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it does not properly reach the digestive organ. Because of this, beings become afflicted with many diseases and are short-lived. However, in the time of righteous kings, contrary to what has been said, the moon and sun revolve evenly, they move along their proper course, and the regularity of the seasons occurs. The moon and sun emerge outside Sineru for six months, and wander inside for six months. Thus, going around Sineru in a clockwise direction, for six months they emerge outside their path of travel, towards the Cakkavāḷa, by their transverse movement. Thus, having moved away from Sineru moment by moment for six months, they emerge from there and reach near the Cakkavāḷa. From there, too, For six months, moment by moment, moving away, they go out, and reaching near Sineru, they wander inside. Indeed, in the month of Āsāḷha, they wander near Sineru. Then for two months, having gone out, they wander outside. In the first month of Kattika, they go through the middle. Then, facing the Cakkavāḷa, they go, and for three months, they wander near the Cakkavāḷa. Again, having gone out, in the month of Citta, they go through the middle. Then for the next two months, they rush towards Sineru. Again, in Āsāḷha, they wander near Sineru. And here, the place which is the middle of Sineru and the Cakkavāḷa, and the place which is the middle of Sineru, going by that, they wander near Sineru, it should be understood. Not clinging to the very edge of Sineru. Wandering near the Cakkavāḷa should also be understood in the same way. But when they go straight through the middle of Sineru and the Cakkavāḷa, then they wander through the middle, it should be understood. And wandering thus, at one stroke, they make light in all three continents. In each direction, nine hundred thousand yojanas of darkness, having dispelled it, they show light. How? Indeed, in this continent, when it is sunrise, in Pubbavideha it is midday, in Uttarukuru it is sunset, in Aparagoyāna it is midnight. When it is sunrise in Pubbavideha, in Uttarukuru it is midday, in Aparagoyāna it is sunset, here it is midnight. When it is sunrise in Uttarukuru, in Aparagoyāna it is midday, here it is sunset, in Pubbavideha it is midnight. When it is sunrise in Aparagoyāna, here it is midday, in Pubbavideha it is sunset, in Uttarukuru it is midnight. Indeed, in this continent, at the time of midday, for the inhabitants of Pubbavideha, half the sun's disk appears as if setting. For the inhabitants of Aparagoyāna, half appears as if rising. And so in the other continents as well. Thus, in this very manner, in the three continents, at one stroke, the moon and sun show light, it should be understood. ... But otherwise, in two islands at the same time they give light. For in which island half the sun's orb appears as setting, when it has set, it does not appear there, it does not give light, in two islands at the same time, both. The dispelling of darkness for nine hundred thousand leagues in each direction should be seen in this way. For at noon in this island, half the sun's orb appears as setting for the inhabitants of Pubbavideha, thus in Pubbavideha, in a place of nine hundred thousand leagues, it dispels darkness and gives light, and similarly in Aparagoyāna as rising, for there too half appears. But when it has set for Pubbavideha, it does not appear, thus in two islands everywhere it dispels darkness and gives light, and in Aparagoyāna too, when the sun has risen, everywhere it dispels darkness. And the moon and sun, when they appear, appear in the world together, among them, the sun appears first. For when the self-radiance of the beings of the first eon had vanished, there was darkness. They, frightened and terrified, thought, "How good it would be, if there were another light!" Then the orb of the sun arose, generating courage in the great multitude, therefore its name was "Suriya" (Sun). When it had made light for the day and set, again there was darkness. They, frightened and terrified, thought, "How good it would be, if another light would arise!" Then, as if knowing their wish, the orb of the moon arose, therefore its name was "Canda" (Moon). Thus, when the moon and sun had appeared, the constellations and star-forms appeared, from then on day and night were known. And in sequence, months, half-months, seasons, and years came into being. But on the very day the moon and sun appeared, Mount Sineru, the Cakkavāḷa, the Himavanta mountains, and the four islands appeared. And indeed they are known to appear simultaneously on the very full moon day of Phagguṇa. Since it is said in the commentary (Pārā. Aṭṭha. 1.1 Verañjakaṇḍavaṇṇanā) that "one world-system, in length and breadth, is twelve hundred thousand yojanas, three thousand, four hundred and fifty yojanas," therefore, from the said measurement of this world-system, in the place where Sineru stands, beyond eighty-four thousand yojanas up to the Cakkavāḷa mountain, and leaving aside the measure of the northern direction, for this southern direction – Of Sineru and world-systems, the distance in measure; Five hundred thousand, and fifty-nine thousand. Seven hundred are known, and twenty-five more; Called "gone to the middle path," there the sun is in the middle. From the middle up to Meru, in the space between world-systems; When it is in the middle, then it has gone to both ends. From the middle up to Meru, and the world-system mountains; Two hundred thousand, and seventy-nine thousand. One hundred and sixty-eight, yojanas, two gāvutas; At both ends, in the space between Meru and world-systems. One hundred thousand, and thirty-nine thousand; Nine hundred and thirty-one, yojanas and one gāvuta. And in measure all around, the circle of the middle path; Ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and eighty-one, and thirty-one thousand. One hundred is known, and seventy-five more; Going south and also north, the sun indeed goes. By the measure of the middle path, it goes by the circle itself; And going thus, it descends, descends below. And ascends, ascends above, from where it always goes; Therefore, by its movement, that was a long journey. Thirty hundred thousand, yojanas in measure; Therefore it goes around, that much day by day. One thousand five hundred, and fifty-four yojanas; Three gāvutas, thirteen usabhas, and thirty-three ratanas. And eight finger-breadths across, the sun goes in one day; Forty-six thousand, six hundred ...one league. Forty-three leagues, it travels in one month; Ninety thousand, two hundred and eighty-seven. Two leagues also, it travels in two months; With this speed, from the end-street to the end of the street. It travels in six months, and to the middle in three months; Near Sineru, from the end-street, the sun, Coming, in two months, is in the middle of this island. Therefore, from the middle of the island of Lanka to Meru, Two hundred thousand, and two hundred more. Thirty-three thousand, eighteen and three leagues. And the distance to the Cakkavāḷa from the very middle of this island. Three hundred thousand, twenty-six thousand. Six more and five hundred and one league. Thus, this particular point should also be understood here. "The Tāvatiṃsa heaven is ten thousand leagues." Here, thirty-three beings who performed meritorious deeds were reborn there, so the place associated with them is thirty-three, that is Tāvatiṃsa. Those who reside there are Tāvatiṃsa devas, and their abode is the Tāvatiṃsa heaven. Thus, they say that this designation for this deva-world arose because of the thirty-three deva-sons who were reborn there after the death of the young man Magha and his companions in the village of Macala. Or, since there are also six kāma-world deva-heavens in other Cakkavāḷas. It is also said: "A thousand of the Cātumahārājika, a thousand of the Tāvatiṃsa." Therefore, it should be understood that this is merely a name designation for that deva-world. "Ten thousand leagues" should be understood as referring to the city of Sakka. Thus, among the Tāvatiṃsa devas, some reside on mountains, some reside in the sky, and their lineage extends to the Cakkavāḷa mountain, as do those of the Cātumahārājika, Yāma, and others. Indeed, there is no lineage of devas in any single deva-world that does not reach the Cakkavāḷa mountain. This Tāvatiṃsa heaven should be understood as being established on the upper level of Sineru, in a place ten thousand leagues in extent. Between its eastern and western gates... It was ten thousand leagues, and so were the south and north gates. That city was adorned with a thousand gates, and embellished with parks and ponds. In its midst, (Dhammapada Commentary 1.29, Magha story) stood Sakka's Vejayanta palace, seven hundred leagues high, made of seven precious gems, adorned with banners three hundred leagues high. On golden staffs were jeweled banners, on jeweled staffs were golden banners, on coral staffs were pearl banners, on pearl staffs were coral banners, on staffs of seven gems were banners of seven gems. The Vejayanta chariot was one hundred and fifty leagues long. (Samyutta Nikaya Commentary 1.1.249, etc.) Its rear part was fifty leagues, the chariot cage in the middle was fifty leagues, from the chariot joint to the chariot head was fifty leagues. Doubling that measure, they also say "three hundred leagues long." In it, a one-league couch was actually present. On it was a three-league white parasol, and it was yoked with a thousand noble steeds. There is no measure for the other adornments. Its banner rose two hundred and fifty leagues high, and when struck by the wind, it emitted a sound like a five-part musical instrument. Sakka's elephant, named Eravana, was one hundred and fifty leagues tall; he too was a deva-son. For there are no animals in the deva-world; therefore, when he went out for park recreation, he abandoned his own form and became an elephant named Eravana, one hundred and fifty leagues tall.