法苑珠林 1.36

1.36

Further, the *Dīrgha-āgama* says: These three together with earth make four calamities and four kalpas. Excluding earth, the three are called the mahākalpas. They only do not reach the Fourth Dhyāna because it contains the Śuddhāvāsa Heavens; since there is no higher stage to be born into, they attain nirvāṇa right there, nor do they take rebirth below, because it is not an analytical cessation. It transforms into heaven and earth, and heaven and earth begin anew, totally devoid of anything, with neither sun nor moon. Sweet springs welled up from the earth, tasting like clarified butter and honey. At that time, the devas of the Ābhāsvara Heaven, either because their merit was exhausted and came to be born [here], or because they delighted in observing the new earth, were by nature frivolous and tasted it with their fingers. Turning it three times in this way, they obtained its sweet flavor. Eating of it without ceasing, they gradually generated coarse flesh, lost their divine wondrous complexion, their magical bases, and their radiance, and all became pitch dark. Afterward, a great dark wind blew that ocean water, floating out the sun and moon, placing them beside Sumeru and setting them in the solar path, circling Mount Sumeru to illuminate the four continents. At that time, the people rejoiced when they saw them rise and were afraid when they saw them set. From this time onward, day and night, the dark and new moons, spring and autumn, and the count of years ended and began again. When the kalpa first formed, the devas came down to become humans, all born by apparitional birth, their bodies possessing radiance at will, flying through magical power, with neither male nor female, noble nor base. Because they were born into the world together as a crowd, they were named 'sentient beings' (zhongsheng). There was a natural earth-flavor, like clarified butter or fresh butter, sweet like honey. Later, sentient beings tested and tasted it with their hands; thereupon, they gave rise to attachment to flavor and gradually came to eat solid food. Their radiance diminished in turn, and they no longer had supernatural powers. Those who ate much of the earth-flavor had coarse and haggard complexions; those who ate little had lustrous complexions. Thereupon superiority and inferiority arose; because of superiority and inferiority, right and wrong then arose. When the earth-flavor gradually ceased, all were distressed: 'Alas, what misfortune! There is no more earth-flavor!' Then there arose earth-skin, shaped like a thin cake. When the earth-skin vanished, there arose earth-flesh. When the earth-flesh vanished, relying on the *Ekottarika-āgama*, there arose natural earth-fat, sweet in flavor like grape wine.