俱舍論頌疏論本 12.37

12.37

The commentary explains: Starting from sentient beings giving rise to lying, various unwholesome courses of action progressively increased thereafter. Due to the increase in unwholesome karma, the lifespan of humans in this continent gradually decreased, down to an ultimate [span of] ten years, when the three minor calamities appear. Therefore, all these disasters and perils have two things as their root: first, indulging in delicious food; second, a lazy disposition. These three minor calamities arise at the end of an intermediate kalpa. The three calamities are: first, weapons; second, pestilence; third, famine. When human lifespan is ten years, because unrighteous greed progressively increases and intensifies, and unequal lust covers and obscures their minds, the poison of hatred increases so that upon seeing one another, sharp thoughts of malice arise, and whatever they hold in hand becomes a sharp sword with which they kill one another. Furthermore, at the end of an intermediate kalpa, when human lifespan is ten years, because beings possess the aforementioned faults, non-human beings spew poison and pestilence spreads; whoever encounters it dies, and it is difficult to cure. Furthermore, at the end of an intermediate kalpa, when human lifespan is ten years, also because they possess the aforementioned faults, devas and nāgas are angered and send down no sweet rain; due to this, the world frequently encounters famine, and having no sustenance, the majority die. Because of famine, there are the occurrences of 'gathering', 'white bones', and 'drawing lots'. There are two kinds of gathering: first, the gathering of people, meaning that the people of that time, through extreme starvation and emaciation, gather together and die; second, the gathering of seeds, meaning that to benefit future people, they withhold their own food and place it in a small box, intending it as seed. There are also two kinds of white bones: first, when people of that time die, shortly afterward white bones appear; second, people of that time, pressed by famine, gather white bones, boil them for broth, and drink it. There are also two kinds of drawing lots: first, because provisions are scarce, they draw lots to eat—meaning that within a family, from eldest to youngest, whoever's turn comes on that day gets a small, coarse meal; second, it means using sticks to pick through threshing floors and granaries to find a few grains, boiling them with much water, and sharing it to drink so as to preserve their remaining lives. However, the noble teachings explain remedies for them: namely, if a person can observe the precept against killing for one day and one night, they will definitely not encounter the arising of the calamity of weapons; if one can, with an earnest and pure mind, offer a single harītakī to the saṅgha of monks, one will definitely not encounter the arising of the calamity of pestilence; if one can, with an earnest and respectful mind, offer a single morsel of food to the saṅgha of monks, one will definitely not encounter the arising of the disaster of famine. The arising of the calamity of weapons lasts at most only seven days; the disaster of pestilence lasts seven months and seven days; the disaster of famine lasts seven years, seven months, and seven days; past this they cease, and human lifespan gradually increases. In the eastern and western continents, similar disasters arise, meaning that hatred intensifies, physical strength becomes frail, and hunger and thirst frequently increase. In the northern continent, there are none at all.