法苑珠林 2.10

2.10

According to the Avataṃsaka-sūtra, the three-thousand-great-thousand world is formed through limitless causes and conditions. Thus the great earth rests upon a water disc; the water disc rests upon a wind disc; the wind disc rests upon a space disc; the space disc has nothing upon which it rests. Yet, through beings' karmic resonance, the world remains stably settled. Therefore the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states that the three-thousand-great-thousand world systems all take the wind disc as their foundation. Furthermore, the newly translated Bodhisattvapiṭaka-sūtra says: "Because the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, have perfected inconceivable knowledge, they are able to know the characteristics of all winds and rains. They know that in the world there is a great wind named *ulubaka*, and that all sensations beings experience are shaken and stirred by this wind. The measure of this wind disc is three krośas in height. In the empty space above this wind, another wind arises, named the cloud-wind disc. The measure of this wind disc is five krośas in height. In the empty space above this wind, another wind arises named the *jambaka*. The measure of this wind disc is ten yojanas in height. In the empty space above this wind, another wind arises named the *vaisvakha*. The measure of this wind disc is thirty yojanas in height. Furthermore, in the empty space above this wind, another wind arises named 'going and coming'. The measure of this wind disc is forty yojanas in height. In this manner, Śāriputra, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Samyaksambuddha, relying upon his great wisdom, completely knows the characteristics of sixty-eight thousand koṭis of wind discs resting in succession upon one another. Śāriputra, the uppermost wind disc is named 'Pervasive'. It is that upon which the water disc of the realm above rests. The height of that water is sixty-eight hundred thousand yojanas, serving as that upon which the great earth rests. The height of that earth is sixty-eight thousand yojanas. Śāriputra, this measure of the earth marks the presence of one three-thousand-great-thousand world." Furthermore, the Loutan jing says: "This earth is two thousand million li deep. Below it is golden grit, also two thousand million li [deep]. Below it is vajra, also two thousand million li [deep]. Below it is the water limit, eight thousand million li [deep]. Below it is the boundless great wind, fifty-two thousand million li deep." Although these are six layers, the first four are the earth disc, the fifth is the water disc, and the sixth is the wind disc. The Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra says: "This earth is one hundred sixty-eight thousand yojanas deep. Below it is golden sand; golden sand is precisely golden grit. Below it is the vajra ground." The commentary explains: "The former wind disc is solid and cannot be broken. If a person with the great strength of a *lakṣa* strikes it with a vajra pestle, the pestle shatters while the wind disc is unharmed." The great strength of a *lakṣa* is the Nārāyaṇa strength of the fourth Brahmā King; it is the strength of the Buddha's body, and it is also called the Nārāyaṇa wind disc. Above the wind disc, next is the water disc. As for the water disc, according to the Lokasthiti[-abhidharma-śāstra], it is one million one hundred and thirty thousand yojanas deep, being thirty-eight [hundred] thousand yojanas less than the wind disc. By the karmic power of beings, the water does not flow away and disperse, just as undigested food does not drop into the stomach cavity for digested food, or as when grain is stored in a granary, the internal and external structures hold it; the water disc is also like this. Externally it is held by the wind so that it does not disperse, just as in the world churning curds produces ghee. As the power of this wind rotates clockwise, this water turns into golden water, one million one hundred and thirty thousand yojanas deep. Since it rotates clockwise and becomes golden water, it is merely eight hundred thousand yojanas thick. The thirty-three myriad yojanas that are omitted all belong to the golden earth. Within the golden earth disc, moving from less to more, it should be twelve *lakṣas* thick. One *lakṣa* is one hundred thousand yojanas. This disc is equal in length and breadth.