ཚའ་མཐའ་མད 6

6

they do not eat; due to being drowsy, they do not eat. Thus, in sum, the meals that are eaten and the meals that are not eaten are altogether seventy-two thousand meals during one lifetime, including the milk from their mother that they have drunk.

“Monks, I have expounded and itemized the lives of human beings in Jambudvīpa in terms of seasons, months, half months, days, meals, and even the interruptions to meals.⁷¹

“Monks, fifty human years corresponds to one day and night in the life of the devas belonging to the retinue of the Four Great Kings. Since thirty such days constitute one month, and twelve months constitute one year, the lifespan of the devas belonging to the retinue of the Four Great Kings is five hundred divine years by this way of calculating. According to human years, this is nine million years. Premature death does occur.

“This—that is, nine million years—corresponds to one day and night for the beings⁷² in the great hell Revival.⁷³ ⁷⁴ Since thirty such days constitute one month, and twelve such months constitute one year, the lifespan of beings in the great hell Revival is, by this way of calculating, five hundred years. In human years, this is 1 trillion 620 billion years. Premature death does occur.”

Then, at that time, the Bhagavān spoke the following verses:

“By committing harmful actions
With body, speech, and mind,
And whatever other actions that bring harm,
Beings are reborn in the hell Revival.
For one thousand times ten million years
They are tortured and killed, only to be revived.

“People who kill other people,
Because they are tied to one another by hatred,
Will, by virtue of this karma,
Be reborn in Revival.

“Monks, one hundred human years corresponds to one day and night for the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Since thirty such days constitute one month, and twelve such months constitute one year, the lifespan of the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three is one thousand divine years by this way of calculating.