法苑珠林 1.14

1.14

According to the Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra: The Buddha taught that one antarakalpa is called one kalpa. The rest is the same as before, up to eighty antarakalpas being called a mahākalpa. Within this, when the twenty antarakalpas arise, form, and abide, the second minor calamity arises due to great weapons. When human life lasts ten years, the three poisons and wrong views increase day and night. Parents, children, brothers, and relatives fight and quarrel with one another, to say nothing of strangers. At that time, after giving rise to quarreling, people immediately brandish their fists at each other, or terrify one another with tiles, stones, and weapons. The states of the four quarters attack and invade one another; in a single day and night, countless are slain. Such faults arise naturally; when people practice what is unwholesome, they receive this retribution, being born within this where the kalpa turbidity arises. At that time, human dwellings are destroyed and wiped out all at once; even if some remain, they are scattered and dispersed. When only seven days remain at the end of this kalpa, during these seven days, grasses and trees grasped in the hand immediately turn into weapons; by means of these weapons, people mutually harm one another, dying in fear and exhaustion. At that time, people dread weapons and flee into forests and thickets; or cross river waters to conceal themselves on solitary islands; or enter pits and caves to escape the calamity. If at times they see one another, they still run in panic and lose their wits from terror, or collapse to the ground, like roe deer encountering a hunter. In this way, during the seven days, those who die violent deaths from weapons are countless. Even if there are survivors, they are dispersed in different places. At that time, one person gathers together the men and women of Jambudvīpa, leaving only ten thousand to remain as the human seed for the future. In this time, all practice unrighteousness; only these ten thousand people are able to practice good dharmas. 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 remains naturally unsevered in the midst of the kalpa. After seven days pass, this great calamity of weapons is extinguished all at once. All the evil ghosts abandon them and depart. As for the food and clothing required by 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, with their physical marks fully restored. All good dharmas arise naturally; they are cool, tranquil, peaceful, joyful, and free from illness. Minds of loving-kindness and compassion arise, free from any intent to vex or harm. Seeing one another, they give rise to joy and delight, 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. From their ten years, they progressively practice goodness, being born among humans and devas up to [lifespans of] twenty thousand years, and ultimately up to a lifespan of eighty thousand years, abiding for an asaṃkhyeya of years. The rest is the same as before and need not be reiterated.