大唐西域記 1.16

1.16

然則索訶世界（舊曰娑婆世界，又曰娑訶世界，皆訛也），三千大千國土，為一佛之化攝也。今一日月所照臨四天下者，據三千大千世界之中，諸佛世尊皆此垂化，現生現滅，導聖導凡。蘇迷盧山（唐言妙高山。舊曰須彌，又曰須彌，婁皆訛略也），四寶合成，在大海中，據金輪上，日月之所照迴，諸天之所遊舍。七山七海，環峙環列；山間海水，具八功德。七金山外，乃鹹海也。海中可居者，大略有四洲焉。東毘提訶洲（舊曰弗婆提，又曰弗于逮，訛也），南贍部洲（舊曰閻浮提洲，又曰剡浮洲，訛也），西瞿陀尼洲（舊曰瞿耶尼，又曰的伽尼，訛也），北拘盧洲（舊曰欝單越，又曰鳩樓。訛也）。金輪王乃化被四天下，銀輪王則政隔北拘盧，銅輪王除北拘盧及西瞿陀尼，鐵輪王則唯贍部洲。夫輪王者，將即大位，隨福所感，有大輪寶，浮空來應，感有金、銀、銅、鐵之異，境乃四、三、二、一之差，因其先瑞，即以為號。則贍部洲之中地者，阿那婆答多池也（唐言無熱惱。舊曰阿耨達池，訛也）。在香山之南，大雪山之北，周八百里矣。金、銀、瑠璃、頗胝，飾其岸焉。金沙彌漫，清波皎鏡。八地菩薩以願力故，化為龍王，於中潛宅。出清冷水，給贍部洲。是以池東面銀牛口流出殑（巨勝反）伽河（舊曰恒河，又曰恒伽，訛也），繞池一匝，入東南海；池南面金象口流出信度河（舊曰辛頭河，訛也），繞池一匝，入西南海；池西面瑠璃馬口流出縛芻河（舊曰博叉河，訛也），繞池一匝，入西北海；池北面頗胝師子口流出徙多河（舊曰私陀河，訛也），繞池一匝，入東北海，或曰潛流地下，出積石山，即徙多河之流，為中國之河源云。

This Sahaloka (Soh-ho) world is the three-thousandgreat-thousand system of worlds (chiliocosm), over which one Buddha exercises spiritual authority (converts and controls). In the middle of the great chiliocosm, illuminated by one sun and moon, are the four continents, in which all the Buddhas, lords of the world, appear by apparitional birth, and here also die, for the purpose of guiding holy men and worldly men. The mountain called Sumeru stands up in the midst of the great sea firmly fixed on a circle of gold, around which mountain the sun and moon revolve; this mountain is perfected by (composed of) four precious substances, and is the abode of the Devas. Around this are seven mountain-ranges and seven seas; between each range a flowing sea of the eight peculiar qualities. Outside the seven golden mountain-ranges is the salt sea. There are four lands (countries or islands, dvipas) in the salt sea, which are inhabited. On the east, (Purva)videha; on the south, Jambudvipa; on the west, Godhanya; on the north, Kurudvipa. A golden-wheel monarch rules righteously the four; a silver-wheel monarch rules the three (excepting Kuru); a copper-wheel monarch rules over two (excepting Kuru and Godhanya); and an iron-wheel monarch rules over Jambudvipa only. When first a wheel-king is established in power a great wheel-gem appears floating in space, and coming towards him; its character — whether gold, silver, copper, or iron — determines the king's destiny and his name.

In the middle of Jambudvipa there is a lake called Anavatapta, to the south of the Fragrant Mountains and to the north of the great Snowy Mountains; it is 800 li and more in circuit; its sides are composed of gold, silver, lapis-lazuli, and crystal; golden sands lie at the bottom, and its waters are clear as a mirror. The great earth Bodhisattva, by the power of his vow, transforms himself into a Naga-raja and dwells therein; from his dwelling the cool waters proceed forth and enrich Jambudvipa (Shen-pu-chau). From the eastern side of the lake, through the mouth of a silver ox, flows the Ganges (King-kia) river; encircling the lake once, it enters the south-eastern sea. From the south of the lake, through a golden elephant's mouth, proceeds the Sindhu (Sin-to) river; encircling the lake once, it flows into the south-western sea. From the western side of the lake, from the mouth of a horse of lapis-lazuli, proceeds the river Vakshu (Po-tsu), and encircling the lake once, it falls into the north-western sea. From the north side of the lake, through the mouth of a crystal lion, proceeds the river Sita (Si-to), and encircling the lake once, it falls into the north-eastern sea. They also say that the streams of this river Sita, entering the earth, flow out beneath the Tsih rock mountain, and give rise to the river of the middle country (China). At the time when there is no paramount wheel-monarch, then the land of Jambudvipa has four rulers.