仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經疏 3.29

3.29

Commentary: "Heaven and earth will show prodigies and anomalies" means anomalies among the heavenly phenomena and strange portents on earth; this is a general explanation. Saying "sun and moon" refers to the first calamity in the sūtra below. Saying "various stars" refers to the second calamity. "Losing their times and losing their degrees" means the above two calamities losing their proper seasons and orbits. Saying "great fire" is the third calamity. Saying "great flood" is the fourth calamity. Saying "great wind" is the fifth calamity. What is meant by "and the like" encompasses the sixth and seventh: the sixth is severe drought, and the seventh is the arrival of bandits, as will be fully explained below. Why is it that the spirits first fall into chaos, the common people perish, king and ministers are in discord, and the seven calamities arise together? As the sūtra says below: "Because all the people in the large and small states and cities of Jambudvīpa are unfilial to their parents, do not respect their teachers, elders, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas, and the kings and great ministers do not practice the true Dharma, due to these various evils such calamities arise." These are the causes of the calamities, which will be fully explained below. From here, the second part explains the cessation of calamities.