English
It is said that the Elder Tipiṭakacūḷābhaya, while going to worship the stupa on Nāgadīpa with five hundred monks, was invited by people in a certain village. With the Elder was one unsuitable monk, and in the main monastery there was also one unsuitable monk. As the community of monks descended into the village, those two individuals, although the newcomer had never seen the resident, nor the resident the newcomer, nevertheless stood together, laughing and conversing. The Elder, seeing this, [thought] "The Perfectly Enlightened One, knowing the element-connected (Saṃ. Ni. 2.85 said, "the dispositions" (etc.) are spoken of. Thus, this disposition-element, which is the disposition-state, the inclination, which regulates the mutual association of those with low inclinations and so on, is called 'inclination'. He knows that inclination. "The inclination of this one is low, the inclination of this one is exalted. Even among those, the inclination of this one is soft, of this one softer, of this one softest," and so on, he penetrates. The keenness or softness of inclination, however, should be understood by the keenness or softness of the faculties. "With little dust" means those in whom there is little, a small amount of the dust of greed, hatred, and delusion in the eye of wisdom, or those in whom there is little dust of greed and so on; beings with little dust of lust and so on. Those are "with little dust". Regarding "with much dust", the same method applies here; those with much dust of lust and so on are "with much dust". "He knows" means he knows those with little dust and so on, saying, "the dust of greed of this one is little, the dust of hatred of this one is little," and so on. "With keen faculties" means endowed with keen faculties such as faith. "With dull faculties" means endowed with dull faculties such as faith. In both cases, the faculties that are the supporting conditions are intended. "Of good form" means of beautiful form, of good nature, meaning, with an open disposition. Or, those whose dispositions and so on, whose aspects or parts, are beautiful, they are "of good form". The opposite are "of bad form". "Easy to instruct" means those who are easy to instruct to the right path, who are faithful and wise, or who discern what is said, who can be easily instructed, they are "easy to instruct". The opposite are "difficult to instruct". Regarding "capable and incapable", those who are suitable for the penetration of the noble path, endowed with supporting conditions, free from karmic hindrances, defilement hindrances, and result hindrances, they are "capable". The opposite are "incapable". Therefore, because the Blessed One knows innumerable beings without exception, from their dispositions and so on, therefore, the world of beings is entirely known to this Blessed One. But is there not also the measure of beings and so on that should be known? Yes, there is. But the knowing of that is not for disenchantment, for dispassion, for cessation, so it is not included here. However, that too is well-known and well-distinguished by the Blessed One. It was abandoned, the teaching was not undertaken due to lack of purpose. Therefore it was said: “Then the Blessed One, having taken up a little dust on his fingernail, addressed the bhikkhus: ‘What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more: this little dust that I have taken up on my fingernail, or this great earth?’” (Saṃ. Ni. 5.1121). Thus, having shown that the world of beings is known in every way, now, showing that the world of space is likewise known, he says: “just as the world of beings,” and so on. The world of space is also known in every way—this is the connection. Cakkavāḷa means a world-system. It is called “cakkavāḷa” because it is surrounded on all sides by the Cakkavāḷa mountain, which resembles a wheel's rim. Aḍḍhuḍḍhāni means three and a half, that is, three hundred and fifty. Nahutāni means ten thousands. Saṅkhātā means stated. Since this earth is immeasurable horizontally, the measure “this much in thickness, this earth is stated” refers only to its thickness. But isn't the earth of each Cakkavāḷa delimited by the Cakkavāḷa mountains? No, because it is connected with the earth of other Cakkavāḷas. Just as there is no earth between three leaves, so there is no earth between three world-systems, due to the existence of the Lokantarika hell. However, where the Cakkavāḷa mountains are connected with other Cakkavāḷa mountains, the earth is continuous. Even when the earth forms during the period of contraction, it forms continuously with the already existing earth. Saṇṭhiti means stability in every way, from below and above. Evaṃ saṇṭhite means thus established. Ettha means in this Cakkavāḷa. Ajjhogāḷho means having plunged into and entered, standing. Accuggato tāvadeva means risen up just that much, that is, just eighty-four hundred thousand yojanas. And not only its height, but its length and width are also the same. For it has been said: “Sineru, bhikkhus, the king of mountains, is eighty-four thousand yojanas in length, eighty-four in width for a thousand leagues.” (A.N. 7.66). Sineru, the best of mountains, means the best among mountains, or simply the best mountain. Sineru, the best mountain, means the king of mountains, Sineru. Its eastern side is made of silver, and due to the light emanating from it, the ocean water in the eastern direction appears like milk. Its southern side, however, is made of sapphire, and therefore the ocean water in the southern direction mostly appears blue, as does the sky. Its western side is made of crystal. Its northern side is made of gold. The four oceans are also defined by the rays of Sineru. Thus, the silver and sapphire rays emanating from the southeast sides unite and travel across the surface of the great ocean, reaching and stopping at the Cakkavāḷa mountain. The sapphire and crystal rays emanating from the southwest sides, the crystal and gold rays emanating from the northwest sides, and the gold and silver rays emanating from the northeast sides unite and travel across the surface of the great ocean, reaching and stopping at the Cakkavāḷa mountain. Between these rays are the four great oceans. “From there” means from the aforementioned measure below and above Sineru. “Half by half” means by half and by half. This means: the Yugandhara mountain is submerged forty-two thousand leagues in the ocean and rises the same amount above it. The Īsadhara mountain is submerged twenty-one thousand leagues in the great ocean and rises the same amount above it. In this manner, the half-by-half measure should be understood for the remaining mountains. Just as the great ocean gradually slopes down to the base of the Cakkavāḷa mountain, so too the Yugandhara mountain, which is half the size of Sineru, is well-established in the earth down to the base of Sineru. Similarly, the Īsadhara and other mountains should be understood. For it is said: “Monks, the great ocean gradually slopes, gradually inclines, gradually Between Sineru, Yugandhara, and others, are seas called Sīdantara. There, it is said, even water as fine as a peacock's feather, when thrown in, cannot remain, it sinks. Therefore, they are called Sīda Seas. And they say these seas, in width, are, in order, equal in measure to the great height of Sineru and the others. "Ajjhogāḷhuggatā" means both deep and high. "Brahā" means great. "Around Sineru" means standing around Sineru, encircling it. Yugandhara stands encircling Sineru. Īsadhara stands encircling that. Thus, those standing encircling each one are called "around Sineru." But in some places, a different order appears: "Encircling Sineru stands a mountain called Assakaṇṇa. Encircling that stands a mountain called Vinataka." For example, in the Nimi Jātaka – "Harnessed to a thousand horses, seated in a divine chariot; The great king, as he traveled, saw the mountains in the Sīda seas; Having seen them, he addressed his charioteer: 'What are these mountains called?'" Thus, by Mātali, the divine charioteer, when asked by King Nimi – "Sudassana, Karavīka, Īsadhara, Yugandhara; Nemindhara, Vinataka, Assakaṇṇa, great mountains. These are the mountains in the Sīda seas, rising up in succession; They are the abodes of great kings, which you, O King, behold." It is said. There, in the commentary, this is said – "This, O Great King, is the outermost of these, the mountain called Sudassana. Next to it is Karavīka, which is higher than Sudassana. And between both of them is one great Sīdantara sea. Next to Karavīka is Īsadhara, which is higher than Karavīka. And between them too is one great Sīdantara sea. Next to Īsadhara is Yugandhara, which is higher than Īsadhara. And between them too is one great Sīdantara sea. Next to Yugandhara is Nemindhara, which is higher than Yugandhara. Between them, too, is a great ocean of Sīdantara. Next to Nemindhara is Vinataka, which is higher than Nemindhara. Between them, too, is a great ocean of Sīdantara. Next to Vinataka is Assakaṇṇa, which is higher than Vinataka. Between them, too, is a great ocean of Sīdantara. These seven mountains have risen in succession in the great oceans of Sīdantara, standing like stairs. "Himavā, the five-hundred-yojana-high mountain" means the Himavā mountain is five hundred yojanas high, that is, its height. There, "Himavā" means it has snow (hima) at the time of snowfall, being covered with snow; or it vomits snow in summer. "Pabbata" means a rock. A rock is called "pabbata" because it has joints (pabba). It is also called "girī" because it swallows (giraṇa) water and essential medicinal substances that flow from it. "Three thousand yojanas in length and width" means three thousand yojanas in length and in width, that is, it is said to be three thousand yojanas in length and in width. "Adorned with eighty-four thousand peaks" means adorned, that is, beautified, with eighty-four thousand peaks