English
English version In that heaven, four thousand heavenly years are not enough to constitute an asaṃkhya kalpa (innumerable years) in the human realm. Moreover, considering the decrease from a human lifespan of one hundred years to ten years, and then the increase from ten years to eighty thousand years, and even during the decrease, calculating according to this proportion, it is simply impossible to be equivalent. This is the first difficulty. Furthermore, according to Maitreya (the future Buddha), the lifespan increases from one hundred years to eighty thousand years, and then he descends when it decreases. This is only halfway through the antara-kalpa (small kalpa). If according to Śākya (Śākyamuni Buddha), the lifespan increases from one thousand two hundred years to eighty thousand years, and then decreases to one hundred years before descending. This exceeds one kalpa (great kalpa), which is twice as long as the previous one. However, in both places, it is said that four thousand years in heaven are equivalent to more than fifty billion years in the human realm, etc., which contradicts each other. This is the second difficulty. If it is said that Śākya experienced many births and deaths, while Maitreya experienced fewer births and deaths there, not just accepting that one lifetime of four thousand years, so it does not contradict the statement of half a kalpa or one kalpa, then it contradicts the sutra's statement of eka-jāti-pratibaddha (a Bodhisattva who will become a Buddha after one more lifetime), and also contradicts the statement of more than fifty billion years, etc. This is the third difficulty. How can these contradictions be reconciled? Here, the Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha (a translator in the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties) explains that the Bodhisattva destined to be the next Buddha, although not dying prematurely in that heaven, accepts multiple births and deaths. The reason for this is that in a city of one yojana (an ancient Indian unit of length), filled with mustard seeds, one seed is taken out every hundred years until they are all gone, which is the measure of a śastra-kalpa (a kalpa of warfare). This is equivalent to four hundred years in the human realm, which is one day and one night in that heaven. In one day and one night, four mustard seeds are removed; in one month, one hundred and twenty mustard seeds are removed; and in four thousand years, five billion and seventy-six million mustard seeds are removed, which is no more than two or three shēng (a unit of volume). However, when Śākya Bodhisattva descended, the mustard seeds in the city of one yojana had already been exhausted. When Maitreya Bodhisattva descends, half of the mustard seeds in that city remain. Therefore, it is known that he experiences multiple births and deaths there, but only one lifetime in Jambudvīpa (the world we live in). Therefore, it is said to be 'eka-jāti-pratibaddha'. The Tripiṭaka Master explains it this way. If according to this meaning, to explain other sutras and treatises, then the various statements about more than fifty billion years, etc., directly refer to the number of one lifetime in that heaven, not saying that there are only so many years between the upper and lower realms. Because of this reason, they do not contradict each other. If according to the treatise, in that heaven, experiencing multiple births and deaths, this is reasonable, as in the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
论第四卷云。四大王众天满足寿量。是等活大那落迦一日一夜。则以此三十日为一月。十二月为一岁。彼寿五百岁。如是以三十三天寿量。成黑绳寿量。以时分天寿量。成众合寿量。以知足天寿量。成号叫寿量。以乐化天寿量。成大号叫寿量。以他化自在天寿量。成烧热寿量。应知亦尔。极烧热大那落迦有情寿量半中劫。无间大那落迦寿一中劫。准此而言。彼知足天满足寿量。是号叫大那落迦一日一夜。即以此三十日为一月。十二月为一岁。彼寿四千岁。如是大号叫寿量。烧热寿量。转倍于前。极热半劫。无间一劫。亦转倍之。然今弥勒菩萨。在知足天。迳半劫余。释迦菩萨。在于彼天。迳一劫余。且经号叫一寿量时已迳彼天无数死生。况迳半劫及一劫乎。 次第七明二世有无者。慈氏出世在于贤劫。贤劫千佛。诸经同说。过去未来二劫之中千佛有无。经说不同。如观药王药上经中。释迦佛言。我昔于妙光佛末法中出家。闻是五十三佛名。以心喜故。后转教人。乃至三千人同音赞叹。一心敬礼。即时超越无数亿劫生死之罪。其初千人者。华光佛为首。下至毗舍。于庄严劫成佛。过去千佛是也。中千人者。拘留孙佛为首。下至楼至。于贤劫中次第成佛。后千人者。日光如来为首。下至须弥相佛。于星宿劫当得成佛 现代汉语译本： 《论》第四卷说，四大王众天（Catummaharajika-deva，四大天王所居住的天界）的众生寿命圆满。等活大地狱（Sañjīva-mahā-naraka，八热地狱之一，众生互相残杀后复活再杀）的一日一夜，相当于他们的三十日，三十日为一月，十二月为一岁。他们的寿命是五百岁。同样地，以三十三天（Trāyastriṃśa，忉利天，帝释天所居住的天界）的寿命，构成黑绳地狱（Kālasūtra-naraka，八热地狱之一，受黑绳捆绑切割之苦）的寿命；以时分天（Yāma，夜摩天，居住在须弥山顶之上的天界）的寿命，构成众合地狱（Saṃghāta-naraka，八热地狱之一，受群山压迫之苦）的寿命；以知足天（Tuṣita，兜率天，弥勒菩萨现在居住的天界）的寿命，构成号叫地狱（Raurava-naraka，八热地狱之一，因极度痛苦而号叫）的寿命；以乐化天（Nirmāṇarati，化乐天，能随心所欲创造快乐的天界）的寿命，构成大号叫地狱（Mahāraurava-naraka，八热地狱之一，比号叫地狱更痛苦）的寿命；以他化自在天（Paranirmita-vaśavartin，他化自在天，能利用他人创造的快乐的天界）的寿命，构成烧热地狱（Tapana-naraka，八热地狱之一，受烧烤之苦）的寿命。应该知道也是这样。极烧热大地狱（Pratāpana-mahā-naraka，八热地狱之一，比烧热地狱更痛苦）的众生寿命是半个中劫（Antarakalpa，佛教时间单位），无间大地狱（Avīci-mahā-naraka，八热地狱中最痛苦的地狱）的寿命是一个中劫。以此类推，知足天的众生寿命圆满，是号叫大地狱的一日一夜。即以三十日为一月，十二月为一岁。他们的寿命是四千岁。像这样，大号叫地狱的寿命，烧热地狱的寿命，都比前面增加一倍。极热地狱是半劫，无间地狱是一劫，也增加一倍。然而现在弥勒菩萨，在知足天，已经过了半劫多。释迦菩萨，在于彼天，已经过了一劫多。且经过号叫地狱一个寿命的时间，已经在彼天经历了无数次的生死，何况是经过半劫及一劫呢？ 其次，为了明确说明二世（过去世和未来世）的有无，慈氏（Maitreya，弥勒菩萨的姓氏）出世是在贤劫（Bhadrakalpa，现在所处的劫，有千佛出世）。贤劫有千佛出世，诸经都这样说。过去和未来二劫之中是否有千佛出世，经中的说法不同。如《观药王药上经》中，释迦佛说，我过去在妙光佛（Ratna-rasmi-prabha，过去佛名）末法时期出家，听到这五十三佛（Buddhānāmāni，五十三佛的名号）的名号，因为内心欢喜的缘故，后来转教他人，乃至三千人同声赞叹，一心敬礼，即时超越无数亿劫生死之罪。其中最初的一千人，华光佛（Puṣpa-rasmi，过去佛名）为首，下至毗舍（Viśva-bhū，过去佛名），在庄严劫（Vyūha-kalpa，过去劫名）成佛，是过去的千佛。中间的一千人，拘留孙佛（Krakucchanda，现在贤劫的过去佛）为首，下至楼至（Rucin，现在贤劫的未来佛），在贤劫中次第成佛。后面的一千人，日光如来（Sūrya-rasmi，未来佛名）为首，下至须弥相佛（Sumeru-ketu，未来佛名），在星宿劫（Nakṣatra-kalpa，未来劫名）应当成佛。
English
English version: The fourth volume of the 'Treatise' states: The beings of the Catummaharajika-deva (Heaven of the Four Great Kings) have a fulfilled lifespan. One day and night in the Sañjīva-mahā-naraka (Hell of Revival, one of the eight hot hells, where beings kill each other and are revived to be killed again) is equivalent to thirty days for them, thirty days make a month, and twelve months make a year. Their lifespan is five hundred years. Similarly, the lifespan of the Trāyastriṃśa (Heaven of Thirty-three, where Indra resides) constitutes the lifespan of the Kālasūtra-naraka (Hell of Black Ropes, one of the eight hot hells, where beings are bound and cut with black ropes); the lifespan of the Yāma (Heaven of Time, residing above Mount Sumeru) constitutes the lifespan of the Saṃghāta-naraka (Hell of Crushing, one of the eight hot hells, where beings are crushed by mountains); the lifespan of the Tuṣita (Heaven of Contentment, where Maitreya Bodhisattva currently resides) constitutes the lifespan of the Raurava-naraka (Hell of Screaming, one of the eight hot hells, where beings scream in extreme pain); the lifespan of the Nirmāṇarati (Heaven of Enjoying Creation, where beings can create happiness at will) constitutes the lifespan of the Mahāraurava-naraka (Great Hell of Screaming, one of the eight hot hells, more painful than the Hell of Screaming); the lifespan of the Paranirmita-vaśavartin (Heaven of Controlling Others' Creations, where beings utilize happiness created by others) constitutes the lifespan of the Tapana-naraka (Hell of Burning, one of the eight hot hells, where beings suffer from burning). It should be known that it is also like this. The lifespan of beings in the Pratāpana-mahā-naraka (Great Hell of Extreme Burning, one of the eight hot hells, more painful than the Hell of Burning) is half an Antarakalpa (intermediate kalpa, a Buddhist unit of time), and the lifespan of the Avīci-mahā-naraka (Hell of Uninterrupted Suffering, the most painful of the eight hot hells) is one Antarakalpa. By analogy, the fulfilled lifespan of beings in the Tuṣita Heaven is one day and night in the Raurava-naraka. That is, thirty days make a month, and twelve months make a year. Their lifespan is four thousand years. Like this, the lifespan of the Mahāraurava-naraka, and the lifespan of the Tapana-naraka, are doubled from the previous ones. The Hell of Extreme Burning is half a kalpa, and the Hell of Uninterrupted Suffering is one kalpa, also doubled. However, now Maitreya Bodhisattva, in the Tuṣita Heaven, has already passed more than half a kalpa. Shakyamuni Bodhisattva, in that heaven, has already passed more than one kalpa. Moreover, having passed the time of one lifespan in the Raurava-naraka, he has already experienced countless births and deaths in that heaven, let alone having passed half a kalpa and one kalpa? Secondly, in order to clearly explain the existence or non-existence of the two worlds (past and future lives), Maitreya's (family name of Maitreya Bodhisattva) appearance is in the Bhadrakalpa (Fortunate Kalpa, the current kalpa, where a thousand Buddhas appear). The Bhadrakalpa has a thousand Buddhas appearing, as stated in various sutras. Whether there are a thousand Buddhas appearing in the past and future two kalpas is stated differently in the sutras. As in the 'Sutra of Observing King Medicine and Superior Medicine,' Shakyamuni Buddha said, 'In the Dharma-ending age of Ratna-rasmi-prabha (name of a past Buddha), I renounced the world, heard the names of these fifty-three Buddhas (Buddhānāmāni, names of the fifty-three Buddhas), and because of the joy in my heart, I later taught others, and even three thousand people praised in unison and paid homage with one mind, immediately transcending the sins of countless billions of kalpas of birth and death.' Among them, the first thousand people, led by Puṣpa-rasmi (name of a past Buddha), down to Viśva-bhū (name of a past Buddha), attained Buddhahood in the Vyūha-kalpa (name of a past kalpa), these are the past thousand Buddhas. The middle thousand people, led by Krakucchanda (past Buddha of the current Bhadrakalpa), down to Rucin (future Buddha of the current Bhadrakalpa), will attain Buddhahood in the Bhadrakalpa in sequence. The last thousand people, led by Sūrya-rasmi (name of a future Buddha), down to Sumeru-ketu (name of a future Buddha), will attain Buddhahood in the Nakṣatra-kalpa (name of a future kalpa). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。依此经文。三世有千佛也。大智度论第九卷云。前九十劫有三佛。后一劫有千佛。九十劫初劫有毗婆尸佛。第三十劫中有二佛。一名尸弃。二名鞞怒婆附。第九十一劫初有四佛。一名迦罗鸠餐陀。二名迦那含牟尼佛。三名迦叶佛。四名释迦牟尼。贤劫经言。从拘留秦佛。至九百九十九佛。共出前半劫。后有楼至佛。独用半劫。楼至灭后。更六十二劫。空过无佛。过尔有一佛兴。号曰净光称王。寿十小劫。过此佛后。复三百劫。亦空过无佛。依此经论。去来二劫应无千佛。云何和会。解云。有无二说。皆实不虚。所以然者。随机见闻。有无不定。故说有无。皆不相妨。问。贤劫之量。以何为限。楼至如来独用半劫。为一相续。故是一寿为多。过去故为多寿。解云。金刚力士经言。昔有转轮圣王。千子发心。愿求作佛。王欲试其谁先得佛。于是取千筹。以香汤洗之。令千子取。得第一者。最初成佛。如是至九百九十九佛。最后一子。为第千佛。诸兄讥言。我等成佛化人已尽。汝后作佛。何所度邪。于是小子闻此悲泣。后复思惟。世界无边。众生不尽。我今发愿。愿我后作佛时。寿命与诸兄等。所度众生。其数亦同。于是地动。佛与其记。是因缘故。独用半劫。以啼泣故。名啼泣佛。于是诸兄即愿作金刚神护楼至佛。贤劫 现代汉语译本 依据这部经文，过去、现在、未来三世各有千佛出世。《大智度论》第九卷说，在过去九十劫中有三佛，之后的一劫中有千佛。九十劫的最初一劫有毗婆尸佛（Vipasyin Buddha，过去七佛之一）。第三十劫中有二佛，一名尸弃（Sikhin），二名鞞怒婆附（Visvabhu）。第九十一劫的最初有四佛，一名迦罗鸠餐陀（Krakucchanda，过去七佛之一），二名迦那含牟尼佛（Kanakamuni，过去七佛之一），三名迦叶佛（Kasyapa，过去七佛之一），四名释迦牟尼（Sakyamuni，现在佛）。《贤劫经》说，从拘留秦佛（Krakucchanda，过去七佛之一）到第九百九十九佛，共同用去前半劫，之后有楼至佛（Rucika Buddha），独自用去后半劫。楼至佛灭度后，又有六十二劫空过，没有佛出世。过了这段时间，有一佛出世，名为净光称王（Pure Radiance King），寿命十小劫。过了这位佛之后，又空过了三千劫，也没有佛出世。依据这部经和论典，过去和未来二劫应该没有千佛，如何调和这个矛盾呢？解释说，有和无两种说法，都真实不虚。之所以这样说，是因为随着众生的根机和见闻，佛的有无是不定的，所以说有和无，都不互相妨碍。 问：贤劫的量，以什么为限？楼至如来独自用去半劫，作为一种相续，所以是一寿为多，过去所以为多寿。解说：在《金刚力士经》中说，过去有一位转轮圣王，他的千个儿子发心，愿求作佛。国王想测试他们谁先成佛，于是取来一千根筹，用香汤洗净，让千个儿子取筹。得到第一根筹的，最初成佛。像这样直到第九百九十九佛。最后一个儿子，将成为第一千佛。诸位兄长讥笑他说：‘我们成佛度化众生已经完毕，你之后成佛，还能度化谁呢？’于是这个小子听到这些话后悲泣。后来又思惟，世界无边，众生不尽，我现在发愿，愿我之后作佛时，寿命与诸位兄长相等，所度化的众生，其数量也相同。’于是大地震动，佛为他授记。因为这个因缘，他独自用去半劫。因为啼哭的缘故，名为啼泣佛。于是诸位兄长就发愿作金刚神，护卫楼至佛。贤劫