大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 26.40

26.40

Regarding the Commentary's statement 'first, encountering evil conditions, hence pure transforms into defiled,' this refers to defiled sentient beings dwelling during the kalpa. The seventy-second fascicle says: 'In the past in this city, / before the great king appeared, / everything was unpleasurable, / just like the realm of hungry ghosts. / Sentient beings slaughtered one another, / stole and indulged in debauchery, / spoke divisively and untruthfully, / uttering meaningless and coarse words, / craved the property of others, / harbored malicious intent in anger, / held wrong views and did unwholesome deeds, / and at the end of life fell into evil destinies. / Because these sentient beings / were obscured by foolishness, / they dwelt in inverted views.' This is the evil conditions above. 'Drought sent down no moisture; / because there was no rain in season, / all the hundred grains failed to grow, / grass and trees all withered, / and springs and streams dried up. / Before the great king arose in the world, / rivers and ponds all went dry, / parks and gardens were full of skeletons, / looking like a desolate wilderness.' This is the transformation of the kalpa.