Viyahapannatti 13.4: Uddeśaka 4: pṛthvī

"How many earths, Venerable Sir, are declared?"
"Gautama! Seven earths are declared, namely: Ratnaprabhā down to the seventh below."
"Venerable Sir! On the seventh earth below, five unsurpassed, exceedingly large great hells are declared, namely: Kāla, Mahākāla, Roruka, Mahāroruka, and Apratiṣṭhāna. Are those hells larger, more extensive, of greater space, and with more vacant space than the hells of the sixth earth, Tamā, but not with greater entrance, nor more crowded, nor more turbulent, nor with less space? Are the inhabitants of hell in those hells burdened with more karma, more activity, more karmic influx, and more suffering than the inhabitants of hell of the sixth earth, Tamā, and not with less karma, less activity, less karmic influx, and less suffering; and having less supernatural power and less radiance, and not having greater supernatural power and greater radiance?"
"[Gautama! Yes, they are.]"
"On the sixth earth, Tamā, ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-five hell abodes are declared. Are those hells not larger, more extensive, of greater space, and with more vacant space than the hells of the seventh earth below, [yet] with greater entrance, more crowded, more turbulent, and with less space? Are the inhabitants of hell in those hells burdened with less karma, less activity, less karmic influx, and less suffering than the inhabitants of hell of the seventh earth below; and not with more karma, more activity, more karmic influx, and more suffering; having greater supernatural power and greater radiance; and not having less supernatural power and less radiance?"
"[Gautama! Yes, they are.]"
"Are the hells on the sixth earth, Tamā, larger, more extensive, of greater space, and with more vacant space than the hells of the fifth earth, Dhūmaprabhā; and not with greater entrance, nor more crowded, nor more turbulent, nor with less space? Are the inhabitants of hell in those hells burdened with more karma, more activity, more karmic influx, and more suffering than the inhabitants of hell of the fifth earth, Dhūmaprabhā; and not with less karma, less activity, less karmic influx, and less suffering; having less supernatural power and less radiance; and not having greater supernatural power and greater radiance?"
"[Gautama! Yes, they are.]"
"On the fifth earth, Dhūmaprabhā, three hundred thousand hell abodes are declared." Just as was stated for the sixth, so should all seven earths be stated in relation to one another down to Ratnaprabhā, down to: "not having greater supernatural power and having less radiance."

"Venerable Sir! Experiencing what kind of touch of earth do the inhabitants of hell of the Ratnaprabhā earth live?"
"Gautama! Undesirable up to disagreeable. In this way, down to the inhabitants of hell of the seventh earth below. Likewise for the touch of water, and so on down to the touch of vegetation."

"Venerable Sir! In comparison to the second earth, Śarkarāprabhā, is this Ratnaprabhā earth greatest in thickness and smallest on all sides?"
"Yes, Gautama! In comparison to the second earth, this Ratnaprabhā earth is greatest [in thickness] down to smallest on all sides."
"Venerable Sir! In comparison to the third earth, is the second earth greatest in thickness—[the inquiry as above]?"
"Yes, Gautama! The second earth is [...] down to smallest on all sides. With this phrasing, [it should be continued] down to: the sixth earth in comparison to the seventh earth below is [...] down to smallest on all sides."

"Venerable Sir! Are those living beings, from earth-bodied souls down to plant-bodied souls, in the vicinity of the hells of this Ratnaprabhā earth, burdened with more karma, more activity, more karmic influx, and more suffering?"
"Yes, Gautama! In the vicinity of the hells of this Ratnaprabhā earth, they are indeed burdened with the same down to more suffering. And so on, down to the seventh earth below."

"Where, Venerable Sir, is the center of the length of the universe declared to be?"
"Gautama! Penetrating an innumerable part of the intermediate space of this Ratnaprabhā earth, right there the center of the length of the universe is declared to be."
"Where, Venerable Sir, is the center of the length of the lower world declared to be?"
"Gautama! Penetrating slightly more than half of the intermediate space of the fourth earth, Paṅkaprabhā, right there the center of the length of the lower world is declared to be."
"Where, Venerable Sir, is the center of the length of the upper world declared to be?"
"Gautama! Above the Sanatkumāra and Māhendra heavens and below the Brahmaloka heaven, in the Riṣṭa celestial abode layer, right there the center of the length of the upper world is declared to be."
"Where, Venerable Sir, is the center of the length of the transverse world declared to be?"
"Gautama! In the continent of Jambūdvīpa, at the very center of Mount Mandara, in the upper and lower small tiers of this Ratnaprabhā earth, right there at the center of the transverse world an eight-spatial-unit central space point cluster (ruyaga) is declared to be, from which these ten directions flow forth, namely: 1. East, 2. South-East, 3. South, 4. South-West, 5. West, 6. North-West, 7. North, 8. North-East, 9. Up, 10. Down."
"How many names, Venerable Sir, are declared for these ten directions?"
"Gautama! Ten names are declared, namely:
Indrā, Āgneyī, and Yāmyā; Nairṛtī, Vāruṇī, and Vāyavyā; / Somā and Īśānī; and Vimalā and Tamā are to be known."

“Venerable Sir! What is the beginning of the Indrī direction? What is its source? How many spatial units are at its beginning? By how many spatial units does it increase? Of how many spatial units does it consist? What is its end? What is its shape declared to be?”
“Gautama! The Indrī direction has Rucaka as its beginning; it originates from Rucaka. It has two spatial units at its beginning; it increases by two spatial units [in succession]. With respect to the world, it consists of an incalculable number of spatial units; with respect to the non-world, it consists of an infinite number of spatial units. With respect to the world, it has a beginning and an end; with respect to the non-world, it has a beginning and no end. With respect to the world, it has the shape of a mṛdaṅga drum (muraja); with respect to the non-world, it has the shape of an upright cart-shaft.
“Venerable Sir! What is the beginning of the Āgneyī direction? What is its source? How many spatial units are at its beginning? How wide is it in spatial units? Of how many spatial units does it consist? What is its end? What is its shape declared to be?”
“Gautama! The Āgneyī direction has Rucaka as its beginning; it originates from Rucaka. It has one spatial unit at its beginning; it is one spatial unit wide and does not increase. With respect to the world, it consists of an incalculable number of spatial units; with respect to the non-world, it consists of an infinite number of spatial units. With respect to the world, it has a beginning and an end; with respect to the non-world, it has a beginning and no end. It is declared to have the shape of a broken pearl necklace. The Yāmyā direction is like the Indrī; the Nairṛtī is like the Āgneyī. In this way, the four cardinal directions are like the Indrī, and the four intermediate directions are like the Āgneyī.
“Venerable Sir! What is the beginning of the Vimalā direction? What is its source? How many spatial units are at its beginning? How wide is it in spatial units? Of how many spatial units does it consist? What is its end? What is its shape declared to be?”
“Gautama! The Vimalā direction has Rucaka as its beginning; it originates from Rucaka. It has four spatial units at its beginning; it is two spatial units wide and does not increase. With respect to the world, it consists of an incalculable number of spatial units; with respect to the non-world, it consists of an infinite number of spatial units. With respect to the world, it has a beginning and an end; with respect to the non-world, it has a beginning and no end. It is declared to have the shape of a Rucaka. Likewise also the Tamā direction.”

“Venerable Sir! What is called ‘the world’?”
“Gautama! The five extensive substances (astikāya)—just this much is called ‘the world’, namely: the extensive substance of Dharma, the extensive substance of Adharma, the extensive substance of space, the extensive substance of jīva, and the extensive substance of pudgala.”
“Venerable Sir! What function takes place for jīvas through the extensive substance of Dharma?”
“Gautama! Through the extensive substance of Dharma, jīvas have arrival, departure, speech, opening the eyes, mental activity, vocal activity, and physical activity; whatever other moving states of such kind there are, all those function through the extensive substance of Dharma. Motion is the defining characteristic of the extensive substance of Dharma.”
“Venerable Sir! What function takes place for jīvas through the extensive substance of Adharma?”
“Gautama! Through the extensive substance of Adharma, jīvas have standing, sitting, lying down, and making the mind concentrated; whatever other stationary states of such kind there are, all those function through the extensive substance of Adharma. Rest is the defining characteristic of the extensive substance of Adharma.”
“Venerable Sir! What function takes place for jīvas and ajīvas through the extensive substance of space?”
“Gautama! Through the extensive substance of space, it serves as the receptacle for jīva substances and ajīva substances—”

Filled even by one [atom], or filled by two, it could contain even a hundred;
filled even by a hundred crores, it could contain even a thousand crores.

“Accommodation is the defining characteristic of the extensive substance of space.
“Venerable Sir! What function takes place for jīvas through the extensive substance of jīva?”
“Gautama! Through the extensive substance of jīva, the jīva engages in application of consciousness (upayoga) towards an infinite number of modes of sensory knowledge, an infinite number of modes of scriptural knowledge, an infinite number of modes of clairvoyance knowledge, an infinite number of modes of telepathic knowledge, an infinite number of modes of omniscience, an infinite number of modes of sensory error, an infinite number of modes of scriptural error, an infinite number of modes of erroneous clairvoyance, an infinite number of modes of ocular apprehension, an infinite number of modes of non-ocular apprehension, an infinite number of modes of clairvoyant apprehension, and an infinite number of modes of omniscient apprehension. Application of consciousness is the defining characteristic of the jīva.
“Venerable Sir! What function takes place for jīvas through the extensive substance of pudgala?”
“Gautama! Through the extensive substance of pudgala, there occurs for jīvas the appropriation of gross, protean, conveyance, fiery, and karmic bodies, the auditory organ, the visual organ, the olfactory organ, the gustatory organ, and the tactile organ, mental activity, vocal activity, and physical activity, and respiration. Appropriation is the defining characteristic of the extensive substance of pudgala.”

“Venerable Sir! By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of Dharma is one spatial unit of the extensive substance of Dharma touched?”
“Gautama! At the minimum, by three; at the maximum, by six.”
“By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of Adharma is it touched?”
“At the minimum, by four; at the maximum, by seven.”
“By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of space is it touched?”
“By seven.”
“By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of jīva is it touched?”
“By an infinite number.”
“By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of pudgala is it touched?”
“By an infinite number.”
“By how many moments of time (addhāsamaya) is it touched?”
“Sometimes it is touched, sometimes it is not touched; if it is touched, necessarily by an infinite number.”
“Venerable Sir! By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of Dharma is one spatial unit of the extensive substance of Adharma touched?”
“Gautama! At the minimum, by four; at the maximum, by seven. By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of Adharma is it touched? At the minimum, by three; at the maximum, by six. The rest is as for the extensive substance of Dharma.”
“Venerable Sir! By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of Dharma is one spatial unit of the extensive substance of space touched?”
“Gautama! Sometimes it is touched, sometimes it is not touched; if it is touched, at the minimum by one, or two, or three, and at the maximum by seven. So also with the spatial units of the extensive substance of Adharma. By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of space is it touched? By six. By how many spatial units of the extensive substance of jīva is it touched? Sometimes it is touched, sometimes it is not touched; if it is touched, necessarily by an infinite number. So also with the spatial units of the extensive substance of pudgala, and with moments of time.”

"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma is one space-point of the entity of jīva touched?"
"At the minimum, by four; at the maximum, by seven. Likewise also by [space-points of] the entity of adharma. By how many space-points of the entity of space is it touched? By seven. By how many space-points of the entity of jīva is it touched? By infinitely many. The rest is as for the entity of dharma."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma is one space-point of the entity of pudgala touched?"
"Just as for the entity of jīva."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma are two space-points of the entity of pudgala touched?"
"Gautama! At the minimum, by six; at the maximum, by twelve. Likewise also by [space-points of] the entity of adharma. By how many space-points of the entity of space are they touched? By twelve. The rest is as for the entity of dharma."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma are three space-points of the entity of pudgala touched?"
"At the minimum, by eight; at the maximum, by seventeen. Likewise also by [space-points of] the entity of adharma. By how many space-points of the entity of space are they touched? By seventeen. The rest is as for the entity of dharma. In this manner, it should be stated according to this pattern up to ten, with the exception that: at the minimum, two are to be added; at the maximum, five. Four space-points of the entity of pudgala [are touched] at the minimum by ten, at the maximum by twenty-two. Five space-points of the entity of pudgala at the minimum by twelve, at the maximum by twenty-seven. Six space-points of the entity of pudgala at the minimum by fourteen, at the maximum by thirty-two. Seven space-points of the entity of pudgala at the minimum by sixteen, at the maximum by thirty-seven. Eight space-points of the entity of pudgala at the minimum by eighteen, at the maximum by forty-two. Nine space-points of the entity of pudgala at the minimum by twenty, at the maximum by forty-seven. Ten space-points of the entity of pudgala at the minimum by twenty-two, at the maximum by fifty-two. For the entity of space, the maximum [count] is to be stated everywhere."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma are numerable space-points of the entity of pudgala touched?"
"At the minimum, by twice that numerable [number] increased by two; at the maximum, by five times that numerable [number] increased by two. By how many space-points of the entity of adharma? Just the same. By how many space-points of the entity of space? By five times that numerable [number] increased by two. By how many space-points of the entity of jīva? By infinitely many. By how many space-points of the entity of pudgala? By infinitely many. By how many time-units? It may be touched, or it may not be touched; if touched, invariably by infinitely many."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma are innumerable space-points of the entity of pudgala touched?"
"At the minimum, by twice that innumerable [number] increased by two; at the maximum, by five times that innumerable [number] increased by two. The rest is as for the numerable up to 'invariably by infinitely many'."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma are infinitely many space-points of the entity of pudgala touched?"
"Just as for the innumerable, so also completely for the infinitely many."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma is one time-unit touched?"
"By seven. By how many space-points of the entity of adharma is it touched? Just the same; likewise also by [space-points of] the entity of space. By how many space-points of the entity of jīva is it touched? By infinitely many; likewise up to [space-points of] time-units."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma is the entity of dharma touched?"
"By none at all. By how many space-points of the entity of adharma? By innumerably many. By how many space-points of the entity of space? By innumerably many. By how many space-points of the entity of jīva? By infinitely many. By how many space-points of the entity of pudgala? By infinitely many. By how many time-units? It may be touched, or it may not be touched; if touched, invariably by infinitely many."
"Venerable Sir! By how many space-points of the entity of dharma is the entity of adharma touched?"
"By innumerably many. By how many space-points of the entity of adharma? By none at all. The rest is as for the entity of dharma. In this manner, according to this pattern, none at all are touched in their own position; in an external position, for the first three [it] should be stated as innumerably many, and for the latter three infinitely many should be stated up to the time-unit, up to: 'By how many time-units is it touched? By none at all.'"

"Where, Venerable Sir, one point of the medium of motion is accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there?"
"Not even one. How many points of the medium of rest are accommodated? One. How many points of space are accommodated? One. How many points of the soul are accommodated? Infinitely many. How many points of matter are accommodated? Infinitely many. How many time-units are accommodated? Perhaps they are accommodated, perhaps they are not accommodated; if they are accommodated, infinitely many.
Where, Venerable Sir, one point of the medium of rest is accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there?"
"One. How many points of the medium of rest? Not even one. The rest is as for the medium of motion.
Where, Venerable Sir, one point of space is accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there?"
"Perhaps they are accommodated, perhaps they are not accommodated; if they are accommodated, one. Likewise also for the points of the medium of rest. How many points of space? Not even one. How many points of the soul? Perhaps they are accommodated, perhaps they are not accommodated; if they are accommodated, infinitely many. In this way up to time-units.
Where, Venerable Sir, one point of the soul is accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there?"
"One. Likewise also for points of the medium of rest; likewise also for points of space. How many points of the soul? Infinitely many. The rest is as for the medium of motion.
Where, Venerable Sir, one point of matter is accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there?"
"Just as for a point of the soul, so it is in its entirety.
Where, Venerable Sir, two points of matter are accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there?"
"Perhaps one, perhaps two. Likewise also for the medium of rest; likewise also for space. The rest is as for the medium of motion.
Where, Venerable Sir, three points of matter are accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there?"
"Perhaps one, perhaps two, perhaps three. Likewise also for the medium of rest; likewise also for space. The rest is just as for two. In this manner, one point should be added for each of the first three substances; with the remaining, it is just as for two, up to ten: perhaps one, perhaps two, perhaps three, up to perhaps ten. For numerable: perhaps one, perhaps two, up to perhaps ten, perhaps numerable. For innumerable: perhaps one, up to perhaps numerable, perhaps innumerable. As for innumerable, so also for infinitely many.
Where, Venerable Sir, one time-unit is accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there? One. How many points of the medium of rest? One. How many points of space? One. How many points of the soul? Infinitely many. In this way up to time-units.
Where, Venerable Sir, the medium of motion is accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there? Not even one. How many points of the medium of rest? Innumerable. How many points of space? Innumerable. How many points of the soul? Infinitely many. In this way up to time-units.
Where, Venerable Sir, the medium of rest is accommodated, how many points of the medium of motion are accommodated there?"
"Innumerable. How many points of the medium of rest? Not even one. The rest is as for the medium of motion. In this way all should be spoken of: in its own substrate, 'not even one' should be stated; in an other substrate, the first three should be stated as innumerable, and the last three should be stated as infinitely many, up to time-unit, up to 'how many time-units are accommodated? Not even one.'
Where, Venerable Sir, one earth-bodied soul is accommodated, how many earth-bodied souls are accommodated there?"
"Innumerable. How many water-bodied souls are accommodated? Innumerable. How many fire-bodied souls are accommodated? Innumerable. How many air-bodied souls are accommodated? Innumerable. How many plant-bodied souls are accommodated? Infinitely many.
Where, Venerable Sir, one water-bodied soul is accommodated, how many earth-bodied souls are accommodated there? Innumerable. How many water-bodied souls are accommodated? Innumerable.
In this manner, just as stated for the earth-bodied souls, so must it be stated entirely for all of them, up to plant-bodied souls, up to: how many plant-bodied souls are accommodated? Infinitely many."

"In this [space], Venerable Sir, of the medium of motion, the medium of rest, and space, is someone able to sit upon it, or recline upon it, or stand, or sit down, or lie down?"
"This meaning is not competent. But infinitely many souls are accommodated there."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said thus: 'In this [space] of the medium of motion, the medium of rest, and space, someone is not able to sit upon it, or recline upon it, or stand, or sit down, or lie down, but infinitely many souls are accommodated there'?"
"Gautama! It is just as if there were a gabled hall—plastered on both sides, guarded, with guarded doors, windless, deeply windless. Then a man, taking a thousand lamps, enters inside the gabled hall; having entered, he closes the door openings of that gabled hall on all sides, dense, packed, without gap, and hole-less; having closed them, in the exact center of that gabled hall, at the minimum he would light one, or two, or three, [and] at the maximum a thousand lamps. Indeed, Gautama, do the radiances of those lamps remain interjoined, touching one another, interjoined and touching one another, formed into one another?"
"Yes, they remain [so]."
"Is someone able, Gautama, to sit upon those radiances of the lamps, or up to lie down?"
"Lord! This meaning is not competent. But infinitely many souls are accommodated there."
"For that reason, Gautama, it is said thus: up to infinitely many souls are accommodated there."

"Where, Venerable Sir, is the world declared to be very even? Where, Venerable Sir, is the world declared to be completely contracted?"
"Gautama! In this Ratnaprabhā earth, in the upper and lower minor layers, there the world is declared to be very even, and there the world is declared to be completely contracted."
"Where, Venerable Sir, is the world declared to be contracted-and-contracted?"
"Gautama! In the Vigrahakāṇḍaka, there the world is declared to be contracted-and-contracted."

"Of what shape, Venerable Sir, is the world declared to be?"
"Gautama! The world is declared to be of the shape of an auspicious stand: wide at the bottom, contracted in the middle, and broad at the top; like a couch below, contracted like an excellent diamond in the middle, and shaped like an upright mṛdaṅga drum at the top. And in that eternal world, wide at the bottom up to shaped like an upright mṛdaṅga drum at the top, the arhat, jina, kevalin, possessing arisen knowledge and vision, knows and sees the living beings, and knows and sees the non-living things; then afterwards he attains perfection, becomes enlightened, is liberated, attains final nirvāṇa, and brings an end to all suffering."
"Venerable Sir! Among this lower world, horizontal world, and upper world, which is less, more, equal, or especially greater than which?"
"Gautama! The horizontal world is the smallest of all; the upper world is innumerably times greater; the lower world is especially greater."
"So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!"