翻譯名義集 3.44

3.44

【北欝單越】或欝怛越，此云勝處，亦云勝生。於四洲中，有情處貨，皆最勝故。亦云高上，出餘三方故。形如方座，四面量等，長三十二肘，壽滿一千歲。故《俱舍》云：「諸處有中夭，除北俱盧洲，以壽定故、以樂極故、以執堅故，聖人不生，八難中一；若論值佛聞法，南洲最上。」故《大論》云：「南洲三事，尚勝諸天，況北洲乎！一能斷婬，二識念力，三能精進。所以諸佛唯出南洲。」《西域記》云：「北拘盧洲，舊曰欝丹越，又曰鳩樓，訛也。金輪王乃化被四天下，銀輪王則政隔北拘盧，銅輪王則除北拘盧及西瞿陀尼，鐵輪王則唯瞻部洲。夫輪王者，將即大位，隨福所感，有大輪寶浮空來應，感有金銀銅鐵之異。」

[Uttarakuru] Or Uttad-yue; here translated as 'Superior Place', and also 'Superior Birth'. Among the four continents, the dwelling places and goods of sentient beings are all the most superior there. It is also called 'Lofty and Sublime', because it surpasses the other three quarters. In shape it resembles a square seat, with its four sides equal in measure; [its people are] thirty-two cubits tall, and their lifespan is a full one thousand years. Thus the Abhidharmakośa says: "In all places there is untimely death, except in Uttarakuru. Because their lifespan is fixed, because their pleasure is extreme, and because their attachments are rigid, noble ones are not born there, making it one of the eight difficulties; yet regarding meeting a Buddha and hearing the Dharma, the southern continent is foremost." Thus the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "The southern continent surpasses even the heavens in three matters, not to speak of the northern continent! First, the ability to cut off lust; second, the power of mindfulness; third, the ability to be vigorous. For this reason, the Buddhas appear only in the southern continent." The Record of the Western Regions says: "Uttarakurudvīpa was formerly called Yudan-yue or Jiulou, which are corrupt. A gold-wheel-turning king's transformation covers the four worlds; a silver-wheel-turning king's governance excludes Uttarakuru; a copper-wheel-turning king excludes both Uttarakuru and Godānīya; an iron-wheel-turning king governs only Jambudvīpa. Now, when a wheel-turning king is about to assume the great throne, in accordance with the karmic resonance of his merits, a great wheel-treasure floats through the void in response, manifesting differences of gold, silver, copper, or iron."