釋迦方志 1.12

1.12

惟夫法王所部則大千之內攝焉。若據成都則此洲常為所住故。此一洲則在蘇迷山南之海中也。水陸所經東西二十四萬里。南北二十八萬里。又依論說。三邊等量二千由旬。南邊三由旬半。是則北闊而南狹人面象之。又依凡記。人物所居則東西一十一萬六千里。南北遠近略亦同之。所都定所則以佛所生國迦毘羅城應是其中。謂居四重鐵圍之內。故經云。三千日月萬二千天地之中央也。佛之威神不生邊地。地為傾斜故。中天竺國如來成道樹下。有金剛座用承佛焉。據此為論約餘天下以定其中。若當此洲義約五事以明中也。所謂名里時水人為五矣。

Now, the realm under the Dharma King's dominion is encompassed within the great thousand [worlds]. If based on the established capital, this continent is where he constantly abides; hence this one continent lies in the ocean south of Mount Sumeru. Its extent by water and land is 240,000 li from east to west, and 280,000 li from north to south. Again, according to the treatises, three sides are equal in measure, being two thousand yojanas, while the southern side is three and a half yojanas. Thus it is broad in the north and narrow in the south, resembling a human face. Furthermore, according to mundane records, the area inhabited by people is 116,000 li from east to west, and its distance from north to south is roughly the same. As for its fixed capital, Kapilavastu, the country where the Buddha was born, should be the centre. It is said to lie within the fourfold Cakravāḍa; hence the sūtra says: 'It is the centre of the three thousand suns and moons and the twelve thousand heavens and earths.' Through the spiritual power of the Buddha, he is not born in peripheral lands, because the land there is tilted. In Central India, beneath the tree where the Tathāgata attained enlightenment, there is a vajrāsana used to support the Buddha. Based on this discussion, one may determine the centre in relation to the other heavens and earths. As for this continent, the meaning of 'centre' is explained through five matters. The five are: name, mileage, seasons, waters, and people.