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do not give light there. For they move in the sky at a height equal to Yugandhara, and move through the middle of the Cakkavāḷa mountain. But the lokantarika hells are beyond the Cakkavāḷa mountain. Therefore, they do not give light there, and eye-consciousness does not arise. However, when light arises at the conception of the Omniscient Bodhisatta and other occasions, then eye-consciousness arises. "Indeed, sirs, there are other beings here are born there.” That day they see each other. But this light does not last even for the time of drinking one gruel; it flashes like lightning for the snap of a finger, and disappears while they are still saying, “What is this?” What kind of karma do beings perform to be reborn there? They are born after performing heavy, cruel, grievous offenses against parents, righteous monastics, and brahmins, and other violent acts like killing living beings day after day, like the Abhaya robbers and Nāga robbers on Tambapaṇṇi Island. Their bodies are three gavutas long, and they have long claws like bats. They cling to the foot of the Cakkavāḷa (world-system) like bats to trees with their claws. When they crawl and come within each other’s reach, thinking, “We have found prey,” they try to grab each other to eat, but they turn over and fall into the water that supports the world. Even when the wind strikes them, they break off like madhuka fruits and fall into the water. As soon as they fall, they dissolve like a lump of flour in the extremely saline water, due to its extreme coldness and the absence of heat. Indeed, the extreme coldness is what is meant by extreme salinity. For that water, which supports the eon and is showered by the great clouds that bring prosperity and supports the earth, should not be saline like the water that destroys the eon. If that were the case, the earth would also dissolve. Or, due to the power of their evil karma, just as ordinary water becomes like pus and spittle for ghosts, so too does that water become saline at that time. Therefore, it is said, “they dissolve like a lump of flour in the extremely saline water.” “Infinite” means immeasurable, impossible for others to count as “so many.” And the Blessed One knew them with infinite Buddha-knowledge, saying, “Space is infinite, the multitude of beings is infinite, the world-systems are infinite.” For all three kinds of infinity are encompassed by Buddha-knowledge, because it is itself infinite. For as much as there is to be known, so much is there knowledge. As much as there is knowledge, so much is there Thus it should be known. Knowledge has the knowable as its limit, and the knowable has knowledge as its limit. Therefore it is said, "He knew with infinite Buddha-knowledge," and so on. And its infinitude is to be known only by penetrating infinite knowables, because its course there is unimpeded. Now, concluding the meaning as stated, it is said, "Thus, the spatial world too was known to him in every way." Moreover, here, the knowledge of the eons of evolution and so on should also be stated. Therefore, the eons of evolution and so on, from the very beginning, should be known thus: The eon of dissolution, the eon of remaining dissolved, the eon of evolution, the eon of remaining evolved – these are the four immeasurable eons of a kappa. Therein, "dissolution" means destruction, "dissolution" is the immeasurable eon of destruction. This, in essence, is just time; its destruction is to be understood in terms of the formations occurring then. The time remaining thus after dissolution is the eon of remaining dissolved. "Evolution" means arising or growth, "evolution" is the immeasurable eon of growth. This too, in essence, is just time; its growth is to be understood in terms of the formations occurring then. The time remaining thus after evolution is the eon of remaining evolved. Therein are three types of dissolution: dissolution by fire, dissolution by water, dissolution by wind. The three limits of dissolution are the Ābhassara, Subhakiṇha, and Vehapphala realms. When an eon dissolves by fire, then below the Ābhassara realm, it is burned by fire. When it dissolves by water, then below the Subhakiṇha realm, it is dissolved by water. When it dissolves by wind, then below the Vehapphala realm, it is scattered by wind. In detail, during all three times of dissolution, one Buddha-field is destroyed. A Buddha-field, indeed, is of three kinds: the birth-field, the authority-field, and the range-field. Therein, the birth-field extends to ten thousand world-systems, which trembles at the Tathāgata's conception and so on. Indeed, in whatever places the power of the Tathāgata's knowledge, such as the knowledge of conception, stimulated by the fruit of merit, spontaneously manifests, all of that is called the field of the Buddha-seed's arising, thus it is called a Buddha-field. This is the field. The field of authority, however, extends to a hundred thousand million world-systems. Therein, the power of these protective chants prevails: the Ratana Sutta, the Khandha Paritta, the Dhajagga Paritta, the Āṭānāṭiya Paritta, and the Mora Paritta. Indeed, one with psychic power, master of mental faculties, standing in any world-system within the field of authority, having recited a protective chant for oneself, even if gone to another world-system from there, is still protected by that chant. Standing in one world-system, when a protective chant is recited for the benefit of all beings, the power of the chant reaches all beings within the field of authority, because the devas there receive the protective chants. Therefore, it is called the field of authority. The field of range, however, is infinite and immeasurable. Indeed, in infinite, immeasurable world-systems, whatever the Tathāgata wishes, that he knows, because the Buddha's knowledge functions bound by his wish. Thus, among these three Buddha-fields, one, the field of authority, perishes. And when that perishes, the field of birth is indeed perished. Even when perishing, it perishes as one. Even when re-establishing, it re-establishes as one. Thus, its perishing and re-establishment should be understood. At the time when the eon perishes by fire, first, a great cloud that destroys the eon arises, and rains a great rain over a hundred thousand million world-systems. Humans, delighted, bring forth all seeds and sow them. But when the crops have grown just enough for cattle to graze, the cloud, roaring like a donkey, does not rain a single drop. Then the rain is completely cut off. Referring to this, the Blessed One said: "There comes a time, monks, when for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, many hundreds of thousands of years, the sky does not rain." Even beings who subsist on rain, having passed away, [are reborn in] the realm of the Minor Devas, etc. are reborn in the Brahma-world, and also the deities who subsist on flowers and fruits. Thus, as a long period of time passes, the water here and there dries up, then gradually the fish and tortoises also die and are reborn in the Brahma-world, as are the beings of hell. Some say that the hell-beings perish at the appearance of the seventh sun. However, there is no rebirth in the Brahma-world without jhāna. And of these, some are afflicted by famine, some are incapable of attaining jhāna. How then are they reborn there? By means of the jhāna attained in the deva-world. For at that time, the Kāmāvacara devas called "Lokabyūhas" with dishevelled heads, scattered hair, weeping faces, wiping away tears with their hands, dressed in red garments, and wearing extremely ugly attire, wander along the paths of humans, announcing thus: "Sirs, sirs, after a hundred thousand years, there will be a world-destruction. This world will perish. The great ocean will dry up. And this great earth and Mount Sineru, the king of mountains, will burn and perish. The destruction of the world will extend up to the Brahma-world. Sirs, cultivate loving-kindness. Sirs, cultivate compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Attend to your mother, attend to your father. Be respectful to your elders in the family." These devas are called "Lokabyūhas" because they arrange and gather the world. It is said that seeing them, humans, wherever they may be standing or sitting, become agitated and confused, and gather in a place near them. But how do they know about the world-destruction? "They are prompted by the nature of things," say the teachers. "By seeing such signs," say some. "They are sent by the Brahma deities," say others. Hearing their words, most humans and earth deities become agitated, and with gentle minds towards one another, perform merits such as loving-kindness, and are reborn in the deva-world. There, having eaten divine ambrosial food, they then pass away Having performed preliminary work on the space kasina, they attain jhana. For deities, it is said, due to the pleasant touch of the wind element, jhanas on the air kasina are easily accomplished. Then, other beings from the lower realms, by karma ripening in subsequent existences, are reborn in the deva world. For there is no being wandering in samsara devoid of karma ripening in subsequent existences. They too attain jhana there in the same way. Thus, by means of jhanas attained in the deva world, all are reborn in the Brahma world. And this is said mostly. But some say: "Beings from the lower realms are reborn in other world-systems, not just in the contracting world-system. For it cannot be understood that all beings from the lower realms then are born in form or formless existences, as rebirth in the deva world is impossible for those with long life in the lower realms. But one with fixed wrong view, even in a perishing eon, is not released from hell; therefore, not being reborn there, he is reborn in a back world-system. For there is no escape from existence for one endowed with fixed wrong view. For one endowed with it,