English
It was endowed with color, endowed with fragrance, endowed with taste; just as well-prepared ghee or well-prepared fresh butter, such was its color. Just as pure wild honey, such was its taste. Then, Vāseṭṭha, a certain greedy being— “Oh, what could this be?”— tasted the savory earth with his finger. As he tasted the savory earth with his finger, it pleased him, and craving arose in him. Other beings, Vāseṭṭha, following the example of that being, also tasted the savory earth with their fingers. As they tasted the savory earth with their fingers, it pleased them, and craving arose in them. Appearance of the Moon and Sun 121. “Then, Vāseṭṭha, those beings began to eat the savory earth, scooping it up with their hands. When, Vāseṭṭha, those beings began to eat the savory earth, scooping it up with their hands, their self-radiance disappeared. When their self-radiance had disappeared, the moon and sun appeared. When the moon and sun had appeared, the constellations and star-forms appeared. When the constellations and star-forms had appeared, night and day became known. When night and day became known, months and half-months became known. When months and half-months became known, seasons and years became known. To this extent, Vāseṭṭha, this world again evolved. 122. “Then, Vāseṭṭha, those beings, eating the savory earth, subsisting on it, sustained by it, remained for a long, long time. As And then, Vāseṭṭha, those beings consuming the savory earth, feeding on it, nourished by it, remained for a long, long time. As those beings became rougher in body, differences in complexion appeared. Some beings were beautiful, some beings were ugly. Among them, those beautiful beings looked down on the ugly beings, saying: 'We are more beautiful than them, they are uglier than us.' Because of their pride in beauty, born of their conceit, the savory earth disappeared. When the savory earth disappeared, they gathered together. Having gathered, they lamented: 'Oh, the savor! Oh, the savor!' Even now, people, when they get something delicious, say this: 'Oh, the savor! Oh, the savor!' They follow that ancient, primordial sound, but they do not know its meaning. Appearance of the Earth-Scum Then, Vāseṭṭha, for those beings, when the savory earth had disappeared, the earth-scum appeared. Just as a mushroom appears, so it appeared. It was endowed with color, endowed with fragrance, endowed with savor. Just as pure ghee, or pure fresh butter, such was its color. Just as pure wild honey, such was its taste. Then, Vāseṭṭha, those beings began to consume the earth-scum. Consuming it, feeding on it, nourished by it, they remained for a long, long time. As those beings, Vāseṭṭha, consuming the earth-scum, feeding on it, nourished by it, remained for a long, long time, so their bodies became even rougher to a greater degree, and differences in complexion appeared. Some beings were beautiful, some beings were ugly. Then those beings who were beautiful, they looked down on the ugly beings – ‘We are more beautiful than these, these are uglier than us.’ Because of their pride in beauty, born of excessive pride, the earth-scum disappeared. Appearance of the Creeping Plant 124. When the earth-scum had disappeared, the creeping plant appeared, just like a kalambuka plant, so it appeared. It was endowed with beauty, endowed with fragrance, endowed with taste, just like well-prepared ghee or well-prepared fresh butter, such was its color. Just like pure honey, such was its taste. Then, Vāseṭṭha, those beings began to consume the creeping plant. Consuming it, making it their food, their sustenance, they remained for a long, long time. As those beings, Vāseṭṭha, consumed the creeping plant, making it their food, their sustenance, and remained for a long, long time, so for those beings an even greater coarseness came into their bodies, and differences in beauty became apparent. Some beings were beautiful, some beings were ugly. There, those beings who were beautiful, they looked down on the ugly beings – ‘We are more beautiful than these, these are uglier than us.’ Because of their pride in beauty, born of excessive pride, the creeping plant disappeared. When the creeping plant had disappeared, they gathered together. Having gathered, they lamented – ‘Alas, it was ours! Alas, our creeping plant is lost!’ Even now, people, afflicted by some suffering, say thus – ‘Alas, it was ours! Alas, it is lost!’ They follow that ancient, primordial word, but they do not understand its meaning. Appearance of the Uncultivated, Self-Ripening Rice 125. Then, Vāseṭṭha, for those beings, when the creeping plant had disappeared, uncultivated, self-ripening rice appeared, without husk, without chaff, pure, fragrant, yielding grain. That which That, in the evening, they brought for the evening meal. In the morning, it was ripe and regrown. That, in the morning, they brought for the morning meal. In the evening, it was ripe and regrown; no depletion was apparent. Then, Vāseṭṭha, those beings, eating that uncultivated rice, subsisting on that, nourished by that, remained for a long, long time. Appearance of female and male characteristics As, Vāseṭṭha, those beings, eating that uncultivated rice, subsisting on that, nourished by that, remained for a long, long time, so, for those beings, to a greater degree, coarseness entered their bodies, and differences in complexion became apparent, and for the woman, the female characteristic appeared, and for the man, the male characteristic. The woman gazed excessively at the man, and the man at the woman. As they gazed excessively at each other, lust arose, and feverish passion entered their bodies. Due to that feverish passion, they engaged in sexual intercourse. And those beings, Vāseṭṭha, who at that time saw others engaging in sexual intercourse, some threw dust, some threw ashes, some threw cow dung – 'Perish, impure one! Perish, impure one!' 'How can a being do such a thing to another being!' Even now, in some countries, when a bride is being led away, some people throw dust, some throw ashes, some throw cow dung. They follow that same ancient, primeval custom, but they do not understand its meaning. Practice of sexual intercourse That, Vāseṭṭha, was considered unrighteous at that time, but now it is considered righteous. And those beings, Vāseṭṭha, who at that time engaged in sexual intercourse, they were not allowed for a month or two months into a village or n... or to enter a village. For when, Vāseṭṭha, those beings indulged excessively in that unwholesome practice. Then they began to build houses to conceal that very unwholesome practice. Then, Vāseṭṭha, it occurred to a certain lazy being: ‘Alas, why do I trouble myself bringing rice for the evening meal in the evening, for the morning meal in the morning! What if I were to bring rice just once for the evening and morning meals!’ Then, Vāseṭṭha, that being brought rice just once for the evening and morning meals. Then, Vāseṭṭha, another being approached that being; having approached, he said to that being: ‘Come, good sir, let us go for rice!’ ‘Enough, good sir, I have brought rice just once for the evening and morning meals.’ Then, Vāseṭṭha, that being, following the example of the other being, brought rice just once for two days. ‘This too, good sir, is good!’ Then, Vāseṭṭha, another being approached that being; having approached, he said to that being: ‘Come, good sir, let us go for rice!’ ‘Enough, good sir, I have brought rice just once for two days.’ Then, Vāseṭṭha, that being, following the example of the other being, brought rice just once for four days. ‘This too, good sir, is good!’ Then, Vāseṭṭha, another being approached that being; having approached, he said to that being: ‘Come, good sir, let us go for rice!’ ‘Enough, good sir, I have brought rice just once for four days.’ Then, Vāseṭṭha, that being, following the example of the other being, brought rice just once for eight days. ‘This too, good sir, is good!’ For when, Vāseṭṭha, those beings began to consume stored rice. Then the husk enveloped the grain, and the chaff enveloped the grain... Fine rice; even when cut, it did not grow back. A clear sign was evident. The rice grew in clumps. Division of Rice 128. Then, Vāseṭṭha, those beings gathered. Having gathered, they lamented: 'Alas, sirs, evil things have appeared among beings. We indeed were formerly mind-made, feeding on joy, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in beauty, for a long, long time we remained. For us, after a long, long time, the savory earth spread over the waters. It was rich in color, rich in scent, rich in taste. We then began to eat the savory earth, scooping it up with our hands. As we began to eat the savory earth, scooping it up with our hands, our self-luminosity disappeared. When self-luminosity disappeared, the moon and sun appeared. When the moon and sun appeared, the constellations and star-forms appeared. When the constellations and star-forms appeared, night and day became known. When night and day became known, months and half-months became known. When months and half-months became known, seasons and years became known. We, eating that savory earth, feeding on it, sustained by it, for a long, long time remained. For us, due to the appearance of those evil, unwholesome things, the savory earth disappeared. When the savory earth disappeared, the earth-scum appeared. It was rich in color, rich in scent, rich in taste. We then began to eat the earth-scum. We, eating that, feeding on it, sustained by it, for a long, long time remained. For us, due to the appearance of those evil, unwholesome things, the earth-scum disappeared. When the earth-scum disappeared, the creeper appeared. It was rich in color, rich in scent, rich in taste. We then began to eat the creeper. We, eating that, feeding on it Eating that, feeding on that, for a long, long time we remained. With the appearance