經律異相 24.4

24.4

劫欲成時。水災既起壞第二禪。風災吹結世界得成。光音諸天福命既盡。化生為人歡喜為食。身光自照神足飛行。無有男女尊卑隔異。故曰眾生有自然地味。猶如醍醐。色如生酥。味甜於蜜。以手取甞。遂生味著。食之多者顏色麁悴。食之少者膚貌光澤。便有勝負自相是非。地味又滅。又生地皮。狀如薄餅。色味香美復共食之。轉相輕易地皮又滅。更生地膚（增一阿含婁炭並云地肥）因食多少生諸惡法。地生粳米眾共食之。生男女形乃至立王（事已見世界成壞部）天下富樂地生青草。如孔雀尾漸次分張。有八萬國。人民聚落鷄鳴相聞。天下無病大熱大寒。以法治國奉行十善。哀念一切猶如父母。人壽長久。後王德漸薄年壽轉減。至一萬歲。今至一百。王崩子嗣。名曰珍寶（出長阿含經第二十二卷）。

When the kalpa was about to form, after the water disaster arose and destroyed up to the Second Dhyāna, the wind disaster blew and congealed, and the world came to be formed. When the merit and life of the devas of Ābhāsvara were exhausted, they were transformed and born as humans, taking joy as their food. Their bodily light illuminated themselves, and they flew with supernatural powers. There was no distinction between male and female, noble and base; hence it was said: "Sentient beings had spontaneous earth-savour, which was like ghee, in colour like fresh butter, and sweeter than honey." Taking it with their hands to taste, they subsequently developed attachment to the flavour. Those who ate much of it became coarse and haggard in appearance; those who ate little of it had lustrous complexions. Thereupon there arose superiority and inferiority, and they mutually disputed right and wrong. The earth-savour then disappeared, and there grew earth-skin, shaped like thin cakes, beautiful in colour, flavour, and fragrance, which they again ate together. Disdaining one another in turn, the earth-skin also disappeared, and there grew earth-fat (both the Ekottarika Āgama and the Loutan jing call it earth-fat). Due to the amount eaten, various evil phenomena arose. The earth grew non-glutinous rice, which all ate together. The forms of male and female arose, up to the establishment of a king (these matters have already appeared in the section on the formation and destruction of the world). The world was prosperous and joyful, and green grass grew on the earth, gradually spreading out like a peacock's tail. There were eighty thousand states; the settlements of the people were close enough to hear one another's roosters crowing. In the world there was no illness, nor extreme heat or extreme cold. Ruling the state in accordance with the Dharma, they practiced the ten wholesome deeds, caring for all just like parents. The human lifespan was long. Later, the king's virtue gradually diminished, and their lifespan gradually decreased to ten thousand years, down to one hundred years today. When the king died, his son succeeded him, named Ratna (Extracted from the Dīrgha Āgama, fascicle 22).