佛祖統紀 31.14

31.14

The *Abhidharmakośa* says: The first mountain, Mount Sumeru, is eighty thousand yojanas in both height and breadth (the *Dīrghāgama* and *Lokasthiti-sūtra* say eighty-four thousand yojanas; the other seven mountains and the Iron Ring mountain are successively reduced by half). The first fragrant-water sea is eighty thousand yojanas across (the *Lokasthiti* says eighty-four thousand). The second mountain, Yugandhara, is forty thousand yojanas in both height and breadth (the various mountains are successively reduced by half). The second fragrant-water sea is forty thousand yojanas across (the spans across the seven seas each follow the heights of the seven mountains, successively reduced by half). The third mountain, Īṣādhara, is twenty thousand yojanas in both height and breadth. The fourth mountain, Khadiraka, is ten thousand yojanas in both height and breadth. The fifth mountain, Sudarśana, is five thousand yojanas in both height and breadth. The sixth mountain, Aśvakarṇa, is two thousand five hundred yojanas in both height and breadth. The seventh mountain, Vinataka, is one thousand two hundred and fifty yojanas in both height and breadth. The seventh fragrant-water sea is one thousand two hundred and fifty yojanas across. The eighth mountain, Nemindhara, is six hundred and twenty-five yojanas in both height and breadth. The eighth great salt-water sea is three hundred and twenty-two thousand yojanas across. In it are the four continents (the *Abhidharma* says the circumference along the water's edge is 3,600,084,075 yojanas). The ninth, the Small Iron Ring Mountain, is three hundred and twelve yojanas in both height and breadth (the *Abhidharma* says the circumference is 3,600,010,350 yojanas). All the mountains enter eighty thousand yojanas into the water, resting upon the golden disc. All the seas are eighty thousand yojanas deep. (Upon careful examination now: From the center of Mount Sumeru southward to the edge of this mountain is eighty thousand yojanas. Crossing the seven fragrant-water seas is one hundred and sixty thousand yojanas. Crossing the seven golden mountains is eighty thousand yojanas. Reaching the southern border of the seven mountains facing the sea, it totals two hundred and eighty thousand yojanas. The north-south diameter across totals 5,600,000,000 yojanas.) / The *Dīrghāgama* says: South of Mount Sumeru there is an under-heaven named Jambudvīpa (translated here as 'continent of superior gold'; the *New Vibhāṣā* calls it Jambu). Its land is narrow in the south and broad in the north, seven thousand yojanas in length and breadth. The faces of its people resemble this terrain. There is a great tree named Jambu, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas high, with branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. The human lifespan is one hundred years, and those who die prematurely are many. / The *Abhidharma* says: In the southern continent, clothing and adornments vary in many ways. In a lifetime, sexual desires are countless; there are also those who practice cultivation until death without desire. / The *Lokasthiti* says: North of the great ocean there is a Jambu tree; beneath this tree there is a heap of Jāmbūnada gold twenty yojanas high (because this superior gold comes from beneath the tree, the tree and the continent are named after it). / The *Nyāyānusāra* says: There are twenty intermediate continents: first, Cāmara (the *New Vibhāṣā* says the dwelling place of rākṣasas); second, Varacāmara. Both have people dwelling there. / The *Dīrghāgama* says: East of Mount Sumeru there is an under-heaven named Pūrvavideha (translated here as 'superior body'; the *Lokasthiti* calls it Videha). Its land is narrow in the east and broad in the west, shaped like a half-moon, nine thousand yojanas in length and breadth. The faces of its people resemble it. There is a great king of trees named Gālambu, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas high, with branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. The human lifespan is two hundred years (the *Loutan jing* says three hundred years). They feed on fish and meat, and trade with grain, silk, and pearls. They have wedding rituals. / The *Lokasthiti-abhidharma-śāstra* says: Among the people of eastern Videha, those of many desires reach six or seven times in a lifetime; there are also those who practice cultivation until death without desire. They eat fish and meat that died naturally and do not kill living beings themselves. Their hair is cut in front and drapes down behind. Having put on their lower garments, they wrap an upper garment around. / The *Nyāyānusāra* says: There are two intermediate continents: first, Deha; second, Videha. Both have people dwelling there. / The *Dīrghāgama* says: West of Mount Sumeru there is an under-heaven named Godānīya (translated here as 'cattle-trade'; the *New Vibhāṣā* calls it Godhānīya). Its land is shaped like a full moon, and the faces of its people resemble it, eight thousand yojanas in length and breadth. There is a king of trees named Kinti, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas high, with branches and leaves spreading five thousand yojanas. The human lifespan is three hundred years. They trade with cattle, horses, pearls, and jade. / The *Abhidharma* says: In that land they eat meat and kill living beings. When people die, they cremate the corpses, or place them in water, or bury them in earth. Marriages are the same as those of the southern continent. Those with many desires reach ten or twelve; there are also those who are without desire until death. For adornment, they all wear their hair draped down and put on clothes above and below. / The *Nyāyānusāra* says: There are two intermediate continents: first, Śāṭhā; second, Tṛṇā. Both have people dwelling there. / The *Lokasthiti-śāstra* says: Beneath the Kinti tree there is a stone cow one yojana high; hence it is named Godhānīya (and the continent is named after it). / The *Dīrghāgama* says: North of Mount Sumeru there is an under-heaven named Uttarakuru (translated here as 'most superior'; the *New Vibhāṣā* calls it Kuru continent). Its land is square, and the people's faces resemble it, ten thousand yojanas in length and breadth. There is a great king of trees named Āmra, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas high, with branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas. Mountains, bathing pools, flowers, and fruits are luxuriant, and flocks of birds sing in harmony. On the four sides, Lake Anavatapta gives rise to four great rivers. There are no gullies, pits, thorns, brambles, mosquitoes, gnats, or venomous insects. Spontaneous husked rice is complete with all flavors. There is a mani jewel named Blazing Radiance, which is placed beneath spontaneous pots and cauldrons (spontaneous husked rice means it grows of itself; spontaneous pots and cauldrons mean they burn of themselves; *fu* [cauldron] is pronounced like *you*, resembling a pot but larger). When the rice is cooked, the radiance extinguishes. There is a tree named Curving Bow; its leaves overlap in succession so that rain from the heavens does not leak through. Those men and women reside beneath it. There are fragrant trees; when their fruits ripen, they spontaneously burst open, yielding various garments, utensils, or food. Jeweled boats in the rivers carry people for pleasure. When entering to bathe, they take off their clothes on the bank, ride boats across the water, and when they encounter clothes they put them on without seeking their original garments. Next, going to the fragrant trees, they take musical instruments with their hands and walk along harmonizing strings with exquisite voices. Those people have no illnesses; their countenances are alike, their hair is dark blue and trimmed even with the eyebrows. When someone experiences desire, he looks intently at a woman, and that woman follows him to the grove. If they are related as father or mother and should not engage in desire, the tree does not curve down to shade them, and each departs. If they are not relatives, the tree curves down to shade them, and they take pleasure at will. From one to seven days, only then do they part. When that woman conceives, she gives birth in seven or eight days. As soon as a boy or girl is born, they place it at a crossroads. Passersby extend their fingers for the child to suckle; sweet milk flows from the fingers and suffuses the child's body. After seven days have passed, the child is fully grown, equal to those adults: boys go to the company of men, and girls go to the company of women. When those people die, they do not weep for one another (since the human lifespan is fixed at one thousand years, they do not mourn death). Adorning the corpse, they place it at a crossroads. There is a bird named Uvvijaṅgha which carries it away and places it in another land (the *Abhidharma* says the bird pecks the corpse and eats it outside the mountains). The ground is soft and yields beneath the foot, rising again. When urinating or defecating, the ground opens up for them, and after finishing it closes back up. Those people cultivated the ten wholesome deeds in past lives and came to be born in this continent. Their lifespan is one thousand years, neither increasing nor decreasing. After death, they are born into good destinies in the heavens. / The *Abhidharma* says: In the northern continent, those of many desires reach four or five times in a lifetime; there are also those who practice cultivation until death without desire. / The *Nyāyānusāra* says: There are two intermediate continents: first, Kaurava; second, Kauravya. Both have people dwelling there. / The *Abhidharma* says: People of the southern continent are three and a half cubits or four cubits tall; the eastern continent, eight cubits; the western continent, sixteen cubits; the northern continent, thirty-two cubits. (The *Lokasthiti* says: Southern continent, three and a half; eastern and western continents are equal in measure; northern continent, seven cubits. One cubit corresponds to one foot and eight inches of the Ji Zhou dynasty.) / The *Dīrghāgama* says: The southern continent is superior in three matters: first, being courageous and having strong memory, able to perform karmic actions; second, diligently cultivating pure conduct (*brahmacarya*); third, the Buddhas appear in this land. / The *New Vibhāṣā* says: In the four great continents and eight intermediate continents, human forms are small and short. Some say the Cāmara continent is inhabited only by rākṣasas. Furthermore, there are five hundred small continents; some are inhabited by humans, some by non-humans, and some are uninhabited. / The *Bodhisattvapiṭaka-sūtra* [says]: The Buddha said: I observe that sentient beings in the world are constantly oppressed by ten sufferings: first, birth; second, old age; third, sickness; fourth, death; fifth, sorrow; sixth, resentment; seventh, painful sensation; eighth, anxiety; ninth, agonizing affliction; tenth, the cycle of birth and death. In order to attain bodhi, sentient beings transcend such oppressions. / The *Sijiao yi* says: While in the causal stage, practicing the five constants, the five precepts, and the middling ten wholesome actions induces a body in the human destiny.