佛祖統紀 30.19

30.19

The third small kalpa (decreasing and increasing). Among the gods of the Ābhāsvara Heaven, there were further those who came to be born in the Brahmā world, becoming the Brahmā-pāriṣadya gods (their lifespan is twenty small kalpas; that is, they pass away from the third increase and decrease of the kalpa of formation until the first increase and decrease of the kalpa of abiding; or, for those who come to be born subsequently, since their arrival is irregular, the time of their passing away is likewise irregular). Gradually they descended to be born into the six heavens of desire and the human destiny; through the power of evil karma, they gradually descended to be born among hungry ghosts, animals, and hell-beings. That which is formed last is destroyed first; such is the nature of phenomena. At that time, the gods of the Ābhāsvara Heaven whose merits were exhausted came down and were born apparitionally as humans. There were those who took delight in looking upon the new earth; their light shone far, and they flew about freely, with no distinction of male or female. Because they were born collectively as a multitude, they were therefore called 'sentient beings' (multitude-born). Sweet springs welled forth from the earth, tasting like clarified butter and honey. Trying a taste with their fingers, they thereupon became attached to the flavor, losing their supernatural powers of movement and bodily radiance. A great darkness fell upon the world. A black wind blew across the ocean, casting up the sun and moon to rest upon the flanks of Mount Sumeru, illuminating the four continents under heaven. When the people saw them emerge, they rejoiced; when they saw them set, they were afraid. From this time onward there were day and night, the last and first days of the lunar month, the spring and autumn, and the reckoning of years, ending only to begin again. Due to indulging in the earth's flavor, their complexions became coarse and withered. Once the earth's flavor disappeared, forest vines then grew (the Loutan jing calls them two branches of grapes). Again they indulged in eating them together, and the forest vines disappeared in turn. Then naturally growing non-glutinous rice appeared, free of chaff and husk, endowed with manifold delicious flavors. This food was somewhat coarse, leaving residual impurities in the body. To eliminate them, two passages appeared, forming male and female organs. Those with greater sexual desire became women. Through the power of past conditioning, lustful desire arose, and husband and wife lived together. Those gods of the Ābhāsvara Heaven who came to be born later entered the mothers' wombs, and thus womb-birth came to be. At that time, the great city of Campā was built first, and then all the cities and towns. The naturally growing rice was reaped in the morning and ripened in the evening; after reaping it grew back immediately, with grains four inches long. Then sentient beings took two days' rations together, and even up to five days' rations, so that chaff and husks gradually grew, and after reaping it would not grow again. The multitude harbored anxiety and distress; each apportioned fields and dwellings, cultivating fields and sowing seeds. Thereafter, many stole rice from others' fields, whereupon they fought with their fists, and none could resolve it. They deliberated on establishing an equitable king to reward good and punish evil; then there came to be knives, staves, and slaughter. The multitude collectively provided for him, designating him a kṣatriya (translated here as 'field-master'). From then on, all kings took this as their origin. At that time, under heaven in Jambudvīpa, there was wealth, joy, and peace. Across the eighty thousand commanderies and kingdoms, the crowing of roosters could be heard from settlement to settlement. There were no illnesses, nor extreme cold or extreme heat. Rectitude was practiced through the ten wholesome actions, and the country was ruled by the true Dharma. The people loved and respected one another, and their lifespans were exceedingly long (most sutras say that the lifespan reaches a maximum of 84,000 years as the measure of increase and decrease, without saying it is infinitely long). Later kings did not practice the true Dharma, and lifespans gradually decreased. When it reached 84,000 years, their height was eighty feet. Every hundred years, life decreased by one year and height decreased by one inch. Decreasing in this manner down to ten years, their height was one foot; this is called the culmination of the decreasing kalpa. From this time onward, every hundred years it increased by one year (some sutras say the son doubles the father's lifespan; even if this occurs, the increases and decreases are not uniform), increasing up to 84,000 years, which is called the culmination of the increasing kalpa. One decrease and one increase end and begin anew. When it increases to 84,000 years, a golden wheel-turning king appears, possessing the seven treasures and a thousand sons, ruling over the four continents under heaven, whose lands are abundant and joyful. Women marry only at the age of five hundred. Thereafter, whenever the beginning of an increasing kalpa is encountered, a golden wheel-turning king always appears in the world (Dīrghāgama).