agitates it. The crashing of the waves is immense, and a mass of foam accumulates. The wind blows it off of the water and into the sky. It spontaneously hardens there, forming the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven’s palace. It has a mix of assorted colors made of the seven treasures. As a result of these events, the palace of the Śubhakṛtsna Heaven comes to be.

“The water continues to subside countless hundreds of thousands of yojanas, and the Saṅgha wind rises. It blows the water and agitates it. The crashing of the waves is immense, and a mass of foam accumulates. The wind blows it off of the water and into the sky. It spontaneously hardens there, forming the Ābhāsvara Heaven’s palace. It has a mix of assorted colors made of the seven treasures … the ocean’s water has the single flavor of salty bitterness again as it did after the catastrophe of fire.

“This is the catastrophe of wind. These are the three catastrophes and three restorations.”

Chapter 10: War

Vemacitrin’s Bonds

The Buddha told the monks, “Once, the gods and asuras went to war. At the time, Śakra the Lord of Gods gave the Trāyastriṃśa gods this order: ‘All of you, go and do battle with them. If you are victorious, tie up the asura Vemacitrin with five bonds and bring him to the Sudharma Meeting Hall. I want to look at him.’ Accepting Lord Śakra’s instructions, the Trāyastriṃśa gods equipped themselves [with armor and weapons].

“The asura Vemacitrin gave the asuras this order: ‘All of you, go and do battle with them. If you are victorious, tie up Śakra the Lord of Gods with five bonds and bring him to the Saptaśirīṣa Meeting Hall. I want to look at him.’ Accepting the asura Vemacitrin’s instructions, the asuras equipped themselves [with armor and weapons].

“The hosts of gods and asuras then fought a battle. The gods were victorious, and the asuras retreated. The Trāyastriṃśa gods tied up the asura king with five bonds, brought him to the Sudharma Hall, and showed him to Lord Śakra.

“When the asura king saw the heavens, he was delighted, and an aspiration arose in him. He thought, ‘This place is supreme! Perhaps I will live here. How could I go back to the asura palace?’ When that thought occurred to him, he was freed from the five bonds and was presented with five delights. When the asura had the thought to return to his own palace, then the five bonds tied him back up, and the five delights left him.

“The bonds tying up the asura then became quite strong. The bonds that tie up Māra are even stronger than his was. Someone who posits a self is bound by Māra. Someone who doesn’t posit a self is freed from Māra’s bonds. The feeling of self is a bond. The feeling of craving is a bond.[n] ‘I will exist’ is a bond. ‘I will not exist’ is a bond. ‘I’ll have form’ is a bond. ‘I’ll have no form’ is a bond. ‘I’ll have form and no form’ is a bond. ‘I’ll have conception’ is a bond. ‘I’ll have no conception’ is a bond. ‘I’ll have conception and no conception’ is a bond. ‘Self’ is a great trouble, an abscess, and a thorn.

“Therefore, a noble disciple knows that ‘self’ is a great trouble, an abscess, and a thorn. They abandon the notions of self and cultivate selfless conduct. They regard that ‘self’ as a heavy burden, as reckless, and as existence.

“Something that has a self would be conditioned, and something that has no self would be conditioned. Something with form is conditioned, and something without form is conditioned. Something with and without form is conditioned. Something with conception is conditioned, and something without conception is conditioned. Something with and without conception is conditioned. Something that’s conditioned is a great trouble, an abscess, and a thorn. Therefore, a noble disciple abandons being conditioned and practices to be unconditioned.”

Śakra Tolerates Vemacitrin’s Insults

The Buddha told the monks, “Once, the gods and asuras went to war. At the time, Śakra the Lord of Gods gave the Trāyastriṃśa gods this order: ‘All of you, go and do battle with them. If we are victorious, tie up the asura Vemacitrin with five bonds and bring him to the Sudharma Meeting Hall. I want to look at him.’ Accepting Lord Śakra’s instructions, the Trāyastriṃśa gods equipped themselves [with armor and weapons].

“The asura Vemacitrin gave the asuras this order: ‘All of you, go and do battle with them. If you are victorious, tie up Śakra the Lord of Gods with five bonds and bring him to the Saptaśirīṣa Meeting Hall. I want to look at him.’ Accepting the asura Vemacitrin’s instructions, the asuras equipped themselves [with armor and weapons].

“The hosts of gods and asuras then fought a battle. The gods were victorious, and the asuras retreated. The Trāyastriṃśa gods tied up the asura king with five bonds, brought him to the Sudharma Hall, and showed him to Lord Śakra.

“Roaming the Sudharma Hall, the Asura King saw Lord Śakra from a distance and spoke harsh insults about his five bonds.

“The attendant to the Lord of Gods was in front of Śakra, and he spoke this verse:

“‘Is the Lord of Gods afraid?
He displays his own weakness
As ’Citrin insults him to his face.
He listens quietly to his harsh words.’

“Śakra the Lord of Gods also spoke in verse to answer his attendant:

“‘He has no great strength,
So I’m not afraid of him.
What wise man would
Argue with an ignorant person?’

“The attendant again spoke in verse to Lord Śakra:

“‘Don’t bow to that fool now;
He may become hard to bear after this!
You ought to whip him with a cane;
Make that fool admit his mistake!

“Lord Śakra replied to his attendant in verse:

“‘I always speak with the wise,
But I don’t argue with fools.
Fools are insulting, and the wise are silent;
Then they’re honestly defeated.’

“The attendant again spoke in verse to Lord Śakra:

“‘The god king remains silent
To avoid damaging his wise conduct,
But that stupid person
Will say the king is afraid of him.

The fool doesn’t assess himself
And thinks himself a match for the king.
He’d rush to a certain death,
While the king wants to retreat like a bull.’

“Lord Śakra again replied to his attendant in verse:

“‘That fool without knowledge or vision
May say I’m afraid of him.
I behold the supreme truth
That patient silence is what’s best.

Evil comes from evil;
Anger creates more anger.
Not being angry with anger
Is better than fighting.

A person has two purposes,
For himself and for others.
When people argue and have disputes,
The one who doesn’t respond is the winner.

A person has two purposes,
For himself and for others.
Seeing someone with no argument,
That person is taken for an idiot.

When a person has great power,
They tolerate someone without power.
This power is the best;
It’s the supreme tolerance.

A fool claims he has power,
But his power isn’t powerful.
The power of the Dharma’s tolerance
Is a power that cannot be thwarted.’”

The Buddha told the monks, “Was Śakra the Lord of Gods another person at the time? Don’t have this view. At that time, Śakra the Lord of Gods was me. I was cultivating tolerance and not behaving violently. I was constantly praising tolerant people. If some wise person wants to set out on my path, they should cultivate patient silence and not feel animosity.”

Defeating the Asuras with Gentle Words

The Buddha told the monks, “Once, the Trāyastriṃśa gods and the asuras went to war. Śakra the Lord of Gods said to the asura ’Citrin, ‘Friend, why are you equipped with weapons? Do you harbor ill-will and want to fight me? Now, I’ll have a discussion of doctrine with you to determine who wins and who loses.’

“That asura ’Citrin said to Lord Śakra, ‘Even if I did put down these weapons and stop to debate doctrine with you, who’d decide who won and who lost?’

Lord Śakra instructed him, ‘We will simply hold a discussion. Those who are wise in your host and in my host of gods will decide who wins and who loses.’

“The asura said to Lord Śakra, ‘You begin with a verse.’

“Lord Śakra replied, ‘You are the elder god. You should be the first to speak.’

“The asura ’Citrin then spoke a verse to Lord Śakra:

“‘Don’t bow to that fool now;
He may become hard to bear after this!
You ought to whip him with a cane;
Make that fool admit his mistake!

“After he said this verse, the host of asuras rejoiced and cheered, saying, ‘Excellent!’ The host of gods were silent and had nothing to say.

“The asura king said to Lord Śakra, ‘It’s your turn to speak a verse.’

“Lord Śakra then said to the asura in verse,

“‘I always speak with the wise,
But I don’t argue with fools.
Fools are insulting, and the wise are silent;
Then they’re honestly defeated.’

“After Lord Śakra spoke this verse, the Trāyastriṃśa gods rejoiced and cheered, saying, ‘Excellent!’ The host of asuras were silent and had nothing to say.

“Lord Śakra then said to the asura, ‘It’s your turn to speak a verse.’

“The asura again spoke in verse:

“‘The god king remains silent
To avoid damaging his wise conduct,
But that stupid person
Will say the king is afraid of him.

The fool doesn’t assess himself
And thinks himself a match for the king.
He’d rush to a certain death,
While the king wants to retreat like a bull.’

“After the asura king said these verses, the host of asuras celebrated, rejoiced, and cheered, saying, ‘Excellent!’ The host of Trāyastriṃśa gods were silent and had nothing to say.

“The king of asuras then said to Lord Śakra, ‘It’s your turn to speak a verse.’

“Śakra the Lord of Gods then spoke these verses for the asura:

“‘That fool without knowledge or vision
May say I’m afraid of him.
I behold the supreme truth
That patient silence is what’s best.

Evil comes from evil;
Anger creates more anger.
Not being angry with anger
Is better than fighting.

A person has two purposes,
For himself and for others.
When people argue and have disputes,
The one who doesn’t respond is the winner.

A person has two purposes,
For himself and for others.
Seeing someone with no argument,
That person is taken for an idiot.

When a person has great power,
They tolerate someone without power.
This power is the best;
It’s the supreme tolerance.

A fool claims he has power,
But his power isn’t powerful.
The power of the Dharma’s tolerance
Is a power that cannot be thwarted.’”

“After Śakra the Lord of Gods had spoken these verses, the host of Trāyastriṃśa gods celebrated, rejoiced, and cheered, saying, ‘Excellent!’ The host of asuras were silent and had nothing to say.

“The host of gods and host of asuras both withdrew a short distance and said to each other, ‘The asura king’s verses were an assault, like drawing a sword on an opponent. They create the root of conflict, increase the bond of anger, and establish the source of the three existences. Śakra the Lord of Gods’ verses attack no one, like not drawing a sword against an opponent. They don’t create conflict, don’t increase the bond of anger, and put an end to the source for the three existences. What the Lord of Gods has said is good, and what the asura has said is not good. The gods are the winners, and the asuras are the losers!’”

The Buddha told the monks, “Was Śakra the Lord of Gods another person at the time? Don’t have this view. Why is that? [Śakra the Lord of Gods] was me. That time, I defeated the host of asuras with gentle words.”

Defeating the Asuras with Compassion

The Buddha told the monks, “Once, the gods and asuras again went to war. That time, the asuras were the victors, and the gods weren’t their equal.

“Śakra the Lord of Gods road a thousand-spoked treasure chariot as he fled in terror. In the middle of the road, he saw a nest in a sal tree, and a pair of chicks was in the nest. He told his driver in verse:

“‘That tree with two birds in it,
You should steer the chariot around it.
Even if it means injuring me,
Don’t injure those two birds!’

“Hearing Lord Śakra’s verse, his driver immediately steered the chariot to avoid the birds. The chariot then was headed toward the asuras, and the host of asuras saw his treasure chariot turning around in the distance. Those soldiers then said to each other, ‘Śakra the Lord of Gods is headed towards us in a thousand-spoked treasure chariot! He must want to come back and fight us! How could that be!?’ The host of asuras then were routed. The gods won a victory, and the asuras retreated.”

The Buddha told the monks, “Was Lord Śakra another person at the time? Don’t have that view. Why is that? [Śakra the Lord of Gods] was me. That time, I was engendering compassion for sentient beings. Monks, you’ve left home to cultivate the path in my teaching. You ought to engender compassion and sympathy for all beings.”

Śakra’s Victory Hall

The Buddha told the monks, “Once, the gods and asuras went to war. That time, the gods were the victors, and the asuras retreated. Śakra the Lord of Gods returned to his palace after that victory and built a hall that he named Supremacy. It was a hundred yojanas long from east to west, and sixty yojanas wide from north to south. That hall had a hundred rooms, and the rooms had seven curtained balconies. There were seven beautiful women on each balcony, and each beautiful woman had seven servants. Śakra the Lord of Gods didn’t withhold from those beautiful women any supplies of clothing, meals, or ornaments. He received these fortunes as a result of his past deeds. Being victorious in battle against the asuras, he rejoiced and built this hall, so it was called the Hall of Supremacy. No other hall was comparable to it in a thousand worlds, so it was called Supremacy.”

Desire Is the Cause of Warfare

The Buddha told the monks, “Once the Asura [King Rāhu] thought to himself, ‘I have great authority, and my miraculous powers aren’t few, but the Trāyastriṃśa, sun, and moon gods are always in the sky roam around my summit freely. Now, I think I’ll take the sun and the moon and make them into earrings so I could travel freely!’

“The Asura King’s anger flared, and he thought about the asura *Prahata. The asura *Prahata then thought to himself, ‘The Asura King is thinking of me now! We should quickly get ready!’ He ordered those to his right and left to equip themselves with weapons. He then rode a treasure chariot to the Asura King while surrounded by a countless host of asuras. He went before the Asura King and then stood to one side.

“The [Asura] King also thought about the asura Śambara. The asura Śambara then thought to himself, ‘The [Asura] King is thinking of me now! We should quickly get ready!’ He ordered those to his right and left to equip themselves with weapons. He then rode a treasure chariot to the Asura King while surrounded by a countless host of asuras. He went before the Asura King and then stood to one side.

“The [Asura] King also thought about the asura Vemacitrin. The asura Vemacitrin then thought to himself, ‘The [Asura] King is thinking of me now! We should quickly get ready!’ He ordered those to his right and left to equip themselves with weapons. He then rode a treasure chariot to the Asura King while surrounded by a countless host of asuras. He went before the [Asura] King and then stood to one side.

“The [Asura] King also thought of the great minister of asuras. The great minister of asuras thought to himself, ‘The [Asura] King is thinking of me now! We should quickly get ready!’ He ordered those to his right and left to equip themselves with weapons. He then rode a treasure chariot to the Asura King while surrounded by a countless host of asuras. He went before the [Asura] King and then stood to one side.

“The [Asura] King also thought of the lesser asuras. The lesser asuras then thought to themselves, ‘The [Asura] King is thinking of me now! We should quickly get ready!’ They got ready and equipped themselves with weapons. They then went to the Asura King with countless other asuras. They went before the [Asura] King and then stood to one side.

“The Asura King Rāhu then got himself ready, donning treasure armor. He rode a treasure chariot while surrounded by countless hundreds of thousands of asuras equipped with weapons and armor. He headed out to the frontier to make war on the gods.

“The Nāga Kings Nanda and Upananda coiled their bodies around Mount Sumeru seven times and shook the mountains and valleys. Fine clouds spread out and released a misting rain. They smacked the ocean’s surface with their tails, which stirred up waves that reached the summit of Mount Sumeru.

“The Trāyastriṃśa gods then had this thought, ‘Now, these fine clouds have spread out and released a misting rain … stirred up waves that reach up to here. The asuras must be coming to make war on us; that’s the reason for these strange signs!’

“An army of countless millions of nāga warriors were in the ocean, too. They were armed with lances, bows and arrows, and swords, and they wore heavy treasure armor. Being well equipped with such weapons, they opposed the asuras and fought them. Sometimes the host of nāgas were victorious and chased the asuras back to their palace. Sometimes the host of nāgas retreated, and the nāgas couldn’t return to their palace. Instead, they would run to the Karoṭapāṇi yakṣa spirits and tell them, ‘The host of asuras are about to attack the gods. We tried to oppose them, but they just defeated us. You should arm yourselves, muster your strength, and go to battle with them!’

“When the yakṣa spirits heard this from the nāgas, they readied themselves, taking up weapons and donning heavy treasure armor. They then went with that host of nāgas to fight the asuras. If they won the battle, they would chase the asuras back to their palace. If they weren’t their equals, they wouldn’t return to their own palace. Instead, they would run to the realm of the Mālādhāra yakṣa spirits and tell them, ‘The host of asuras are about to attack the gods. We tried to oppose them, but they just defeated us. You should arm yourselves, muster your strength, and go to battle with them!’

“When the Mālādhāra yakṣa spirits heard this from the nāgas, they readied themselves, taking up weapons and donning heavy treasure armor. They mustered their strength and fought the asuras. If they won the battle, they would chase the asuras back to their palace. If they weren’t their equals, they wouldn’t return to their own palace. Instead, they would run to the realm of the Sadāmattā yakṣa spirits and tell them, ‘The host of asuras are about to attack the gods. We tried to oppose them, but they just defeated us. You should arm yourselves, muster your strength, and go to battle with them!’

“When the Sadāmattā yakṣa spirits heard this, they readied themselves, taking up weapons and donning heavy treasure armor. They mustered their strength and fought the asuras. If they won the battle, they would chase the asuras back to their palace. If they weren’t their equals, they wouldn’t return to their own palace. Instead, they would run to the four god kings and tell them, ‘The host of asuras are about to attack the gods. We tried to oppose them, but they just defeated us. You should arm yourselves, muster your strength, and go to battle with them!’

“When the four god kings heard this, they readied themselves, taking up weapons and donning heavy treasure armor. They mustered their strength and fought the asuras. If they won the battle, they would chase the asuras back to their palace. If they weren’t their equals, they wouldn’t return to their own palace. Instead, the four god kings went to the Sudharma Meeting Hall to tell Lord Śakra and the Trāyastriṃśa gods, ‘The host of asuras are about to attack the gods. We tried to oppose them, but they just defeated us. You should arm yourselves, muster your strength, and go to battle with them!’

“Lord Śakra then would give one of his attendant gods this order: ‘Memorize my words and relay them to the Yama gods, Tuṣita gods, Nirmāṇarati gods, and Paranirmitavaśavartin gods: “The Asura King and his countless host are coming to do battle with us. The gods should get ready and arm themselves. Help us fight them!”’

“That attendant god accepted Śakra’s instruction and went to the Yama Heaven … Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven with Lord Śakra’s message, telling them, ‘The Asura King and his countless host are coming to do battle with us. The gods should get ready and arm yourselves. Help us fight them!’

“When the Yama gods heard this, they readied themselves, taking up weapons and donning heavy treasure armor. They rode treasure chariots while surrounded by a host of countless hundreds of thousands of millions of gods and took their positions on the east side of Mount Sumeru.

“When the Tuṣita gods heard this, they readied themselves, taking up weapons and donning heavy treasure armor. They rode treasure chariots while surrounded by a host of countless hundreds of thousands of millions of gods and took their positions on the south side of Mount Sumeru.

“When the Nirmāṇarati gods heard this, they readied themselves, [taking up weapons and donning heavy treasure armor. They rode treasure chariots while surrounded by a host of countless hundreds of thousands of millions of gods] and took their positions on the west side of Mount Sumeru.

“When the Paranirmitavaśavartin gods heard this, they readied themselves, [taking up weapons and donning heavy treasure armor. They rode treasure chariots while surrounded by a host of countless hundreds of thousands of millions of gods] and took their positions on the north side of Mount Sumeru.

“Lord Śakra also thought of the thirty-three gods of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Those thirty-three Trāyastriṃśa Heaven gods then thought, ‘Lord Śakra is thinking of me now! We should quickly get ready!’ They then ordered those to their right and left to equip themselves with weapons. They rode treasure chariots to Lord Śakra while surrounded by countless millions of gods. They went before Lord Śakra and then stood to one side.

“Lord Śakra also thought of the remaining gods of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Those remaining gods then thought, ‘Lord Śakra is thinking of me now! We should quickly get ready!’ They ordered those to their right and left to equip themselves with weapons. They rode treasure chariots to Lord Śakra while surrounded by countless millions of gods. They went before Lord Śakra and then stood to one side.

“Lord Śakra also thought of the Viśvakarma yakṣa spirits. Those Viśvakarma yakṣa spirits then thought, ‘Lord Śakra is thinking of me now! We should quickly get ready!’ They ordered those to their right and left to equip themselves with weapons. They rode treasure chariots to Lord Śakra while surrounded by countless thousands of yakṣas. They went before Lord Śakra and then stood [to one side].

“Lord Śakra also thought of Nāga King Supratiṣṭhita. Nāga King Supratiṣṭhita then thought, ‘Lord Śakra is thinking of me now! I should go now.’ He then went to stand before Lord Śakra.

“Lord Śakra then got himself ready, equipping weapons and donning treasure armor. Riding on the crown of Nāga King Supratiṣṭhita’s head while surrounded by countless gods and yakṣas, and he left his heavenly palace to do battle with the asuras.

“They were equipped with spears, swords, pikes, bows and arrows, axes, hatchets, spinning discs, and snares. Their weapons and armor were made of the seven treasures. When they hit the asuras with their sharp swords, they only touched the asuras without injuring them.

“The host of asuras were armed with swords, pikes, bows and arrows, axes, hatchets, spinning discs, and snares made of the seven treasures. When they hit the gods with their sharp swords, they only touched the gods without injuring them. Thus, the gods and asuras of the desire realm fight with each other. Desire is the cause of it.”

Chapter 11: Three Interim Eons

The Buddha told the monks, “There are three interim eons. What are the three? The first is called the eon of warfare, the second is called the eon of famine, and the third is called the eon of plague.

The Eon of Warfare

“What is the eon of warfare? The people of this world originally lived for 40,000 years. After that, their life spans were reduced to 20,000 years. After that, their life spans were reduced further to 10,000 years. Their life spans became 1,000 years … 500 years … 300 years … 200 years until today when few people live for more than 100 years, and many live for less. After that, people’s life spans are reduced to ten years. At that point, woman are married at five months old.

“In that time, there are delicious flavors in the world such as those of ghee, honey, rock honey, and black rock honey. These delicious flavors naturally disappear, the five grains stop growing, and only weeds and grass remain. In that time, superior clothing made of twilled silk, plain silk, cotton, and linen is no more. There’s only crudely woven grass clothing.

“In that time, brambles, biting insects, scorpions, vipers, and venomous creatures appear all over the land. Gold, silver, beryl, and the rest of the seven treasures naturally disappear from the land. It’s filled with just rocks, sand, and rubbish.

“In that time, sentient beings just increasingly do the ten bad deeds, and the names of the ten good deeds aren’t heard anymore. Without names for good deeds, how could anyone practice them?

“People then who aren’t dutiful to their parents, don’t respect their elders, and do evil are given offerings, and people respect and serve them. It’s just as today when people who are dutiful to their parents, respectful to their elders, and do good are given offerings, and people respect and serve them. Those people do evil and get offerings in the same way. When their lives end, they fall to animal births, just as people today [who are respected] are born up in heaven.

“In that time, people look at each other harboring malice, wishing only to kill each other. They’re like hunters who see a herd of deer and want only to kill them. They don’t have a single good thought. Those people are like that. They want only to kill each other and don’t have a single good thought.

“In that time, the land consists of gully streams, river valleys, mountain precipices, and hills. There’s not a single level plain. People travel in fear, worrying with their hair standing on end.

“The eon of warfare takes place in seven days. People pick up grass, wood, bricks, and stones, and they turn into swords in their hands. The swords have sharp edges, being suitable for cutting anything. They then take turns hurting each other.

“When intelligent people see people hurting each other with swords, they flee in terror. They go into mountain forests and caves where no one else lives and hide there for seven days. They think and say to each other, ‘I won’t hurt anyone! Let no one hurt me!’ Those people stay alive during those seven days by eating grass, wood, and roots. After seven days have passed, they come back out of the mountain forests.

“At that point, someone else spots them and rejoices. They say, ‘I see someone now who’s alive! I see someone now who’s alive!’ Like a parent recognizing a child whom they haven’t seen for a long time, they rejoice and celebrate, unable to control themselves. That person is likewise. They rejoice and celebrate, being unable to control themselves.

“Those people cry and lament to each other for seven days. Then, they cheer each other up for seven days, rejoicing and congratulating each other.

“After their bodies break up and their lives end, those people fall to hell. Why is that? They had always harbored anger and malice toward each other, so it was because of their lack of humanity. This is eon of warfare.”

The Eon of Famine

The Buddha told the monks, “What is the eon of famine? In that time, people often behave contrary to the Dharma. Deluded by wrong views, they commit the ten bad deeds. Because they do evil, no rain falls from the heavens. The hundred grasses wither and die, and the five grains aren’t harvested, only stalks and straw.

“What is the famine? In that time, the people sweep up grain from fields, markets, roads, and garbage dumps to keep themselves alive. This is the famine.

“Again, during the famine, people go to shops, butchers, and cemetery grounds. They dig up bones and make broth from them that they drink to survive. This is the white bone famine.

“Again, during the eon of famine, the five grains become grass and trees when people plant them. The people then pick flowers and make broth from them to drink.

“Again, during the famine, plant and tree flowers fall and cover the land. People sweep the flowers up and cook them to survive. This is the grass and tree famine.

“In that time, sentient beings fall to the hungry ghosts when their bodies break up and their lives end. Why is that? It’s because those people always harbored greediness during the eon of famine. Having no focus on generosity, they are unwilling to share [their food] and aren’t mindful of other people’s hardships. This is the eon of famine.”

The Eon of Plague

The Buddha told the monks, “What is the eon of plague? In that time, the world’s people cultivate the correct Dharma, have right view, don’t have deluded views, and perfect the ten good deeds. A yakṣa spirit comes from another world, and the yakṣa spirits in this world are reckless and lustful, so they can’t protect the people here. The yakṣa spirit from another world then attacks and disturbs this world’s people. It hits, whips, and steals their vitality. Disturbing people’s minds, it drives and threatens them as it leads them away.

“It’s like when a king orders his generals to defend the country, and bandits come from another direction to attack. Those reckless people attack country’s villages. This is likewise. A yakṣa spirit from another world captures the people here by hitting and whipping them. It steals their vitality, driving and threatening them as it leads them away.”

The Buddha told the monks, “Even if the yakṣa spirits of this world aren’t reckless and lustful, the yakṣa that comes from another world is powerful. The yakṣas of this world are afraid of it and run away. That great yakṣa spirit then attacks and disturbs people. It hits and whips them, stealing their vitality. It then kills them and leaves.

“It’s like when a king or a king’s great minister sends his generals to protect the people, and the generals are careful and not reckless at all. Barbarian generals come from another direction with large armies to destroy their cities and towns, looting the people’s possessions. This is likewise. Even when the yakṣa spirits in this world aren’t reckless and lustful, the yakṣa from another world has great power. The yakṣa spirits here are afraid of it and run away. That great yakṣa spirit then attacks and disturbs people. It hits and whips them, stealing their vitality. It then kills them and leaves.

“During the eon of plague, people are born up in heaven when their bodies break up and their lives end. Why is that? It’s because people in that time are kind to each other. They take turns asking, ‘Are you sick? Are you in good health?’ For this reason, they are born up in heaven. Therefore, this is called the eon of plague.

“These are the three medium eons.”

Chapter 12: The Origins of the World

The Repopulation of the World

The Buddha told the monks, “After the catastrophe of fire has passed and the earth and heavens of this world are about to reform, the remaining sentient beings’ merits, actions, and lives come to an end. At the end of their lives in the Ābhāsvara Heaven, they are born into an empty Brahma abode. Their minds are stained by attachment to the place. Delighted by that abode, they wish other sentient beings would be born there with them. After they make that wish, the merits, actions, and lives of other sentient beings come to an end. When their bodies break up and their lives end in the Ābhāsvara Heaven, they’re born in that empty Brahma abode.

“The first being born in the Brahma Heaven thinks to himself, ‘I am the Brahma King, the Great Brahma Heaven King! I have no creator, I’ve spontaneously come to be, and I’m subject to no one. I’m the highest sovereign of a thousand worlds, skilled in various meanings, my wealth is bountiful, and I’m the creator of all things. I’m both father and mother to all sentient beings.’

“After that, the Brahma gods who arrive after him also think, ‘He’s the first Brahma god, the Brahma King, the Great Brahma Heaven King. He spontaneously came to be, and he’s subject to no one. He’s the highest sovereign of a thousand worlds, skilled in various meanings, his wealth is bountiful, and he’s the creator of all things. He’s both father and mother to all sentient beings. We’ve come to exist from him.’ That Brahma Heaven King looked handsome and young, always like a youth. Therefore, that Brahma god was named Kumāra.

“At a certain point, this world is restored again. The sentient beings that were born in the Ābhāsvara Heaven are numerous. Born here spontaneously, they’re nourished by joy. Their bodies glow with their own light, and they have the miraculous ability to fly. Their happiness has no obstacle, and their life spans are very long.

“After that, the world forms a great body of water that fills up every place. The world then is under a great darkness. There’s no sun, moon, stars, nor day and night. There’s no way to count the years, months, or the four seasons.

“Some time after that, the world again changes. The merits, actions, and lives of more sentient beings in the Ābhāsvara Heaven come to an end, and they are born here when their lives end. All are born here spontaneously, and they are nourished by joy. Their bodies glow with their own light, and they have the miraculous ability to fly. Their happiness has no obstacles, and their life spans are very long.

“In that time, there’s no male or female, noble or ignoble, high or low, or beings with different names. That host is born together in the world, so they are called ‘host born.’

“At that point, the Earth has a spontaneously produced flavor of earth, which solidifies into earth that’s like ghee. When that flavor of earth is produced, it’s likewise. It’s like butter that tastes as sweet as honey.

“After that, the sentient beings use their hands to taste what flavor it has. With the first taste, they realize they like it, and then they become attached to tasting it. Thus, they each take turns tasting it without stopping, and then they go after it greedily. They scoop it up with their hands and form it into lumps to eat, and they don’t stop eating it. Other sentient beings see this and emulate them, eating it and not stopping.

“The bodies of these sentient beings become rough, and their glow gradually disappears. They no longer have the miraculous ability to fly, either. At that point, there has yet to be a sun or moon, so when the glow of the sentient beings goes out, the world is plunged into a darkness that’s no different than before.

The Sun

“A long, long time after that, a windstorm blows on the ocean’s water, which is 84,000 yojanas deep. It divides into two whirlwinds that grab the palace hall of the sun and place it half as high as Mount Sumeru, where it takes up the sun’s orbit. It rises in the east and sets in the west, revolving around the world.

“When a second sun palace rises in the east and sets in the west, the sentient beings there say, ‘This must be the sun from yesterday.’

“Others say, ‘It’s not the one from yesterday.’

“A third sun palace circles Mount Sumeru, rising in the east and setting in the west. Then, the sentient beings say, ‘That’s definitely the same sun.’ The word ‘sun’ means the first cause of illumination; therefore, it’s called the sun. ‘Sun’ also has two meanings. The first is to abide at a constant frequency, and the second is a palace hall.

“The palace hall’s four sides are round because they’re seen from far away. It’s made of heavenly gold mixed with crystal that’s neither cold nor hot. Two-thirds of it is pure and unadulterated heavenly gold, inside and out, and its light shines far away. A third of it is pure and unadulterated crystal, inside and out, and its light shines far away. The sun palace is fifty-one yojanas across, and the palace walls are made of a mineral that’s as light as oak or pine wood.

“That palace has seven walls, seven balustrades, seven nettings, seven treasure bells, and seven rows of trees encircling it with decorations made of the seven treasures.

“The gold walls have silver gates, and the silver walls have gold gates. The beryl walls have crystal gates, and the crystal walls have beryl gates. The ruby walls have emerald gates, and the emerald walls have ruby gates. The coral walls have gates made of many treasures.

“Those balustrades have gold balusters and silver rails, silver balusters and gold rails, crystal balusters and beryl rails, beryl balusters and crystal rails, ruby balusters and emerald rails, emerald balusters and ruby rails, and coral balusters with rails made of many treasures.

“The gold nettings have silver bells, and the silver nettings have gold bells. The beryl nettings have crystal bells, and the crystal nettings have beryl bells. The ruby nettings have emerald bells, and the emerald nettings have ruby bells. The coral nettings have bells made of many treasures.

“The gold trees have silver leaves, flowers, and fruit. The silver trees have gold leaves, flowers, and fruit. The beryl trees have crystal [leaves], flowers, and fruit. The crystal trees have beryl [leaves], flowers, and fruit. The ruby trees have emerald [leaves], flowers, and fruit. The emerald trees have ruby [leaves], flowers, and fruit. The coral trees have [leaves], flowers, and fruit made of many treasures.

“The palace walls have four gates. The gates have seven stair steps, and they’re encircled by balustrades, towers, terraces, forest parks, and lakes alongside each other in that order. Myriad treasure flowers grow in rows along with a variety of fruit trees with flowers and leaves of assorted colors. The fragrance of the trees is sweet-smelling and spreads far away in all directions. Flocks of various birds sing to each other peacefully.

“There are five winds that hold the sun palace up. First is the holding wind, second is the sustaining wind, third is the receiving wind, fourth is the turning wind, and fifth is the controlling wind.

“The sun god stands in his correct hall, which is made of pure gold and sixteen yojanas tall. The hall has four doors with balustrades encircling it. The sun god’s throne is a half yojana across, made of the seven treasures, and pure and soft as heavenly cloth. The sun god’s own body emits light that shines on his golden hall. The golden hall’s light then shines on the sun palace, and the sun palace’s light shines on the four continents.

“The sun god lives for 500 heavenly years, and his descendants who succeed him are no different. His palace is indestructible until it ends after one eon.

“As the sun palace moves, the sun god has no notion of that motion. He says, ‘Walking or standing still, I’m always enjoying myself with the five desires.’ As the sun palace moves, countless hundreds of thousands of great gods and spirits are ahead of it leading the way. They do so gladly without tiring of it, being delighted by its speed. This is the reason the sun god is named ‘Quickness.’

“The sun god’s body emits 1,000 rays of light. 500 rays shine downwards and 500 rays shine horizontally. As a result of the virtue of his past deeds, he has 1,000 rays of light. Therefore, the sun god is called ‘1,000 Rays of Light.’

“What are the virtues of his past deeds? Sometimes, a person gives offerings to ascetics and priests and gives aid to the poor. He gives gifts of meals, clothing, medicine, horses and elephants, vehicles, housing, lamps, and candles. When he distributes such things, he does so according to what’s needed and doesn’t go contrary to people’s wishes. He supports noble people who observe the precepts.

“As a result these diverse and countless causes of Dharma joy and light, his heart is good, and he’s joyful. He’s like a water-anointed king who has just ascended to the throne. His heart is good, and he’s joyful in the same way. When his body breaks up and his life ends, he becomes the sun god and attains the sun palace hall because of these circumstances. Because he possesses 1,000 rays of light, these are said to be the good deeds that obtain 1,000 rays of light.

“Again, what’s called the past deeds of light? Some people don’t kill beings, don’t steal, don’t engage in sexual misconduct, don’t speak duplicitously, harshly, falsely, or frivolously, aren’t greedy or hateful, and don’t have wrong views. Because of these circumstances, their hearts are good, and they’re joyful. It’s like a major crossroads with a large bathing pool that’s clear and unpolluted. People traveling from far away are exhausted, hot, and thirsty when they arrive at the pool. They go in to bathe and refresh themselves, rejoicing and delighting in it. Those ten good deeds make their hearts good, and they’re joyful in the same way. When such people’s bodies break up and their lives end, they become the sun god. Dwelling in the sun palace, they possess 1,000 rays of light. For these reasons, [these deeds] are called good deeds of light.

“Again, what is the reason for called them ‘[good deeds of] 1,000 rays of light’? Some people don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t engage in sex, don’t lie, and don’t drink alcohol. Because of these causes, their hearts are good, and they’re joyful. When their bodies break up and their lives end, they become the sun god. Dwelling in the sun palace, they possess 1,000 rays of light. For these reasons, they are called the good deeds of 1,000 rays of light.

“Sixty kṣaṇas are called a lava. Thirty lavas are called a muhūrta. A hundred muhūrtas are called an upamā. The sun palace moves south for six months. The sun moves fifteen kilometers to the south, not going beyond Jambudvīpa. The sun travels north in the same way.

Ten Reasons Sunlight Is Hot

“What are the reasons for sunlight to be hot? There are ten causes for this. What are the ten? First, Mount Khadiraka outside of Mount Sumeru is 42,000 yojanas tall and 42,000 yojanas across. Its bounds are measureless, and it’s made of the seven treasures. The sun’s light shines on that mountain, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is one reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Second, Mount Īśādāra outside of Mount Khadiraka is 21,000 yojanas tall and 21,000 yojanas across. Its circumference is measureless, and it’s made of the seven treasures. The sun’s light shines on that mountain, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the second reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Third, Mount Yugandhara outside of Mount Īśādāra is 12,000 yojanas tall and 12,000 yojanas across. Its circumference is measureless, and it’s made of the seven treasures. The sun’s light shines on that mountain, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the third reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Fourth, Mount Sudarśana outside of Mount Yugandhara is 6,000 yojanas tall and 6,000 yojanas across. Its circumference is measureless, and it’s made of the seven treasures. The sun’s light shines on that mountain, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the fourth reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Fifth, Mount Aśvakarṇa outside of Mount Sudarśana is 3,000 yojanas tall and 3,000 yojanas across. Its circumference is measureless, and it’s made of the seven treasures. The sun’s light shines on that mountain, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the fifth reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Sixth, Mount Nimindhara outside of Mount Aśvakarṇa is 1,200 yojanas tall and 1,200 yojanas across. Its circumference is measureless, and it’s made of the seven treasures. The sun’s light shines on that mountain, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the sixth reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Seventh, Mount Vinitaka outside of Mount Nimindhara is 600 yojanas tall and 600 yojanas across. Its circumference is measureless, and it’s made of the seven treasures. The sun’s light shines on that mountain, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the seventh reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Eighth, Mount Cakravāḍa outside of Mount Vinitaka is 300 yojanas tall and 300 yojanas across. Its circumference is measureless, and it’s made of the seven treasures. The sun’s light shines on that mountain, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the seventh reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Furthermore, 10,000 yojanas above, there’s a heavenly palace called the stellar constellations that’s made of crystal. The sun’s light shines on that palace, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the ninth reason for sunlight to be hot.

“Furthermore, the sun palace’s light shines on the earth, and it creates heat when they come into contact. This is the tenth reason for sunlight to be hot.”

The Bhagavān then spoke in verse:

“For these ten reasons,
The sun is called a thousand lights.
It’s light is fiery and hot,
As described by the Buddha sun.”