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English version Question: Is this Sīwéi (思惟, contemplation)? Answer: There is contemplation here. Question: In the intermediate state, how does one attain freedom of mind? Answer: Because the mind of the one who can transform is free. Question: How do those who are transformed digest and dissipate the food they eat into their stomachs? Because they are transformations. Answer: There are two kinds of arising: one is Yuán chí (緣持, conditioned sustenance), and the other is Xiǎng chéng (想成, thought-formation). If it arises from conditioned sustenance, the food will be digested and dissipated. If it arises from thought-formation, the food will not dissipate. Question: When do those who are transformed disappear? Answer: There are two kinds of arising: one is conditioned sustenance, and the other is thought-formation. If it arises from thought-formation, they can disappear. If it arises from conditioned sustenance, they may or may not disappear. Question: When do they disappear? Answer: Depending on the one who can transform, whether they are Devas (天, Tiān, gods), humans (人, Rén, humans), Asuras (阿修羅, Āxiūluó, a type of demigod), whether they have good appearances or bad appearances, they disappear when they disappear. Why do they not disappear? Answer: If the intermediate and final states are far apart, until they return to their original form and abide, then they will not disappear. Question: Why is it that when a sage transforms fire, is there smoke? Answer: Because the mind of the one who can transform is free, there is smoke according to what they transform. Because of this reason, it is so. Question: Why is it that when transforming fire, is the fire blazing? Answer: Because the mind of the one who can transform is free, the fire blazes according to what they transform. Because of this reason, it is so. Question: Why is it that when transforming fire, only one's own body and clothing are burned, and not others? Answer: Because the mind of the one who can transform is free and according to what their mind desires, only their own body and clothing are burned. Because of this reason, it is so. Question: Why is it that when a sage transforms fire and burns their body, they only observe emptiness, and there are no external images or other manifestations? Answer: When a sage transforms fire, the place, position, walking, sitting, and other locations are all merged with the transformed fire into one fire realm, burning everywhere, but they only observe emptiness, and there are no external images or other manifestations. Because of this reason, it is so. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 其事如是。 对法大论中因施设门第十二 总说颂曰： 大海次第及深广， 海居众生同咸味， 不宿死尸珍宝多， 大身众生注雨等。
Chinese
如经所说，大海次第从小增广，亦非本来而自深险。今问：何因其事如是？答：非大海次第从小增广，亦非本来而自深险。随其大洲分位如是，如谷麦聚次第分位。由此因故，其事如是。 如经所说，大海深广难彻源底。今问：何因其事如是？答：非大海深广难彻源底，但以海水若出若入，或用一器、或百或千、或复百千而汲海水。随其所取，不能度量海之分量。由此因故，其事如是。 如经所说，大海中水潮不失时。今问：何因其事如是？答：时有二种：一、旦暮时；二、大时。何名旦暮时？谓大海中所居众生，有其饥虚羸劣之者，少得饮食。为伺求故，从水出陆。以所食因，依时伺求。由此名为旦暮之时。何名大时？谓大海中所居众生，以海居人，每至八日十四日十五日，及余神通月分日，是等之日自船登岸。有信向宗事月天之人、有事日天之人、有事童子天人、有尊重信向事佛优婆塞，依法不食，广作祠祭乞欢喜事。彼海居众生以伺求食故，从海出陆，故曰大时。 如经所说，大海中水同一咸味。今问：何因其事如是？答： 现代汉语译本：事情就是这样。 《对法大论》中因施设门第十二 总说颂曰： 大海次第及深广， 海居众生同咸味， 不宿死尸珍宝多， 大身众生注雨等。 如经文所说，大海的深度和广度是逐渐从小增大，也不是一开始就自然深邃险峻的。现在问：什么原因导致事情是这样的呢？答：不是大海的深度和广度是逐渐从小增大，也不是一开始就自然深邃险峻的。而是随着各大洲的分布位置就是这样，就像谷物和小麦堆积的次第分布一样。因为这个原因，事情就是这样。 如经文所说，大海的深度和广度难以探查到源头和底部。现在问：什么原因导致事情是这样的呢？答：不是大海的深度和广度难以探查到源头和底部，而是因为海水有时流出有时流入，或者用一个容器、或者一百个、或者一千个、或者成百上千个来汲取海水。无论取走多少，都无法测量大海的总量。因为这个原因，事情就是这样。 如经文所说，大海中的潮水不会错过时辰。现在问：什么原因导致事情是这样的呢？答：时辰有两种：一是早晚时辰；二是大的时辰。什么叫做早晚时辰呢？指的是居住在大海中的众生，有那些饥饿虚弱的，很少能得到食物。为了寻找食物，从水中来到陆地。因为食物的原因，按照时辰寻找。因此叫做早晚的时辰。什么叫做大的时辰呢？指的是居住在大海中的众生，以居住在海边的人来说，每到初八、十四、十五，以及其他有神通的月份的日子，这些人会在这些日子里从船上岸。有信仰宗教学说祭拜月天的人、有祭拜日天的人、有祭拜童子天人的人、有尊重信仰佛陀的优婆塞（Upasaka，在家男居士），依法不吃饭，广泛地举行祭祀祈求欢喜的事情。那些居住在海中的众生为了寻找食物，从海里来到陆地，所以叫做大的时辰。 如经文所说，大海中的水都是同一种咸味。现在问：什么原因导致事情是这样的呢？答：
English
English version: Thus it is. The Twelfth Chapter on the Establishment of Causes in the Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra (对法大论) Summary Verse: The ocean's order, depth, and breadth, the beings dwelling in the sea share the same salty taste, It does not harbor corpses, is rich in treasures, great beings pour rain into it, and so on. As the sutra says, the ocean gradually increases in depth and breadth from small to large, and it is not naturally deep and dangerous from the beginning. Now I ask: What is the reason that things are like this? The answer is: It is not that the ocean gradually increases in depth and breadth from small to large, nor is it naturally deep and dangerous from the beginning. But according to the distribution of the continents, it is like this, just like the sequential distribution of piles of grain and wheat. Because of this reason, things are like this. As the sutra says, the ocean's depth and breadth are difficult to fathom to their source and bottom. Now I ask: What is the reason that things are like this? The answer is: It is not that the ocean's depth and breadth are difficult to fathom to their source and bottom, but because the seawater sometimes flows out and sometimes flows in, or using one vessel, or a hundred, or a thousand, or hundreds of thousands to draw seawater. No matter how much is taken, it is impossible to measure the total amount of the sea. Because of this reason, things are like this. As the sutra says, the tides in the ocean do not miss their time. Now I ask: What is the reason that things are like this? The answer is: There are two kinds of times: one is the morning and evening time; the other is the great time. What is called the morning and evening time? It refers to the beings living in the ocean, those who are hungry, weak, and frail, and rarely get food. In order to seek food, they come from the water to the land. Because of the food, they seek according to the time. Therefore, it is called the morning and evening time. What is called the great time? It refers to the beings living in the ocean, for those living by the sea, every eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth day of the month, and other months with supernatural powers, on these days they go ashore from their boats. There are those who believe in and worship the moon god, those who worship the sun god, those who worship the Kumāra (童子) gods, and those Upasakas (优婆塞, lay male devotees) who respect and believe in the Buddha, who do not eat according to the Dharma, and widely perform sacrifices to seek joy. Those beings living in the sea come from the sea to the land in order to seek food, so it is called the great time. As the sutra says, the water in the ocean has the same salty taste. Now I ask: What is the reason that things are like this? The answer is: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
谓有海居众生，大海中生、大海中老、大海中殁。其未殁者，彼身之垢、身之秽恶在大海中，故海咸味。又复海中有众山居，经久销镕，亦成咸味。又复大洲之中近海居人，以其草木枝叶茎𦼮等物弃置海中，亦成咸味。由此因故，其事如是。 如经所说，大海之中众宝充满。今问：何因其事如是？答：以其大海世界成时，界地最上、处径最上、轮围最上，总聚方分成须弥山王安止其中，有七金山周匝围绕。彼大海中有大威力诸龙王宫，是故大海有众珍宝。由此因故，其事如是。 如经所说，大海之中有大身众生居止于彼。今问：何因其事如是？答：彼大身众生者，往昔为人，作诸非法，广积受用子息眷属、奴婢饮食，但自资身不行惠施。由斯罪业，乃至最后身坏命终，堕在恶趣地狱中生。地狱殁已，以彼宿造余业未尽故，生海中为彼极大畜类之身。身相大故，令多众生共所食啖。陆地大洲不能容受，皆以宿昔不善业报故，于海中受斯极苦。由此因故，其事如是。 如经所说，大海之中不宿死尸。今问：何因其事如是？答？谓大海中有洁净行诸大龙宫，若彼最上龙王宫中有死尸者，即于夜分弃置第二龙王宫中乃至第四宫中，如是次第，出置岸上。由此因故，其事如是。 如经所说，大海中有大 现代汉语译本： 有人说，居住在海里的众生，在大海中出生、在大海中衰老、在大海中死亡。那些还没有死亡的众生，他们的身体污垢、身体的秽物都在大海中，所以海水是咸的。而且海中还有许多山，经过长久的时间消融，也变成了咸味。还有各大洲中居住在海边的人，把草木的枝叶茎干等物丢弃在海中，也变成了咸味。因为这些原因，事情就是这样。 正如经书所说，大海之中充满了各种宝物。现在问：为什么会这样呢？回答：因为大海世界形成的时候，它的地界最高、处所直径最大、轮围最大，总聚方正，须弥山王（Sumeru Mountain King，佛教宇宙观中的中心山）安稳地坐落在其中，有七重金山周匝围绕。而且大海中有具大威力的诸龙王宫殿，所以大海中有很多珍宝。因为这些原因，事情就是这样。 正如经书所说，大海之中有巨大的众生居住在那里。现在问：为什么会这样呢？回答：这些巨大的众生，往昔做人的时候，做了各种非法的事情，广泛地积聚受用，子息眷属、奴婢饮食，只为了自身享乐而不行布施。由于这些罪业，乃至最后身坏命终，堕落在恶趣地狱中出生。从地狱中死后，因为过去所造的剩余业力还没有消尽，所以生在海中，成为极其巨大的畜生之身。因为身体巨大，所以被很多众生共同吞食。陆地大洲不能容纳它们，都是因为过去不善的业报，所以在海中承受这种极大的痛苦。因为这些原因，事情就是这样。 正如经书所说，大海之中不会留存死尸。现在问：为什么会这样呢？回答：因为大海中有洁净行为的诸大龙宫，如果最上面的龙王宫中有死尸，就会在夜里把死尸丢弃到第二龙王宫中，乃至第四宫中，像这样依次传递，最终丢弃到岸上。因为这些原因，事情就是这样。 正如经书所说，大海中有大
English
English version: It is said that there are beings living in the sea, born in the great sea, growing old in the great sea, and dying in the great sea. Those who have not yet died, their bodily dirt and filth are in the great sea, hence the salty taste of the sea. Moreover, there are many mountains in the sea, which, after a long time of melting, also become salty. Furthermore, the people living near the sea in the great continents discard the branches, leaves, stems, and roots of plants into the sea, which also become salty. For these reasons, the matter is thus. As the scriptures say, the great sea is filled with various treasures. Now I ask: Why is this so? The answer is: Because when the world of the great sea was formed, its boundary was the highest, its diameter the largest, and its circumference the greatest. The Sumeru Mountain King (the central mountain in Buddhist cosmology) was securely placed in the center, surrounded by seven golden mountains. Moreover, in the great sea, there are the palaces of the Dragon Kings with great power, therefore the great sea has many treasures. For these reasons, the matter is thus. As the scriptures say, there are great beings living in the great sea. Now I ask: Why is this so? The answer is: These great beings, in their past lives as humans, committed various illegal acts, extensively accumulating possessions and enjoyments, offspring, relatives, servants, and food, only for their own pleasure and without practicing generosity. Due to these sinful deeds, until their final body was destroyed and their life ended, they fell into the evil realms and were born in hell. After dying in hell, because the remaining karma from their past deeds had not yet been exhausted, they were born in the sea as extremely large animal bodies. Because their bodies are huge, they are eaten by many beings. The great continents of land cannot accommodate them, all because of the retribution of their past unwholesome deeds, so they endure this extreme suffering in the sea. For these reasons, the matter is thus. As the scriptures say, the great sea does not harbor corpses. Now I ask: Why is this so? The answer is: Because in the great sea, there are the palaces of the Great Dragons who practice purity. If there is a corpse in the palace of the highest Dragon King, it will be discarded into the palace of the second Dragon King during the night, and then to the fourth palace, and so on in order, until it is discarded on the shore. For these reasons, the matter is thus. As the scriptures say, in the great sea there is a great --------------------------------------------------------------------------------