釋迦方志 1.8

1.8

The land ruled by the Buddha is called the Sahā-lokadhātu, which in ancient translations of the sūtras was rendered as Sahā. What is called in the sūtras the Land of Endurance means that the people of this land have strong memories and forceful mindfulness, are able to endure suffering and joy, and are fit to be vessels for the Way; therefore, the Buddha rules over it. Examining this border: it is encircled by the Iron Mountains; outside the mountains is space, and space cannot be measured. Beneath the mountains is earth; beneath the earth is gold; beneath the gold is water; beneath the water is wind. This wind is solid, surpassing vajra. Evoked by the common karma of sentient beings' mental power, it can sustain the world and keep it from collapsing. Beyond the wind is simply empty space. Measuring this circumference from bottom to top, it reaches the end of the formless [realm], which is called Bhavāgra. As for the drawing of its boundaries in terms of length and breadth, it ultimately cannot be measured in miles. Take, for instance, the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom: if a large stone were dropped from the heavens of the form realm, it would take 18,383 years to reach the ground. Measuring these directions, above and below, this is called the land ruled by one Buddha (that is, taking the Cakravāḍa of the great thousand [worlds] as the territory of its borders).