法苑珠林 1.12

1.12

依智度論。云何名為劫。答曰。依西梵正音名為劫簸颰陀。劫簸者（亦名劫波。秦言分別時節）颰陀者（秦言善有亦名為賢以多賢人出世故名賢劫也）。又立世阿毘曇論云。佛世尊說。一小劫者。名為一劫。二十小劫亦名一劫。四十小劫者亦名一劫。六十小劫亦名一劫。八十小劫名一大劫。云何一小劫名為一劫。是時提婆達多比丘住地獄中。受異熟業報。佛說住壽一劫。云何二十小劫亦名一劫。如梵先行天。二十小劫是其壽量。佛說住壽一劫。云何四十小劫亦名一劫。如梵眾天壽量。四十小劫。佛說住壽一劫。云何六十小劫亦名一劫。如大梵天壽量。六十小劫。佛說住壽一劫。云何八十小劫名一大劫。佛說劫中世界經云。二十小劫壞。次經二十小劫壞已空。次經二十小劫起成。次經二十小劫起成已住。是二十小劫起成已住者。幾多已過幾多未過。八小劫已過。十一小劫未來。第九一劫現在未盡。此第九一劫。幾多已過幾多未來。未來定餘六百九十年在（至梁末己卯年翻此經為斷）是二十小劫中間。有三小災次第輪轉。一疾疫災。二刀兵災。三饑饉災（此三小災諸經論列名前後不同。若依長阿含中阿含起世等。初列刀兵次列饑饉後列疫病。若依俱舍毘曇婆沙論等。初列刀兵次列疫病後列饑饉。若依瑜伽對法論等。初列饑饉後列刀兵。若據年月長短次第依瑜伽對法論者是也）今且依立世阿毘曇論云。此即第九中。即當第三災。此劫由饑饉故盡。佛言。是二十小劫世界起成。得住中第一劫。小災起時有大疾疫。種種諸病一切皆起。剡浮提中一切國土。所有人民等遭大疾疫。一切鬼神起瞋惡心。損害世人。壽命短促唯住十歲。身形矬小。或二搩手。或三搩手。於其自量則八搩手。所可資食稊稗為上。人髮衣服以為第一。唯有刀仗以自莊嚴。是時諸人不行正法。非法貪著邪見等業日夜生長。諸惡鬼神處處損人。是時大國王種悉皆崩亡。所有國土次第空廢。唯有小郡縣是其所餘。相去遼遠各在一處。如是人者疾病困苦。無人布施湯藥飲食。以是因緣壽命未應盡橫死無數。一日一夜無量眾生疾病死。由行惡法。得是果報。於此中生。劫濁而起。捨命已後墮三惡道。時一郡縣次復荒蕪。唯少家在。相去轉遠各在一處。疾疫死者無人送埋。是時土地白骨所覆。乃至居家次第空盡。是時劫末唯七日在。於七日中無量眾生遭疫死盡。設有在者各散別處。時有一人合集剡浮提內男女。唯餘一萬留為當來人種。唯此萬人能持善行。諸善鬼神欲令人種不斷絕故。擁護是人以好滋味令入毛孔。以業力故人種不斷。過七日後。是大疫病一時息滅。一切惡鬼皆悉捨去。隨諸眾生飲食衣服。應念所須天即雨下。陰陽調和美味出生。身形可愛安樂無病。譬如親愛久不相見。忽得聚集生喜樂心。共相携持不相捨離。是前劫人壽命十歲。後劫人民從其而生。壽命最長二十千歲。如此功德自然得成。與善法相應。身口意善。捨壽命後。生善道中。從天捨命還生人道。自然賢善戒品具足。捨壽已後更生天道。久久如是。初劫中間疫病窮盡。次第二劫來續二十千歲。是劫中間第一壽量。是人從前二十千歲人所生。神力自在資生具足。壽命四十千歲。人天道生久久如是。說名第二劫。中間第二壽量四十千歲。資生具足。壽命六十千歲。久久如是。說名第三劫。中間第三壽量六十千歲。從六十千歲至八十千歲。是時女年五百歲爾乃行嫁。是時諸人唯有七病。謂大小便利寒熱淫慾飢老等。如是時中。一切國土富貴豐樂。無有怨賊反逆盜竊。村落次比雞鳴相聞。耕種雖少收實巨多。衣服財寶稱意具足。安坐受樂無所馳求。壽命八十千歲時住阿僧祇年。乃至眾生未起十惡從起十惡。因此百年則減十歲。次復百年復減十歲。次第漸減至餘十歲。最後十歲住不復減。長極八萬短至十年。若佛不出世次第如此。若佛出世如正法住。眾生壽命暫住不減。隨正法稍減壽命漸減。

According to the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra, what is called a kalpa? The answer states: According to the correct Sanskrit phonetics of the West, it is called a kalpa-bhadra. 'Kalpa' (also named jiepo; in the language of Qin, it means 'discriminating periods of time'). 'Bhadra' (in the language of Qin, it means 'good existence'; it is also named 'worthy' [xian], because many worthy persons appear in the world, it is therefore named the Bhadrakalpa). Furthermore, the Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra states: The Buddha, the World-Honoured One, taught that one antarakalpa is called one kalpa; twenty antarakalpas are also called one kalpa; forty antarakalpas are also called one kalpa; sixty antarakalpas are also called one kalpa; and eighty antarakalpas are called one mahākalpa. In what sense is one antarakalpa called one kalpa? At that time, when the monk Devadatta abides in hell receiving the karmic retribution of his maturation, the Buddha taught that his lifespan lasts for one kalpa. In what sense are twenty antarakalpas also called one kalpa? Like the heavens of the Brahmā predecessors, twenty antarakalpas are their lifespan; the Buddha taught that their lifespan lasts for one kalpa. In what sense are forty antarakalpas also called one kalpa? Like the lifespan of the Brahmapāriṣadya heaven, which is forty antarakalpas, the Buddha taught that their lifespan lasts for one kalpa. In what sense are sixty antarakalpas also called one kalpa? Like the lifespan of the Mahābrahmā heaven, which is sixty antarakalpas, the Buddha taught that their lifespan lasts for one kalpa. In what sense are eighty antarakalpas called one mahākalpa? In the Sutra on the World Within Kalpas taught by the Buddha, it says: for twenty antarakalpas it is destroyed; next, it passes through twenty antarakalpas where, having been destroyed, it is empty; next, it passes through twenty antarakalpas where it arises and forms; next, it passes through twenty antarakalpas where, having arisen and formed, it abides. Among these twenty antarakalpas of arising, forming, and abiding, how many have already passed and how many have not yet passed? Eight antarakalpas have already passed, eleven antarakalpas are yet to come, and the ninth kalpa is presently not yet exhausted. In this ninth kalpa, how much has passed and how much is yet to come? There definitely remain 690 years in the future (taking the yimao year at the end of the Liang dynasty, when this treatise was translated, as the benchmark). In the interval of these twenty antarakalpas, there are three minor calamities that revolve in succession: first, the calamity of pestilence; second, the calamity of weapons; and third, the calamity of famine. (These three minor calamities are listed in different orders across various sutras and treatises. If relying on the Dīrghāgama, Madhyamāgama, Qishi jing, and so on, weapons are listed first, famine next, and pestilence last. If relying on the Abhidharmakośa, Abhidharma, Vibhāṣā, and so on, weapons are listed first, pestilence next, and famine last. If relying on the Yogācāra-bhūmi, Abhidharma-samuccaya, and so on, famine is listed first and weapons last. In terms of the succession according to the length of years and months, relying on the Yogācāra-bhūmi and Abhidharma-samuccaya is correct.) Now, provisionally relying on the Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra, it states: this is within the ninth, corresponding precisely to the third calamity; this kalpa will end on account of famine. The Buddha said: during the first kalpa among those where these twenty antarakalpas of the world arise, form, and come to abide, when the minor calamity arises, there is a great pestilence, and all manner of illnesses arise without exception. In all the lands within Jambudvīpa, all the people suffer a great pestilence. All the ghosts and spirits arouse wrathful and evil minds to harm the people of the world. Lifespans become short and fleeting, lasting only ten years. Their physical forms become stunted and small, either two spans or three spans, though by their own measure they consider it eight spans. For provisions and food, darnel and wild millet are considered the best. Human hair garments are considered the finest. They have only weapons with which to adorn themselves. At that time, people do not practice the saddharma; unrighteous greed, wrong views, and similar deeds grow day and night. Evil ghosts and spirits harm people everywhere. At that time, the lineages of great kings all collapse and perish, and all realms become deserted and ruined one after another. Only small commanderies and counties are what remain, far removed from one another and each isolated in its own place. Such people are afflicted and tormented by illness, with no one to give medicines, food, or drink. Due to these causes and conditions, countless people die untimely deaths before their lifespans should naturally end. In a single day and night, immeasurable sentient beings die of illness. Because of practicing evil dharmas, they receive this retribution, being born within this [time] where the kalpa turbidity arises; after abandoning their lives, they fall into the three evil destinies. Then a commandery or county in turn falls into desolation, with only a few households remaining, increasingly far apart and each in an isolated place. For those who die of pestilence, there is no one to send them off or bury them. At that time, the land is covered with white bones, until houses and dwellings in turn become completely emptied. When only seven days remain at the end of this kalpa, during these seven days immeasurable sentient beings perish entirely from pestilence. Even if there are survivors, they are dispersed in different places. At that time, one person gathers together the men and women within Jambudvīpa, leaving only ten thousand to remain as the human seed for the future. Only these ten thousand people are able to maintain virtuous conduct. Because the good ghosts and spirits wish to keep the human seed from being severed, they protect these people, causing fine flavors to enter their pores; through karmic power, the human seed is not severed. After seven days pass, this great pestilence is extinguished all at once. All the evil ghosts abandon them and depart. As for the food, drink, and clothing of these sentient beings, heaven rains down whatever is required in accordance with their thoughts. The yin and yang balance in harmony, delicious flavors spring forth, and their bodies become lovely, peaceful, joyful, and free from illness. They are like beloved kin who have not seen each other for a long time: suddenly brought together, they give rise to joy and delight, holding each other by the hand and refusing to part. While the people of the previous kalpa had a lifespan of ten years, the people of the subsequent kalpa born from them have a maximum lifespan of twenty thousand years. Merits such as these are naturally achieved; they are aligned with good dharmas, and good in body, speech, and mind. After abandoning their lifespans, they are born into good destinies. Relinquishing their lives in heaven, they are born back into the human destiny; they are naturally worthy and good, complete with the categories of moral discipline. After relinquishing their lives, they are born again into heavenly destinies. It continues like this for a long, long time. The pestilence in the middle of the first kalpa comes to an absolute end, and the second kalpa then follows with [lifespans of] twenty thousand years. This is the first lifespan measure in the interval of this kalpa. These people are born from those former people of twenty thousand years; their spiritual powers are unhindered, their material necessities are abundant, and their lifespans reach forty thousand years. Being born in the human and heavenly destinies, it continues like this for a long, long time. This is termed the second kalpa. The second lifespan measure in the interval is forty thousand years, with material necessities abundant, and lifespans reach sixty thousand years. It continues like this for a long, long time, termed the third kalpa. The third lifespan measure in the interval is sixty thousand years. From sixty thousand years it reaches eighty thousand years. At this time, a woman marries only when she reaches five hundred years of age. At that time, people have only seven ailments: namely, urination, defecation, cold, heat, sexual desire, hunger, and old age. During such a time, all lands are wealthy, noble, abundant, and joyful, without hostile bandits, rebellion, or theft. Villages are contiguous, so that the crowing of roosters can be heard by one another. Although farming is minimal, the harvest is immensely great. Clothing, wealth, and jewels are abundant and to their satisfaction; they sit in peace receiving joy, running after nothing. When the lifespan reaches eighty thousand years, it abides for an asaṃkhyeya of years, until sentient beings do not give rise to the ten unwholesome deeds. Once they give rise to the ten unwholesome deeds, because of this, every hundred years [lifespan] decreases by ten years; in the next hundred years it decreases again by ten years, gradually decreasing in succession until ten years remain. When the final ten years are reached, it abides and decreases no further. The longest reaches eighty thousand, and the shortest reaches ten years. If a Buddha does not appear in the world, the sequence proceeds like this. If a Buddha appears in the world, as long as the saddharma abides, the lifespan of sentient beings temporarily halts and does not decrease. As the saddharma diminishes slightly, the lifespan gradually decreases.