法華文句記 2.91

2.91

Regarding the statement among the four garuḍas that "in their own dwelling place there are palaces, etc.," the eighteenth [fascicle] of the Dīrgha-āgama says: "To the north of the great ocean there is a great tree named Kūla-śālmali, seven yojanas in circumference, one hundred yojanas in height, and its branches and leaves [spread for] fifty yojanas. To the east of the tree there is the palace of egg-born dragons, and also the palace of egg-born garuḍas; to the south, west, and north are those of womb-born, moisture-born, and transformative-born, each having its palaces of dragons and birds, all having seven rows of trees where flocks of birds sing in harmony. When seizing dragons, they strike the seawater with their wings; the egg-born strikes it open for two hundred yojanas, the womb-born four hundred, the moisture-born eight hundred, and the transformative-born one thousand six hundred. In this order—egg-, womb-, moisture-, and transformative-born—they devour one, two, three, and four dragons." Such dwellings of the evil destinies are to be compared to the Western World of Peace and Joy; hence we know that merit is easy while precepts are difficult, and precepts are easy while the vehicle is difficult, because those who do not come are many. Furthermore, as the Āgama says: "On Gandhamādana there is an elephant named Supratiṣṭhita, who constantly dwells under a tree and has six tusks; upon the tusks there are pools, etc., appearing almost identical to the elephant of Samantabhadra. For each tree there is one elephant, numbering eight thousand; Supratiṣṭhita is the king, and the rest are his retinue, either holding parasols, fans, and vases, or making music and dance, or bathing the king, etc." How can it be that [such beings] are still in the evil destinies? "Ao (cut as wu-dao) can (cut as si-dao)" means to eat up things; "dan" is cut as tu-lan. "Vajra Mountain" is to the south of this continent. "About to burn the jeweled mountain" means that the fire is about to reach the other golden mountains. If considered according to the teachings: the first, called "Surpassing the Flock," is because he excels all heterodox paths; the next, called "Great Body," is because he also represents the beginning of the Great Vehicle; the next, "Great Fullness," is because his emergence into the provisional is complete; "As-One-Wishes" is because his fulfillment accords with principle.