Dighanikaya 26.104

26.104

Satthantarakappoti satthena antarakappo. Saṃvaṭṭakappaṃ appatvā antarāva lokavināso. Antarakappo ca nāmesa dubbhikkhantarakappo rogantarakappo satthantarakappoti tividho. Tattha lobhussadāya pajāya dubbhikkhantarakappo hoti. Mohussadāya rogantarakappo. Dosussadāya satthantarakappo. Tattha dubbhikkhantarakappena naṭṭhā yebhuyyena pettivisaye upapajjanti. Kasmā? Āhāranikantiyā balavattā. Rogantarakappena naṭṭhā yebhuyyena sagge nibbattanti kasmā? Tesañhi ‘‘aho vataññesaṃ sattānaṃ evarūpo rogo na bhaveyyā’’ti mettacittaṃ uppajjatīti. Satthantarakappena naṭṭhā yebhuyyena niraye upapajjanti. Kasmā? Aññamaññaṃ balavāghātatāya.

"Sword-interval-aeon" means an intermediate aeon [brought about] by the sword. Before reaching the dissolution aeon, it is destruction of the world midway. And this intermediate aeon is of three kinds: the famine-interval-aeon, the disease-interval-aeon, and the sword-interval-aeon. There, when greed is prevalent among living beings, the famine-interval-aeon occurs. When delusion is prevalent, the disease-interval-aeon [occurs]. When hatred is prevalent, the sword-interval-aeon [occurs]. There, those destroyed by the famine-interval-aeon are mostly reborn in the realm of the petas. Why? Because of the strength of their craving for food. Those destroyed by the disease-interval-aeon are mostly reborn in heaven. Why? For a mind of loving-kindness arises in them: 'Oh, may other beings indeed not have a disease of this kind!' Those destroyed by the sword-interval-aeon are mostly reborn in hell. Why? Because of their intense malice toward one another.