法苑珠林 4.50

4.50

"Again, by what causes and conditions is this lunar palace round, pure, and complete?" "There are also three causes and conditions that make it so: first, at that time the face of the Moon Deva's palace turns toward [us]; second, the blue-colored devas, who are all blue, conceal it during half the month, but on the fifteenth day [the moon's] form is most complete and its light is blazing, just as when a blazing torch is lit in abundant oil, all smaller lamp lights are hidden and obscured—in this way, the lunar palace on the fifteenth day can overshadow all other lights; third, further, regarding the sixty rays of light from the sun's palace that flow forth at one time to obstruct the lunar orb, on the fifteenth day this lunar palace is round and fully complete, free from obstruction everywhere, and at this time the sun's light cannot conceal it. Furthermore, by what cause and condition does the palace of the Moon Deva not appear at all on the fifteenth day of the dark fortnight? This lunar palace on the fifteenth day of the dark fortnight is closest to the sun's palace, and because it is covered and obscured by the sun's light, it does not appear at all. Furthermore, by what cause and condition is it called 'moon' (yue)? From the first day of the dark fortnight until the end of the month, the radiance and majesty of this lunar palace gradually diminish (que), and for this reason it is called the moon (yue). (In the Western regions, a single month is divided into dark and bright: from the first day of the waxing moon to the fifteenth day is called the bright fortnight; from the sixteenth day to the end of the month is called the dark fortnight. Here [in China], the dark fortnight is included together with it to make one month.) Furthermore, by what cause and condition do various shadows appear within the lunar palace? In this great continent there is a jambu tree; because of this tree, it is called Jambudvīpa. That tree is tall and large, and its shadow appears upon the lunar orb. Furthermore, the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra states that because there are fish, turtles, and the like in the great ocean, their shadows appear upon the lunar orb, and therefore dark forms appear within it. (According to the Records of the Western Regions, in the past there was a hare practicing the bodhisattva path. The Lord of Devas tested it by demanding meat to eat, and it threw itself into a fire. The Lord of Devas took pity on it, took the scorched hare, and placed it inside the moon, so that all future sentient beings, looking up at it, would know that this was the past body of a bodhisattva practicing compassion.)"