翻譯名義集 2.30

2.30

[Soma (both syllables in the rising tone)] Translated here as the Moon Deity. The *Shiming* says: 'The moon (yue) means waning (que). It means it waxes and then wanes.' The *Huainanzi* says: 'The moon is the essence of great yin.' The *Lokasthiti Sūtra* states: 'The palace of the Moon Deity is precisely forty-nine yojanas in length and breadth.' Question: 'Why does the lunar disc wane at its beginning and end?' Answer: 'As the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* states: "The nature of the moon is eternally full, with truly no increase or decrease. It is because of Mount Sumeru that there is waxing and waning." Also the *Abhidharmakośa* says: "Being close to the sun, it is covered by its own shadow; hence one sees the lunar disc wane." The *Lokaprajñapti-śāstra* states: "Because the moon palace travels close, it is encroached upon by the light of the sun disc; illuminating its other edge casts a shadow, covering the lunar disc itself, and so at that time it is seen not to be full."' However, regarding the single sun and moon shining universally on the four continents, the *Dīrghāgama* states: 'When it is noon in Jambudvīpa, the sun sets in Pūrvavideha, the sun rises in Aparagodānīya, and it is midnight in Uttarakuru.' The sūtra text explains each in sequence for the four directions. These two names appear in the *Mahāmāyūrī-vidyārājñī Sūtra*.