English
Then they engaged in sexual intercourse. Because of engaging in that unrighteous practice, being blamed and harassed by the wise, to conceal that unrighteous practice, they built houses. Dwelling in houses, gradually, following the example of a certain lazy being, they began to hoard. From then on, even the husk and chaff covered the rice, and the reaped place did not grow again. They gathered together and lamented, "Alas, evil practices have appeared among beings! Indeed, we were formerly mind-made," as explained in detail in the Aggañña Sutta (Dī. Ni. 3.128). Then they established boundaries. Then a certain being took a portion not given by another. Having rebuked him twice, on the third occasion, they struck him with fists and sticks. When such things as taking what is not given, blame, falsehood, and punishment arose, they gathered together and thought, "Why don't we elect one being who would rightly rebuke those who deserve rebuke, blame those who deserve blame, and banish those who deserve banishment? We we will give a share of the rice.” When beings had thus resolved, in this eon, this very Blessed One, as a Bodhisatta at that time, was among those beings more handsome, more pleasing to the eye, more powerful, endowed with wisdom, and capable of punishing and rewarding. They approached him, requested him, and appointed him. Since he was appointed by the great multitude, he was Mahāsammata (the Great Appointed One); since he was lord of the fields, he was Khattiya (Warrior); since he delighted others righteeously and justly, he was Rājā (King)— he was known by these three names. For wherever there is an extraordinary position in the world, the Bodhisatta is the first man there. Thus, with the Bodhisatta as the first, when the warrior class was established, gradually the other classes, such as the brahmins, also became established. Therein, from the great cloud that destroys the eon until the cutting off of the flame, this one immeasurable period is called the Saṃvaṭṭa (Eon of Contraction). From the cutting off of the flame of the eon-destroying cloud until the great cloud of prosperity that fills a hundred thousand crores of world-systems, this second immeasurable period is called the Saṃvaṭṭaṭṭhāyī (Eon of Contraction-Maintenance). From the great cloud of prosperity until the appearance of the moon and sun, this third immeasurable period is called the Vivaṭṭa (Eon of Expansion). From the appearance of the moon and sun until the great cloud that again destroys the eon, this fourth immeasurable period is called the Vivaṭṭaṭṭhāyī (Eon of Expansion-Maintenance). These four immeasurable periods constitute one great eon. Thus, the destruction and establishment by fire should be understood. 407. But at the time when the eon is destroyed by water, the great cloud that destroys the eon arises from the very beginning— it should be elaborated in the manner previously stated. This, however, is the distinction: just as there was a second sun, so here the eon-destroying salty-water great cloud rains. It rains, at first subtly, subtly, then gradually with great downpours, filling a hundred thousand crores of world-systems. The earth and mountains, etc., touched by the salty water, dissolve. The water is held up by winds from all sides. The water reaches from the earth up to the second jhāna realm. bathes. There, having dissolved even the three Brahma-worlds, it remains fixed on the Subhakiṇha. As long as there is even an atom of conditioned existence, it does not subside. But having overcome all conditioned existence, which is followed by water, it suddenly subsides and disappears. The upper space becomes one with the lower space, a great darkness—all is as described. Only here, beginning with the Ābhassara Brahma-world, the world appears. And beings, having passed away from Subhakiṇha, are reborn in the Ābhassara realms and so on. There, from the great cloud that destroys the eon until the cessation of the eon-destroying water, this is one immeasurable period. From the cessation of water until the great cloud of formation, this is the second immeasurable period. From the great cloud of formation… (and so on) … these four immeasurable periods make one great eon. Thus, the destruction and formation by water should be understood. 408. At the time when the eon is destroyed by wind, beginning with the rising of the great cloud that destroys the eon— it should be elaborated in the manner previously stated. But this is the difference: just as there was a second sun, so here, for the destruction of the eon, wind arises. First, it raises coarse dust. Then fine dust, fine sand, coarse sand, gravel, stones, and so on, until it raises stones the size of gabled houses and large trees standing in uneven places. They rise from the earth into the sky and do not fall back down. There they are crushed to powder and cease to exist. Then, in sequence, wind arises from the great earth below, turns the earth over, makes its roots point upwards, and hurls it into the sky. Even parts of the earth one hundred yojanas in size, or two, three, four, or five hundred yojanas in size, break apart and, hurled by the force of the wind, are crushed to powder in the sky and cease to exist. The wind also lifts the Cakkavāḷa mountain and the Sineru mountain and hurls them into the sky. They strike each other, are crushed to powder, and are destroyed. By this same method, the terrestrial Destroying the eight mansions and the eight sky-mansions, having destroyed the six deva-worlds of the sense-sphere, it destroys hundreds of thousands of crores of world-systems. There, world-systems with world-systems, Himālayas with Himālayas, Sinerus with Sinerus, coming together, become crushed to powder and perish. From the earth up to the third jhāna-plane, the wind takes hold. There, having destroyed all three Brahma-worlds, it reaches the Vehapphala (plane) and stops. Thus, having destroyed all conditioned things, it itself also perishes. The lower space with the upper space becomes one great darkness, all as previously stated. But here, beginning with the Subhakiṇha Brahma-world, the world reappears. And having fallen from Vehapphala, beings are reborn in the Subhakiṇha plane and so on. There, from the great cloud that destroys the aeon until the cessation of the wind that destroys the aeon, this is one incalculable period. From the cessation of the wind until the great cloud of re-establishment, this is a second incalculable period... (etc.) These four incalculable periods constitute one great aeon. Thus, destruction and re-establishment by wind should be understood. 409. For what reason does the world thus perish? Due to the root causes of unwholesome actions. For when the root causes of unwholesome actions are rampant, the world thus perishes. And indeed, when greed is more rampant, it perishes by fire. When hatred is more rampant, it perishes by water. But some say: when hatred is more rampant, by fire; when greed is more rampant, by water. When delusion is more rampant, it perishes by wind. Even perishing thus, it perishes continuously seven times by fire. The eighth time, by water. Again seven times by fire. The eighth time, by water. Thus perishing every eighth time, having perished seven times by water, it perishes again seven times by fire. By this, sixty-three aeons have passed. In the meantime, having prevented the turn of destruction by water, the wind, having gained opportunity, destroys the world, annihilating the Subhakiṇha (Brahmās) whose lifespan is a full sixty-four aeons. 410. Even remembering past existences, an aeon The recollecting monk in these eons in many eons of contraction in many eons of expansion in many eons of contraction and expansion recollects. How? By the method beginning with "There I was". There, "There I was" means: in that eon of contraction, I, in that existence, or in that birth, or in that destiny, or in that station of consciousness, or in that abode of beings, or in that group of beings, was. "Such a name" means Tissa or Phussa. "Such a clan" means Kaccāna or Kassapa. This is said with reference to recollecting one's own name and clan in past existences. But if, at that time, one wishes to recollect one's own beauty, or one's coarse or refined way of life, or one's abundance of pleasure and pain, or one's short or long lifespan, that too one recollects. Therefore it is said: "Such a complexion... and so forth... such a lifespan." There, "such a complexion" means fair or dark. "Such a food" means eating rice with meat, or eating available fruits. "Such an experience of pleasure and pain" means in various ways, of bodily and mental, or of material and immaterial, etc., kinds, experiencing pleasure and pain. "Such a lifespan" means such a lifespan of a hundred years, or such a lifespan of eighty-four thousand eons. "Having passed away from there, I arose there" means: I, having passed away from that existence, from that birth, destiny, station of consciousness, abode of beings, or group of beings, again in such and such an existence, in such a birth, destiny, station of consciousness, abode of beings, or group of beings, arose. "There too I was" means: then there too, in that existence, in that birth, destiny, station of consciousness, abode of beings, or group of beings, again I was. "Such a name," etc., is as explained before. Moreover, since "There I was" is a recollection for one ascending gradually, as far back as one wishes. "Having passed away from there" is a review for one returning. Therefore, "born here" refers to the place of arising immediately after this present arising, and it should be understood that "I arose there" is said in this context. "There too I was," and so on, but for him, there, of this (present existence). For remembering and seeing names, clans, and so on, in the immediately preceding place of rebirth, it is said. "He, having passed away from there, was reborn here"