經律異相 1.90

1.90

The Buddha said: "Suppose there were a city one hundred yojanas square filled with mustard seeds, and a long-lived person came every hundred years and took away a single mustard seed until all were exhausted—the kalpa would still not be exhausted. Furthermore, suppose there were a stone one hundred yojanas square, and one held a light, soft Kāśi cloth and brushed this stone once every hundred years until it wore away completely—the kalpa would still not be exhausted. This is called a great kalpa." He also said: "Suppose there were an iron city one yojana square and equally high, filled with mustard seeds; if one took away one seed every hundred years until all were gone, that would make one kalpa. Furthermore, suppose there were a stone mountain one yojana square, and a man brushed it once every hundred years with a Kāśi cloth; if he brushed it unceasingly until the stone mountain was worn away completely, the kalpa would still not be finished. One thought-moment out of sixty thought-moments is called an extremely small kalpa." (From the Da zhidu lun, fascicle 36; also from the Ekottarika-āgama, fascicle 31; also from fascicle 28; also from the Saṃyukta-āgama, fascicle 34.)