彰所知論 1.12.2

1.12.2

As for the solitary hells, they are located in the wilderness and mountains of Jambudvīpa, where [beings] alternate between experiencing suffering and experiencing pleasure within a single day and night. The eight hot hells, the eight cold hells, the neighboring [hells], and the solitary [hells]—these are called the eighteen hells. / As for hungry ghosts, five hundred yojanas beneath Rājagṛha there is a city of hungry ghosts named Yellow-White, also called Bleak. Their ghost king is named the Dharma King Yama, who dwells together with thirty-six kinds of retinue and the like. Their types are four: first, those with external obstructions; second, those with internal obstructions; third, those with food and drink obstructed; and fourth, those who obstruct food and drink. First, as for those with external obstructions, they cannot even hear the sound of food and drink. Second, as for those with internal obstructions, if they obtain a tiny bit of food and drink, their mouths are like the eye of a needle and it cannot enter; even if it can enter the mouth, their throats are like horsehair and it cannot pass down; even if it passes the throat, their bellies are like wide mountains and cannot be filled; and even if their bellies were filled, their shins are like stalks of grass and they cannot move, thus suffering this great torment. Third, as for those with food and drink obstructed, when they see food and drink, countless hell-wardens holding various weapons guard it so that they obtain nothing. Fourth, as for those who obstruct food and drink, when they consume food and drink, due to the retribution of their karma, iron pellets and molten bronze are poured into their mouths and flow out below. These four kinds are all hungry ghosts. As for their lifespan, one month in the human world is one day and night, and counting in this way, their lifespan is five hundred years, which corresponds to fifteen thousand years in the human world. Those who dwell among humans in charnel grounds and the like, consuming blood, flesh, and so forth, all belong to the category of hungry ghosts. / Third, as for animals, most dwell in rivers and the sea, mingled together like dregs of wine, the large eating the small and the small eating the large, constantly terrifying one another. Due to the waves of the ocean, their dwelling places are not fixed; some also dwell among humans and devas. As for their lifespan, the long, such as nāga kings, have a life of half an intermediate kalpa; the short, such as gnats and the like, have a life of a single instant. Their bodily size is not fixed. / Fourth, as for humans, they dwell on the four great continents, the eight intermediate continents, and the various small continents. As for their lifespan, like the humans of Jambudvīpa, at the beginning of the kalpa of formation their life was immeasurable, and afterwards it gradually decreased to sixty years at present, after which it will gradually decrease until it reaches ten years, and then it will gradually increase again, having no fixed measure. Humans of Uttarakuru have a fixed lifespan of one thousand years; humans of eastern Pūrvavideha have a lifespan of five hundred years; humans of western Aparagodānīya have a lifespan of two hundred and fifty years. Except in Uttarakuru, in the rest there are untimely deaths. As for their provisions: in the continent of Uttarakuru they eat naturally grown rice, and clothing and necklaces emerge from wish-fulfilling trees; in the other three continents, they eat grains, meat, and the like, enjoying wealth and treasures. As for their bodily size: humans of Jambudvīpa are eight cubits in measure; humans of western Aparagodānīya are sixteen cubits in body; humans of Uttarakuru are thirty-two cubits. The facial shapes of humans also correspond to the shapes of their continents. The humans of the small continents are like those of the great continents, each of their bodies being half the size; therefore it is said thus. / Fifth, as for demigods (asuras): eleven thousand yojanas below the water's edge of Meru, within the mountain's open expanses in the city of Radiance, dwells the asura king named Rāhu (which means "grasping the head"), together with his multitudes of retinue. Another eleven thousand yojanas [below], within the city of Garland of Stars, dwells the asura king named Kaṇṭhamālā (Necklace), together with his multitudes of retinue. Another eleven thousand yojanas [below], within the city of Firm, dwells the asura king named Suśubha (Wonderful Subduer), also called Mahābala (Great Strength), together with his multitudes of retinue. Another eleven thousand yojanas [below], within the city of Profound, dwells the asura king named Vemacitrin (which means "various threads," also "tattooed body"), together with his multitudes of retinue, constantly clashing and contending with Śakra. The city is named Possessing Gold; the palace is named Playing Music; the wish-fulfilling tree king is named *Cittapātali; the assembly place is named Bhadradhana (Good Wealth); the stone is named Subhadra (Auspicious Good); the groves are named Universal Joy, Wonderful Joy, Utmost Joy, and Very Auspicious Joy; the grounds are also named Universal Joy, Wonderful Joy, Utmost Joy, and Very Joyful; the elephant ridden when going into battle is named Invincible; the elephant ridden for sport is named Piled Snow; the horse is named Steep Neck. These demigods contend with the Trāyastriṃśa devas over the taste of sudhā (ambrosia) and the asura maidens. For the purpose of warfare, they come forth from the mountain expanses, their bodies clad in strong armor of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, and mother-of-pearl, holding in their hands swords, lances, javelins, bows, and arrows, commanding armies of four divisions. Those asura kings—Rāhu, Kaṇṭhamālā, Suśubha, Vemacitrin, and so on—either the first three come forth, or all four come together. At that time, of Śakra's five guardian hosts, first the host of nāga kings and others who dwell in the Playful Ocean and delight in white dharmas do battle with the demigod army and turn them back. If the nāgas are not victorious, they go to the place of the Firm-Headed (Kharoṣṭha), where together the two guardians again do battle with the asuras. If they are again not victorious, they go to the place of the Garland-Bearers (Mālādhāra), where together the three guardians again do battle with them. If they are again not victorious, they go to the place of the Ever-Proud (Sadāmatta), where together the four guardians again do battle with them. If they are again not victorious, they go to the place of the Four Kings, where together the five guardians again do battle with them. The Four Great Heavenly Kings lead the armies of the four divisions, clad in sturdy jeweled armor and holding spears and weapons; in battle, the Four Heavenly Kings are victorious for the most part. If they cannot repel [them], they go before the Trāyastriṃśa heaven and say to Śakra: 'We guardians cannot turn back that asura host; your majesty should repel the enemy.' Having been addressed in this way, the lord of devas, Śakra, mounts the elephant Supratiṣṭhita and announces to the hosts of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven: 'You should know that the asura army has now reached the summit of Meru; put on strong armor, take your mounted chariots, and fight the asuras.' Having spoken these words, those devaputras each put on jeweled armor, take up spears and weapons, go to the All-Chariot Grove to take their mounted chariots, enter the Coarse-Harsh Grove to transform their bodies and minds into harshness, and go forth from the City of Good Sight to fight face-to-face against those asuras. If the asuras are victorious, they encroach into the interior of the city; if the devas obtain victory, they pursue the asura army to the first sea. At the time of fighting, if the devas and demigods have their shins or waists severed, they die immediately; if their hands and feet are severed, they grow back as before. When a Bhagavān, a pratyekabuddha, or a wheel-turning king dwells in the world, the asuras do not give rise to minds of contention, and even if they clash, the devas will certainly be victorious. When goodness increases in the world, the deva hosts are also victorious; when unwholesomeness increases in the world, the asuras are victorious. Therefore, the devas protect and uphold wholesome matters. / As for devas, there are six heavens of the desire realm, seventeen of the form realm, and four of the formless realm. As for the six heavens of the desire realm: on the first tier of Mount Sumeru dwell the Firm-Headed host; on the second tier dwell the Garland-Bearing host; on the third tier dwell the Ever-Proud host. On Mount Yugaṃdhara to the north there is a city named Aḍakavatī, where the Great Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa and the yakṣa hosts dwell. Likewise, to the east there is a city named Superior Virtue, where there is a great heavenly king named Dhṛtarāṣṭra, where the gandharva host dwells.