大方廣佛華嚴經疏 28.25

28.25

Eighteen: In the pariṇāmanā of giving seats, the mention of the three kinds of worlds has the meaning as conventionally explained. Master Bian says: 'Before the stages is the world of aspiring joy; from the first stage to the seventh stage is called the world of effort; from the eighth stage to equal enlightenment is called the world of effortless ease.' Some say: According to the Western Regions' tradition, within the realm of sentient beings there are three worlds: (1) the subterranean world, of nāgas, asuras, and so forth; (2) the human world; (3) the celestial world. If one relies on the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra, the three worlds are simply sentient beings, the five aggregates, and the receptacle world as the three. In demonstrating preeminence among them, none of these senses is in error. The rest can all be understood.