English
There, world-systems with world-systems, Himalayas with Himalayas, Sinerus with Sinerus, come together and are crushed to powder and destroyed. From the earth up to the Parittasubhā, Appamāṇasubhā, and Subhaṇiṇha heavens, the wind seizes these three third-jhāna realms, and destroying these three Brahma-worlds, it strikes the Vehapphala and stops. Thus, destroying all conditioned things, it destroys itself; the lower sky and the upper sky become one, a great darkness—everything is as described before. But here, beginning with the Subhakiṇha Brahma-world, the world reappears. Deceased from Vehapphala, beings are reborn in the Subhakiṇha and other heavens. From the destruction of the aeon by the great cloud to the cessation of the aeon-destroying wind, this is called contraction (saṃvaṭṭo); the first asaṅkhyeyya is the name—four asaṅkhyeyya aeons are called one great aeon—everything is as described in the fire-contraction. And this was said: Seven times seven by fire, eighth by eighth by water; when sixty-four... When full, there will be one destruction by wind. The Ābhassara downwards by fire, The Subhakiṇha by water well mixed; The Vehapphala by wind, Thus the world is destroyed. Therefore, since the first jhāna plane does not perish in a single aeon, their occurrence is impossible in every aeon, so their lifespan should be seen as immeasurable aeons. But from the second jhāna plane onwards, the lifespan should be seen as complete great aeons, not as immeasurable aeons. If the lifespan from the second jhāna plane onwards were complete great aeons, how could the lifespan of the Brahmās in the Ābhassara and other realms be complete in terms of eight great aeons, etc.? For example, the first jhāna plane is destroyed by fire seven times. In the eighth time, it is destroyed by water up to the Ābhassara realm. Again, the first jhāna plane is destroyed by fire seven times, and again in the eighth time, the second jhāna plane is destroyed by water. Thus, after repelling the water destruction in the eighth time, the Subhakiṇha realm is destroyed by wind. Thus, when sixty-four are complete, it is true. The lifespan of the Ābhassara Brahmās, which remains during the period of evolution, is one immeasurable aeon plus seven great aeons, totaling eight aeons. The lifespan of the Subhakiṇha Brahmās, which remains during the period of evolution even in sixty-four aeons, is one immeasurable aeon plus sixty-three great aeons, totaling sixty-four aeons. Therefore, it was said by the ancients: Seven times by fire, In the eighth, eighth by water; When sixty-four are full, There will be one destruction by wind. But some say: The Ābhassara downwards by fire, The Subhakiṇha by water well mixed; The Vehapphala by wind, Thus the world is destroyed. Without considering that in this verse, "Ābhassara," "Subhakiṇha," and "Vehapphala" are mentioned in the sense of pervasion and in the sense of being established due to being superior grounds even on the same level, they think that the order of the grounds is in an upward sequence, like in the Suddhāvāsa realms. "Five grounds are destroyed." Fire destroys seven times, earth eight; Wind destroys nine times, then the world is destroyed. First, fire destroys thirty-two times, second, sixteen; In the middle of the second destruction, the eighth time, that is fifty-six times. In Ābhassara, the fourth time, in Parittasubha, twice by water; In Appamāṇasubha, once, the seventh destruction is by water. They say that according to their view, below Ābhassara, five planes are destroyed by fire, and below Subhakiṇha, eight planes are destroyed by water. This is said for the sake of clarifying the meaning and resolving doubts, referring to the end of one existence and the beginning of rebirth. If one misunderstands this and imagines it refers only to the similarity of rebirth-consciousness and subconsciousness, it appears inappropriate and is a very wrong grasp, as it contradicts the Aggañña Sutta, Visuddhimagga, etc. The limit of destruction is also contradictory, as it is said that the first jhāna plane onwards is destroyed by fire, the second jhāna plane onwards by water, and the fourth jhāna plane onwards by wind. Therefore, the terms "Ābhassara," "Subhakiṇha," and "Vehapphala" should be understood in the sense of extension. Otherwise, like saying "the god rains on the mountain above," Ābhassara, Subhakiṇha, and Vehapphala would not be destroyed by those destructions. This is the section on the destruction of the world. The meaning of "Thus, a Buddha is rare in the world" has already been explained. Thus ends the second section, the chapter on the destruction of the world, in the Sīmavisodhana composed by Sāgarabuddhi Thera. 3. The Nibbāna Chapter Now, the order of explanation of "and the hearing of the good Dhamma" has arrived. Indeed, the hearing of the good Dhamma is also rare in the world. For the good Dhamma is of three kinds: the Dhamma of learning, the Dhamma of practice, and the Dhamma of realization. Therein, the Dhamma of learning is the Tipiṭaka, the word of the Buddha. The Dhamma of practice... The Dhamma of practice is the thirteen ascetic practices, the eighty Khandhaka duties, and the Abhisamācāravatta duties, and so on. The Dhamma of penetration is the penetration of the Four Noble Truths. Among these, the Dhamma of learning is the forerunner and foundation of the two Dhammas. Why? Because it is the root of them. Indeed, without learning, there is no penetration. When learning disappears, practice disappears. When practice disappears, attainment vanishes. Why? Because this learning is a condition for practice. Learning is also the measure for attainment. There, penetration and practice may or may not exist. At one time, there were many monks possessing penetration, so that one could point a finger and say, "This monk is an ordinary person." In this island alone, there was once no monk called an ordinary person. Those who fulfill practice are also sometimes many, sometimes few. Thus, penetration and practice may or may not exist. But for the stability of the Teaching, learning alone is the measure. For a wise person, having heard the Tipitaka, fulfills both. Just as our Bodhisatta, having developed the five superknowledges and seven attainments in the presence of Āḷāra, asked about the preliminary practice for the attainment of the realm of neither perception nor non-perception. He said, "I do not know." Then, having gone to Udaka, having compared the special attainment, he asked about the preliminary practice for the attainment of the realm of neither perception nor non-perception. He explained, and immediately upon hearing his words, the Great Being attained it. Just so, a wise monk, having heard the learning, fulfills both. Therefore, when learning is established, the Teaching is established. Just as it should not be said that when the embankment of a great lake is strong, the water will not remain. It should not be said that when there is water, lotuses and other flowers will not bloom. Just so, when the Tipitaka, like the strong embankment of a great lake, is present in the Buddha's word, it should not be said that there are no sons of good family who fulfill practice, like water in a great lake. When they are present, lotuses and other flowers will bloom in the great lakes. It should not be said that the noble individuals, such as Sotāpannas, do not exist. Merely the scriptures are not the only measure, for with the disappearance of the scriptures, practice and realization also vanish. Here, the scriptures mean the Tipiṭaka, the Buddha's word, with its commentaries. The Pāli text itself remains, as long as the scriptures are complete. As time passes, the kings of the Kali age become unrighteous. In those unrighteous times, the ministers and officials also become unrighteous, and so do the inhabitants of the country and regions. Due to their unrighteousness, the gods do not rain properly, and thus the crops do not flourish. When crops do not flourish, the supporters cannot provide the requisites to the monastic community. The monks, burdened by lack of requisites, cannot gather disciples. As time goes on, the scriptures decline. They cannot retain the meaning, but only memorize the Pāli text. Then, as time passes, they cannot even memorize all the Pāli. First, the Abhidhamma Piṭaka disappears. As it disappears, the scriptures decline from the top down. First, the Great Treatise disappears. As that disappears, the Yamaka, the Kathāvatthu, the Puggalapaññatti, the Dhātukathā, the Vibhaṅga, the Dhammasaṅgaṇi disappear. Thus, with the Abhidhamma Piṭaka gone, the Sutta Piṭaka declines from the top down. First, the Aṅguttara Nikāya disappears. Within that, first the Eleventh Book… …then the First Book. Thus, with the Aṅguttara gone, the Saṃyutta Nikāya declines from the top down. First, the Great Chapter disappears. From there, the Chapter on the Sense Bases, the Chapter on Aggregates, the Chapter on Causation, the Chapter with Verses. Thus, with the Saṃyutta Nikāya gone, the Majjhima Nikāya declines from the top down. First, the Upper Fifty disappears. Then the Middle Fifty, then the Root Fifty. Thus, with the Majjhima Nikāya gone, the Dīgha Nikāya declines from the top down. First, the Pāthika Chapter disappears. Then the Great Division, then the Division by Sections, in the long collection, when the Basket of Discourses is lost, it is said the Basket of Discourses is lost. They retain only the Jātakas along with the Basket of Discipline. The modest retain the Basket of Discipline. But those desiring gain, even when the Discourses are recited, do not consider them, and retain only the Jātakas. As time goes on, they are unable to retain even the Jātakas. Then, first, the Vessantara Jātaka is lost to them. Then, in reverse order, the Puṇṇaka Jātaka, the Mahānārada Kassapa Jātaka are lost. They retain only the Basket of Discipline.