法苑珠林 4.74

4.74

Furthermore, the Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra says: 'The Buddha told Pūrṇa: "Moreover, there are devas of great supernatural power and majestic virtue who, if they wish to shake the great earth, are immediately able to make it shake. If monks possess great supernatural power and great majestic virtue, contemplating the mark of the earth element, making the small mark great or the great mark small, and wish to make the earth shake, they too are able to cause it to tremble. That which causes the earth to shake is a wind named Vairambha. This wind constantly blows and stirs together without rest; its wind-force ascends upward, while there is a wind that blows downward, and there are also transversal movements. These winds in mutual equilibrium whirl round in a circle and uphold [the earth]."' Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: 'Earthquakes are of four kinds: the first is fire, the second is nāgas, the third is garuḍas, and the fourth is the gods of the twenty-eight nakṣatras, and so forth. In addition, arhats, devas, and the like can also cause the earth to shake.' Furthermore, the Ekottarika Āgama says: 'The Buddha, while staying in Śrāvastī, told the monks: "There are eight causes and conditions for the great shaking of the earth. This earth is sixty-eight thousand yojanas deep and is upheld by water. Water rests upon empty space. Or again, at that time the wind in empty space stirs, and the water also stirs; when the water stirs, the earth then greatly shakes. This is the first shaking. If a monk attains the base of supernatural power and his wishes are unobstructed, viewing the earth as [small as] the palm of his hand, he is able to cause the earth to shake greatly. This is the second shaking. If, further, devas possess great bases of supernatural power and great mighty power, they can cause the earth to shake. This is the third shaking. If, further, when a bodhisattva resides in the Tuṣita heaven and is about to descend his spirit to be born below, at that time the earth shakes. This is the fourth shaking. When a bodhisattva realizes he is within his mother's womb, the earth greatly shakes for him. This is the fifth shaking. When a bodhisattva knows that ten months are fulfilled and he is about to emerge from his mother's womb, the earth greatly shakes for him. This is the sixth shaking. When a bodhisattva leaves household life, sits at the bodhimaṇḍa, subdues the hordes of Māra, and ultimately achieves equal awakening, the earth greatly shakes for him. This is the seventh shaking. When in the future he enters parinirvāṇa in the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder, the earth greatly shakes for him. This is the eighth shaking."' (According to the sūtras, earthquakes also have many kinds: sometimes an earthquake marks the appearance of a sage in the world; a trembling of mountains marks the appearance of a sage of the four fruits; or it marks the appearance of Buddhas and bodhisattvas; or it shakes one world-system or many world-systems. There are also sentient beings of slight merit who, by retribution, experience earthquakes causing damage and destruction. The details of both dependent and primary retributions are fully as explained in the sūtras.) The author notes: Below, I briefly set forth the accounts from secular books concerning the initial division of heaven and earth and the physical transformations of yin and yang. These are said to have five levels: first, the Primordial Qi; second, the Great Simplicity (Taiyi); third, the Great Beginning (Taichu); fourth, the Great Origin (Taishi); and fifth, the Great Substance (Taisu).