法苑珠林 2.16

2.16

In examining the regional records, the differences among people are not the same, but in general there are two kinds: first, ordinary beings, and second, sages. If we speak in terms of regions, there are four kinds, namely the people of the four continents. If we speak in terms of dwelling places, within the four continents there are altogether four thousand and eight places, and thus there are four thousand and eight kinds of people. If we speak directly of just the single region of Jambudvīpa: as the Loutan jing says, there are thirty-six major kingdoms in all, and their peoples correspond; if discussed in further detail, there are two thousand five hundred small kingdoms, and their peoples correspond as well. Moreover, within each individual kingdom there are diverse ethnicities: Hu, Han, Qiang, Lu, Man, Yi, Chu, and Yue, each varying in complexion and category according to their region, such that they cannot be recounted in full. Therefore the Loutan jing says that in this southern Jambudvīpa, the different varieties make up a total of six thousand four hundred kinds of people; it merely indicates the grand total and does not distinguish their names individually.

The Dīrghāgama says that the Buddha told the bhikṣus: Outside this continent of four quarters, eight thousand continents encircle it. Furthermore, there is a great ocean water surrounding these eight thousand continents. Furthermore, there is a Great Diamond Mountain encircling the great ocean water. Outside the Diamond Mountain, there is a second Great Diamond Mountain. Between the two mountains, it is deep, dark, and gloomy; even the sun and moon divine beings have great spiritual majesty, yet they cannot illuminate with their light those eight great hells.

First, the northern continent of Uttarakuru. According to the Dīrghāgama, to the north of Mount Sumeru there is a continent called the land of Uttarakuru. Its territory is square, ten thousand yojanas in length and breadth. The faces of its people are also square, resembling the shape of their land. There is a great king of trees named Amra, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas in height, its branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. There are many mountains and bathing ponds, rich with flowers and fruits, and countless flocks of birds sing in harmony. From the ground grows soft grass that coils and turns clockwise, colored like peacock feathers, fragrant like the vārṣikā flower, and soft as celestial garments. That ground is soft and pliable; when one treads upon it with a foot, it sinks four inches, and when the foot is lifted, it returns as before. The ground is flat like the palm of a hand, with neither highs nor lows. On the four sides of that land are four Anavatapta ponds, each one hundred yojanas in length and breadth, lined with seven precious gems, from which flow four great rivers, ten yojanas in width, where flocks of birds sing in harmony. That land has no ditches, pits, thorns, or tree stumps, nor are there mosquitoes, gnats, or poisonous insects. The ground is purely made of various jewels; yin and yang are harmonious and gentle, the four seasonal energies are mild and compliant, and the hundred grasses flourish constantly without winter or summer. In that land there is always naturally grown husked rice that springs up without planting, devoid of bran or chaff, like a heap of white flowers, resembling the food of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, complete with all flavors. In that land there are always natural cauldrons and pots. There is a mani jewel named Blazing Light; when placed beneath the pot, the rice is cooked and the light is extinguished, requiring no firewood and costing no human labour. In that land there is a tree called Bowing Down; its leaves are layered one upon another so that heavenly rain does not leak through, and those men and women lodge beneath it. There are also fragrant trees seventy li high, luxuriant with flowers and fruits; when the fruits ripen, their skins crack and burst on their own, naturally releasing fragrance. Some are sixty li or fifty li high, and the smaller ones are five li high. When the fruits ripen, their skins burst and naturally produce various garments, or produce various bodily adornments, or produce various utensils, or produce various foods. There are also precious-gem boats on the rivers for recreation. When the people of that region wish to enter and bathe or disport themselves, they take off their clothes on the bank, board the boats into midstream, and after their amusement is finished, cross the water, encounter clothes, and put them on: those who come out first put them on first, and those who come out later put them on later, not seeking their original clothes. Next they go to the fragrant trees, which bow down for them; the people take musical instruments in hand, tune the strings, and, harmonizing with the strings in wondrous tones, proceed toward the parks to disport themselves. In that land at midnight, the Nāga King Anavatapta frequently raises pure clouds at the proper times, which spread throughout the world and rain down sweet nectar; in the time it takes to milk a cow, the land is everywhere drenched with water of eight qualities. After midnight, it is pure without any haze, and the sky is clear and bright. A cool breeze rises from the ocean, gently blowing upon the bodies of the people, making their entire bodies blissful. That land is abundantly fruitful and its populace flourishes. When they require food and drink, they put the naturally grown husked rice into the cauldron and place the Blazing Light jewel underneath it; the rice is naturally cooked and the jewel's light naturally goes out. Whoever comes may eat to their heart's content; as long as the host does not rise, the rice is never exhausted; when the host rises, the rice is entirely consumed. That rice is fresh and clean like a heap of white flowers, its flavor is like heavenly food, and there are no illnesses; their vigor is sufficient, their complexions are cheerful and pleasing, and they suffer no decline. In that land the people's bodily appearance and complexions are uniform and indistinguishable, youthful and vigorous in appearance like people around twenty years of age in Jambudvīpa. Their teeth are even, straight, white, and without gaps; their hair is dark blue without dust or dirt; their hair hangs down eight finger-widths, stopping level with the eyebrows, neither long nor short. When a person of that land gives rise to desire, he gazes intently at a woman and walks away; that woman follows him to the grove. If that woman is that man's father's or mother's blood relative or cousin such that sexual intercourse should not be performed, the tree does not bend down its shade, and each disperses. If they are not related, the tree then bends down its shade, and they enjoy themselves as they wish for one day, two days, or up to seven days, and only then depart. (The Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra states: 'The people of the northern continent do not seek women, do not welcome brides, and do not buy or sell. When a man wishes to take a woman, he looks intently at that woman; when a woman wishes to desire a man, she must also look intently at the man. If they do not look at each other, other women tell her: "This man is looking at you," and they become husband and wife. If a man does not look at a woman, other men tell him: "This woman is looking at you," and they also become husband and wife. If they see each other, they immediately follow one another and go together to another place. Among those with greater desire, in their entire life it occurs at most five times; those of middling sort, four or three times; there are also those who practice cultivation until death without desire. When those people become pregnant, they merely have an aversion to food.') When those people are pregnant, they give birth in seven or eight days. As soon as a boy or girl is born, they place the child at the head of a major crossroads and abandon it to go away. Travelers passing by put their fingers into the child's mouth, and sweet milk issues from the fingers to satisfy the child's body. After seven days have passed, the child grows up to be equal to those people; boys go to the company of men, and girls go to the company of women. When a person dies, they do not weep for one another; they adorn the corpse, place it at the crossroads, and abandon it to go away. There is a bird named Udvegañgā, which takes up the corpse and places it in another region. (According to the Lokasthiti-śāstra: 'The bird pecks at the corpse, carries it away beyond the mountains, and then eats it.') Moreover, when the people of that land defecate or urinate, the ground splits open for them, and once they have finished, the ground closes up on its own. The people of that land have no attachments or longings, nor do they hoard possessions; their lifespan is always fixed, and upon death all are born in heaven. Why is their lifespan always fixed? In past lives these people cultivated the ten wholesome deeds, and upon the breaking up of the body at death, they are born in Uttarakuru, with a lifespan of one thousand years, neither increasing nor decreasing; therefore their lifespan is strictly uniform. If there is a person who is able to give to śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, as well as to the poor, beggars, the diseased, and the distressed, supplying them with food, drink, carriages, flower garlands, ointments, beds, couches, and dwellings, and who furthermore builds stūpas and temples and makes offerings with lamps and candles, that person upon death will be born in Uttarakuru, with a lifespan of one thousand years, neither increasing nor decreasing. That land does not deliberately adopt the ten wholesome deeds, yet their actions are naturally in accord with the ten wholesome deeds, and upon the breaking up of the body at death, they are born into the heavenly good destinies. Therefore the people there are said to be 'superior'; among the three continents, that land is the highest, hence in the language of Qin it is called 'Supreme' (Uttarakuru).

The Lokasthiti-śāstra states: 'The people of that land are all pure white and adorned by others; their beards and hair are bluish-black, constantly as though shaved with a cūḍā; every five days their hair naturally grows crosswise by seven finger-widths, neither increasing nor decreasing.' The Nyāyānusāra states: 'The northern continent of Uttarakuru is shaped like a square seat; its four sides are equal in measure, each side being two thousand [yojanas]. Having stated that the directions of its boundary are each two thousand, its meaning is already fully set forth. On its borders are two intermediate continents: first, Kurava; second, Kaurava. Both of these continents have people dwelling in them.'

Second, the eastern continent of Pūrvavideha. According to the Dīrghāgama, to the east of Mount Sumeru there is a continent named Videha. Its land is perfectly round, nine thousand yojanas in length and breadth. The faces of its people resemble the shape of its land. There is a great king of trees named Kadamba, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas in height, its branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. The Zaotiandi jing says: The people and goods of the eastern region are superior to those of Jambudvīpa; in that land they use raw silk and thin silk to trade with one another. According to the Dīrghāgama, the lifespan of the people of that land is two hundred years, with few exceeding it and many falling short. (The Loutan jing says: 'Human lifespan is three hundred years.') They eat fish and meat. (The Lokasthiti-śāstra states: 'They do not kill living beings themselves, nor do they cause others to kill; if an animal dies naturally, they eat its meat.') They trade with one another using grain, silk, pearls, and gems. People have marriage rituals of marrying and taking wives. (The Lokasthiti-śāstra states: 'Among the people of Pūrvavideha, those with greater desire engage in it up to seven times in a lifetime; those of middling sort, five or six times; there are also those who practice cultivation until death without desire. The people of the eastern and western continents merely lack black complexions; in other respects they are like Jambudvīpa, their bodies having various complexions. As for bodily adornment, their hair is cut in front and falls behind; they wear two garments, upper and lower, putting on the lower garment first and merely wrapping the upper garment around the body.') According to the Nyāyānusāra-śāstra: 'The eastern continent of Pūrvavideha is narrow in the east and broad in the west, with three sides equal in measure, shaped like a half-moon. The east is three hundred and fifty [yojanas], and the other three sides are each two thousand. The eastern border of this eastern continent is broad like the southern boundary of the southern continent; hence the east is like a half-moon. Bordering this continent are two intermediate continents: first, Deha; second, Videha. Both of these continents have people dwelling in them.'

Third, Godānīya. According to the Dīrghāgama, to the west of Mount Sumeru the continent is named Godānīya. The shape of its land is like a full moon, eight thousand yojanas in length and breadth. The faces of its people resemble the shape of its land. There is a great king of trees named Kindi, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas in height, its branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. (The Qishi jing says: 'Beneath that tree there is a stone cow, one yojana high; on account of this circumstance it is named Godānīya, which is translated here as "Cattle Market".') The human lifespan is three hundred years; they trade with one another using cattle, horses, pearls, and jade. Its people and goods are also superior to those of Jambudvīpa. The Lokasthiti-śāstra states: 'The people of that land either kill living beings themselves or cause others to kill, and when an animal dies they eat the meat, the same as the people of Jambudvīpa. When relatives die, they escort the funeral into the mountains and burn the corpse to discard it, or place it in the water, or bury it in the earth, or lay it out in an open space. The eastern and western continents are largely the same as Jambudvīpa, and their marriage rituals are also the same. Those with greater desire engage in it up to twelve times in a lifetime; those of middling sort, up to ten times; there are also those who practice cultivation until death without desire. In their adornment they all let their hair hang down, and wear garments above and below.' According to the Nyāyānusāra-śāstra: 'The western continent of Aparagodānīya is round like a full moon, two thousand five hundred [yojanas] in diameter and seven thousand and a half in circumference. Bordering this continent are two intermediate continents: first, Śāṭhā; second, Uttaramantriṇa. Both have people dwelling in them.'

Fourth, Jambudvīpa. According to the Dīrghāgama, to the south of Mount Sumeru there is a continent named Jambudvīpa. Its land is narrow in the south and broad in the north, seven thousand yojanas in length and breadth. The faces of its people resemble the shape of this land. There is a great king of trees named Jambu, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas in height, its branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. (The Qishi jing says: 'Beneath this tree is a heap of Jāmbūnada gold, twenty yojanas high; because this superior gold comes from beneath this tree, it is called Jambu tree gold.') Furthermore, there is the tree of the king of Garuḍas, named Kūṭaśālmali, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas in height, its branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. The Asura King has a tree named Shan-jin, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas in height, its branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. The Trāyastriṃśa heaven has a tree named Pārijāta, seven yojanas in circumference and one hundred yojanas in height, its branches and leaves spreading fifty yojanas in the four directions. For the people of Jambudvīpa, human lifespan is one hundred years, with many dying prematurely. At the first decade they have no understanding; at twenty they understand a little, but are not yet clever; at thirty their lustful intentions are abundant; at forty their conduct lacks restraint; at fifty they do not forget what they have learned; at sixty they are stingy and attached; at seventy their bodily nature becomes sluggish; at eighty they have no vanity or ornament; at ninety they suffer from illness and pain; at one hundred years their faculties are decayed and exhausted, having passed through three hundred winters, summers, and springs, and thirty-six thousand meals, which some do not even complete.

The Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra states: 'The clothing and adornments of the people of Jambudvīpa are diverse and not uniform. Some have long hair divided into two topknots; some shave their hair and beards; some keep a single tuft of hair on the crown and shave the rest, called cūḍā hair; some pluck out their hair and beards; some trim their hair and trim their beards; some braid their hair; some let their hair hang down; some trim the front and let it hang behind to make it round; some go naked; some wear clothing covering the upper body and exposing the lower; or exposing the upper and covering the lower; or covering both upper and lower; or merely shielding the front and back. The foods eaten by the people of this continent are of many kinds and cannot be recounted in full. Their marriages and commerce can be known from present realities. Yet the śāstra states: "The sexual desires of the people of Jambudvīpa throughout their lives are countless and boundless, unlike the people of the other three continents who have little desire; yet there are also those who practice cultivation until death without desire."' According to the Nyāyānusāra-śāstra: 'The southern continent of Jambudvīpa has border continents: one named Cāmara continent, and the second named Varacāmara continent. In both of these two continents, there are people dwelling.'