Traibhumikatha Translation Abridged
Lions
1. Tṛṇasiṃha: eats only grass
2. Kālasiṃha: Is black and eats only grass
3. Paṇḍarasiṃha: is yellow and eats flesh
4. Kesarīsiṃha: Royal lion
The Royal lions have lips, mouths, and feet with the colour of red lacquer. The body is white and shining like a conch shell. The mane is golden. They have upright postures and command respect. Their manes can make the sounds of thunderclaps. The roars cause beings to tremble and faint. Only āryas can stand fearless before them.
Hastikula Elephants1. Heḷāla-hastikula 2. Kaṅkhayaka-hastikula 3. Candra-hastikula 4. (…) 5. Maṅgala-hastikula 6. Pañca-hastikula 7. Uposatha-hastikula
There is a clan called Ṣaḍḍanta-Hastikula who live in golden caves.
Makara Fish1. Timi 2. Timingila 3. Timira-timingila 4. Ānanda 5. Nandi 6. Ajāna 7. Mahā-timi
When a fish like the Timira-timingila moves the oceans are stirred causing waves and foam.
Mt. Meru
At the base of Mt. Meru is Simbalī Lake. The lake is 200 yojanas with a vast circumference. Within it is a Great Tree as vast as Jambudvīpa. The tree is surrounded by lakes and waters, and is the abode of the Garuḍas. The Garuḍarāja is five yojanas in size with a beak one yojana long, he has a wingspan of seventy yojanas.
The Nāgarājas live in the oceans and other spaces. Mt. Himavān has subterranenan spaces beneath it in which Nāgarājas also dwell. These are each five-hundred yojanas in length and width.
a species of nāga live in the ocean and their female oceanic nāgas, when pregnant, travel from the ocean up the great rivers, to the top of Mt. Himavān to give birth to her young safe from Garuḍas, stirring the waters and creating foam in the process. When the children become older she teaches them to swim back and forth through the great rivers. If the young can keep up then she will magically create heavy rain to fall and fill up Mt. Himavān.
After that she creates golden vimāna adorned with the seven jewels, with all sorts of provisions, rooms, and beds. She brings her children into the vimāna to dwell and this vimāna is caused to then float along the waters and descend back into the Great Ocean and down into the depths to reside.
There are two species of nāgas:
1. Kalasaja
2. Jalasaja
The first species are able to live atop land but cannot manifest anything in the water. The second can only dwell within the water and not on land, nor can they transform their bodies on the land.
Nāgas can transform themselves into many forms including devas. Female nāgas can even transform into celestial apsaras. When nāgas seek food they transform themselves into whatever form is easiest to hunt their prey and they may then go upon the earth to hunt.
They can transform into serpents, cobras, green snakes, and so on. They can be upright creatures, such as humans.
Animal Realm
There are many species of animals. There are royal hamsa swans living on Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa, or within caves, or in palaces among flocks of birds, or among the creatures in Mt. Himavān.
There are ducks and chickens who live in villages and cities, who are raised for slaughter. Dogs also exist there.
Garuḍas eat nāgas; nāgas eat frogs; frogs eat small animals and insects. Thus along animals, they feed upon each other.
For tigers and leopards, they may have offspring, and when suffering from hunger, may have their offspring approach affectionately for milk, and these tigers or leopards may devour their young, for their hunger is so intense they cannot restrain themselves.
Some animals feed off the flesh externally, some internally within other animals, and some are of harmful nature and sustain themselves in that way. When their harmful conditions come to an end, they can no longer find food, and then they too come to an end in those very places.
Some creatures even exist within our bodies, such as worms or maggots that appear from out of their eggs, around decay, from corpses, from our bodies, or within our rooms. And within other animals larger than humans, they have creatures within them larger than humans.
Some beings have skin, flesh, sinews, bones, horns, and tusks. Even despite committing no wrongdoings at all, other beings go to hunt, strike, abuse, and slaughter them for their own gain.
Some creatures such as buffalo, cattle, elephants, and horses are made to serve human beings in manifold ways. Yet even then they are never allowed to rest, like slaves, not even for a moment. Even when they desire sustenance, or grass, or water, and food, their masters beat them and drive them against their will.
Such as the suffering of the animal realm.
Human Realm
Humans are born in different ways. Some are born transformationally, some from karma, some from the womb, and various other ways.
When a human is to take birth within a womb the child develops five rūpas. These rūpas are:
1. Vāyu-rūpa: the wind form
2. Kāya-rūpa: the body form
3. Bhāva-rūpa: the becoming form where various sex characteristics develop and are expressed
4. Hrdaya-rūpa: the heart form
5. Jīvita-rūpa: the life form which sustains life
Now among human children there are three kinds in comparison to their parents:
1. Jāti-putra: superior children
2. Anujāti-putra: equally-superior children
3. Ajāti-putra: non-superior children
The jāti-putra is intelligent, quick-witted, and superior in appearance, sometimes more beautiful or capable than both father and mother. Such a child is said to surpass the parents in many respects. The anujāti-putra is equal to both parents in all respects. While ajāti-putra is a child inferior to both parents in all respects.
For human beings in general there are several kinds:
1. Hell-being humans
2. Preta-being humans
3. Animal-being humans
4. True humans
Those who kill beings, commit evil actions, who carry such karmic results within themselves, experience great suffering and misery. These are the hell-being humans.
There are those who have little opportunity to generate merit, who live in extreme hardship and poverty, or are without clothing or necessities, who cannot find food to eat, who suffer from restlessness, longing, and desire, who in turn become disheveled or unattractive in form or conduct, these are the preta-being humans.
People who do not understand merit from demerit, who speak with little compassion or kindness, who are bold, harsh, and do not show respect for the elderly and the wise, who do not try to serve and honour their parents or teachers or spiritual masters, who do not try to love their siblings, and who commit evil at all times, these are the animal-being humans.
People who know merit from demerit, who understand right from wrong, who recognise future consequences, who are ashamed of wrong that was done, and who fear committing evil, who know generosity, kindness, and compassion toward the poor and needy, for those who suffer, for their parents, teachers, monks, Brahmins, and who observe Buddhist disciplines, who when knowing of the Three Jewels then honours their merit and discipline, these are the true humans.
All of these types of humans are also divided into four separate groups:
1. those who live in our southern continent of Jambudvīpa,
2. Those who live in the eastern continent of Pūrvavideha,
3. Those in the northern Uttakuru
4. Those in the western Aparagodānīya
Those in Jambudvīpa have faces shaped like the front face of a cartwheel, those in Pūrvavideha have a face that is round and shaped like a full-moon, those in Uttakuru have a face that is angular like a square, those in Aparagodānīya have a face that is straighter and the top and rounder at the bottom like a half-moon.
To the west of Mt. Meru is Aparagodānīya which is nine-thousand yojanas wide, and is encircled by many smaller continents as its retinue.
To the east of Mt. Meru is Pūrvavideha which is eight-thousand yojanas wide, and is encircled by four-hundred smaller continents as its retinue.
To the south of Mt. Meru is Jambudvīpa which is seven-thousand yojanas wide,and is encircled
To the north…
The land at the feet of Mt. Meru is also called a smaller continent. This land is encircled by a surrounding region arranged in a six-sided, hexagonal formation, and is also encircled by seven concentric golden mountains. There are many numerous people and other beings who live there and are prosperous. They are superior to all of the people in other places due to their accumulated merit, observances, and moral discipline.
The land there is level, even, and beautifully arranged. There are no uneven or sunken areas, nor are there broken areas. It is extremely beautiful and harmonious. There are trees of all kinds and varieties with branches, leaves, and blossoms which are graceful and well-formed, as if designed with deliberate intention. The trees themselves serve as houses and dwellings, and which connect together and form beautiful structures like prāsāda-palaces where people can live and sleep.
Beings such as Buddhas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, Bodhisattvas, and Cakravartins are destined for birth in Jambudvīpa and not in the other continents.
There was a king named Śrī Dharmāśoka who ruled a great city called Pāṭaliputra. When that king ruled, our Buddha, Śākyamuni, had already passed into parinirvāṇa for twenty-one years. That king had sixteen-thousand queens, and the chief queen was named Asandhimitrā. When he ruled the realm, all the kings of Jambudvīpa had come to pay homage to him. This was all due to his great merit. Devas and other celestial beings, beings living below the earth extending a yojana below, and beings one yojana above the earth, every class of beings came to pay homage, respect, and serve the King Śrī Dharmākośa both day and night without interruption.
The celestial beings of Mt. Himavān would constantly bring water from Lake Anavatapta, which was fragrant, clear, and pure like crystal. It was cool, sweet, and of excellent quality. They would offer this water to the King in sixteen golden vessels every day, presenting it before his feet every day without fail.
Of these sixteen, King Śrī Dharmāśoka would offer eight of them to others. Two he would offer to the Saṃhas of Sixteen Arhat Monks, two for Queen Asandhimitrā, and some for his sixteen thousand concubines. Thus he left only two for himself to drink or bathe. He does this every single day without interruption.
Some celestial beings bring branches called nāgalatāvana which is fragrant and offer them as toothbrushes, daily. The King too offers these to the Samghas of sixty-thousand monks, and also distributes them to his sixteen-thousand concubine queens, daily.
Some celestial beings bring Āmalaka fruits from Mt. Himavān, which are golden in colour, fragrant, and are offered as medicines. Some bring Harītakī fruits which are also golden in colour and fragrant, and they too offer them to the king every single day. Some bring ripe Amala (mangoes), from Mt. Himavān, some bring divine garments of six kinds from Lake Ṣaḍḍanta to the King, daily.
…….
Deva Realm
There are different kinds of devas:
1. Upapatti-devas: birth devas
2. Viśuddhi-devas: pure devas
The kings and rulers of the world, if they understand righteousness, merit, and Dharma, and rule according to the Ten Royal Virtues, are called Samvrti-devas, conventional devas, because of their great power and majesty.
Above them are the higher heavenly realms associated with the Buddha, the Arhats, and Ārya disciples who achieved nirvāṇa, and these are called the Viśuddhi-devas.
There are also devas who arise in the heavens above the earth, some who arise in space, some who depend on the earth, and some who are born through spontaneous arising. Some devas dwell in mountains, treating them as their vimānas.
Some dwell between the branches of trees with the tree itself serving as their vimānas. If the tree is destroyed then their vimāna is destroyed. If their trunk remains then the vimāna is not destroyed. If the tree is completely cut down then the vimāna is destroyed. If only the roots remain then the vimāna does not collapse. If it is fully uprooted then the vimāna does collapse. Thus their vimānas require the tree as support. When it disappears then it cannot be seen anywhere at all. Those crystal vimānas are like that and being such as humans, pretas, and devas, when they see them perceive them as vimānas in that way.
The Four Heavenly Kings, send devas to distribute items to them. The beings there, seeing this, desire whatever strength and possession they wish for and can simply choose what they want. But in our world below it is not like that.
From the earth upwards are realms extending vertically by three-hundred and six ayutas in yojanas. After that is the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings, situated around Mt. Meru on its four cardinal directions.
To the south of Mt. Meru are six vast and great deva cities. Each are four ayutas of yojanas in width and length. They have golden walls adorned with jewels. Inside the cities to are crystal prāsādas with devas dwelling there. The ground is golden, shining, and smooth like the skin of a drum, and soft like cloth. When stepping on it, the ground yields slightly then rises again, leaving no footprints. Outside the prāsādas are waters clearer than crystal with lotus flowers in puskarini ponds, fragrant and perfumed with incense. There are also many kinds of beautiful flowers, trees, and fruits. The trees bear flowers and fruits continuously.
The chief deva kings of the each of the four quarters are the Four Heavenly Kings.
The eastern quarter is ruled by the Heavenly King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and who rules over the gandharvas and all of the devas of the eastern quarter up to the boundary wall of the Cakravāḍa world system.
The western quarter is ruled by the Heavenly King Virūpakṣa, and he rules over the garuḍas and nāgas up to the western boundary wall of the Cakravāḍa world system.
The southern quarter is ruled by Virūḍhaka, and he rules over the kumbhāṇḍas and hosts of yakṣas, governing devas up to the southern boundary wall of the Cakravāḍa world system.
The northern quarter is ruled by Vaiśravaṇa, and he rules over the yakṣas and the hosts of yakṣas from Mt. Meru up to the northern boundary wall of the Cakravāḍa world system.
Among the devas who live in the intermediate space above the earth and below the peak of Mt. Meru, some possess crystal palaces that measure 80,000 krośas in length and width, some 16,000, and some 1,000. These devas dwell in all directions around Mt. Meru and their cities and vimānas extend up to the great deva realms above the encircling mountains called Mt. Yugandhara. Even though they extend to the boundary of the Cakravāḍa world system, this realm is still called the Realm of the Four Heavenly Kings.
The sun and moon, together with the tenth-five celestial Nakṣatra lunar mansions, continually revolve around Mt. Meru at all times.
At that time, the King of Devas, Indra, together with the Four Heavenly Kings, established and arranged the deva cities and realms, with the Four Heavenly Kings acting as the Guardians of the Four Quarters of the World.
Whoever performs meritorious deeds are reborn among the devas and therein receive their own jewelled prāsādas, golden and jewelled possessions, and divine splendour as a result. Within the celestial prāsādas, the devas dwell. If a certain deva is reborn into a lower or unfortunate state among them then they are regarded as the daughter of another deva. Some are reborn upon the beds of other devas and are regarded as the wives of those devas. Some are reborn at the feet of another deva’s throne and become attendants for those devas. Some have little merit and so are reborn at another deva’s prāsāda gate, or at walls of the prāsāda, and become servants of that deva.
This is still considered within the boundaries of the jewelled deva realm, but outside the inner prāsāda. Thus if one is reborn within a deva’s domain, one becomes a subject or servant of that deva according to one’s merit.
From this lowest heaven upward is a distance of thirty-six ayutas of yojanas until the next heaven, called Trāyastriṃśa, which is situated atop Mt. Meru. At the peak is the city of Indra, the King of God, and this is where he dwells. This city on the peak is 8,000 yojanas in width. It is filled with jewelled prāsādas and crystal vimānas directly upon the peak. The full city from its eastern gate to the western gate is vast, measuring in ayutas of yojanas. The city is filled with jewelled walls with a gate on each of its four sides. Above each gate is a golden spire (niryūha) adorned with jewels. All of these structures are made of gold and are adorned with precious gems. There are seven principal tiers-features of the divine city.
From the base of the gate up to the top of the prāsāda tower, the height is said to be 250,000 yojanas.
When the gates are opened, one hears extremely sweet and melodious sounds which please the heart, like the music of divine instruments. They are delightful and surpass all earthly music.
The devas in the celestial prāsādas also heart the crystal chariots and jewelled conveyances, which are supremely pleasing and delightful.
Within the centre of the city is a great prāsāda called Vaijayanta whose height is 25,600 yojanas. It is exquisitely beautiful and adorned with the seven jewels. It shines brilliantly to a height of 550,000 yojanas, and is beyond measure. Vaijanta prāsāda is the abode of Indra.
To the east of the city of Trāyastriṃśa is a divine park called Nandavana Grove. It is said to extend 800,000 yojanas in circumference. It is surrounded by jewelled walls, and above each gate stands jewelled prāsādas. This pleasure grove is filled with delights such as trees of all kinds, fruits of all kinds, and flowers of all kinds. They are all of the rarest qualities and provide endless happiness and joy to all the residents of Trāyastriṃśa.
Near the park and towards that entrance of the city is a Great Lake called Nandā Puskarini, and another one called Culla Puskarini. The waters in these lakes are as clear as crystal and shine with a colour of indranīla glass, bright, and like the sky reflected upon its surface. At the edge of those waters are jewelled stones, one is called Citta Stone and the other is called Cula-Citta Stone. They shine with a golden radiance and when touched, feel extremely smooth and soft, like polished skin. The devas go here to enjoy themselves with both male and female devas alike.
On the upper region of Trāyastriṃśa is another great pleasure grove called Śākyamuni Grove, it is 400,000 yojanas in circumference. It is encircled with jewelled walls and above each gate are jewelled prāsādas. Near this grove and towards the city are two puskarini lakes, the first is called Dharmā Puskarini and Sudharmā Puskarini. Within these lakes are two jewelled stones, the first is called Dharmā and the other is called Sudharmā. They are smooth and soft like polished skin.
To the northeastern side, outside the city of Trāyastriṃśa is a great pleasure garden called Mahāvana. It is extremely beautiful and is surrounded by golden walls. At every gate are jewelled kūṭāgāra pavillions. The circumference is 60,000 yojanas, and within it are 1,000 golden prāsādas, all adorned with the seven jewels.
Between Mahāvana and Nandavana Grove is a jewelled lake of splendour which has a ground that extends for 100,000 yojanas. Within there is a jewelled platform 1,000 yojanas in width and 8,000 yojanas in length. At the centre of the platform is a jewelled canopy spreading over a vast distance. The platform is pure white and radiant. The brilliance of the jewelled canopy shines like the light of the sun and illuminates all beneath it. It is also said to outshine the moon when it wanes. This platform and canopy are fixed together to a divine chariot and this chariot is drawn by 2,000 jewelled horses, each adorned with precious gems and ornaments. The chariot itself is made of gold and adorned with the seven jewels. From this chariot hang garlands and festoons of jewels and gold, along with divine garlands of flowers. There are jewelled fringes and golden tassels hanging down shining brilliantly like rainbows and gleaming like sunlight.
When the wind blows gently it produces harmonious sounds like the music of lutes, drums, gongs, trumpets, and conches played by devas in the deva realm.
On the eighth days of the waxing moon, the full moon, the waning moon, and the new moon, and during observance days, the Great Heavenly King Dhṛtarāṣṭra the ruler of the eastern quarter at Mt. Yugandhara up to the boundary wall of the Cakravāḍa world system, is attended by his hosts of gandharvas who adorn themselves with ornaments of gold and silver everywhere over their heads and bodies, who have countless banners and standards of silver, more than hundreds of ayutas. They have all ceremonial regalia and processional ornaments made of silver and gold, such as swords, spears, yak-tail whisks (cāmaras), all fashioned from precious metals. Some of these devas carry hammers and pestles made of gold and silver, while others carry various implements of gold and silver. They depart from their city of Mt. Yugandhara and descend upon the encircling mountains down to the furthest reaches of the boundary wall in the Cakravāḍa world system. They all move forward in an orderly fashion through the sky and are led by their King Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
King Virūḍhaka rules over the southern continent and is mounted upon a great steed adorned with precious jewels and stones, he does the same with his retinue of kumbhāṇḍas from Mt. Yugandhara down to the boundary wall in the southern quarter of the Cakravāḍa world system.
King Virūpakṣa does the same with his retinue of nāgas in the western quarter. King Vaiśravaṇa with his retinue of yakṣas does the same in the northern quarter. The yakṣas are adorned like the others. Vaiśravaṇa himself has a golden-yellow body radiant and beautiful.
There is also a great Nāga Elephant named Airāvata who is actually a deva himself called Airāvata Devaputra. Whenever Indra wishes to go somewhere for pleasure or amusement, Airāvata transforms himself into a great white elephant who is 120,000 yojanas in size with many heads. The smaller heads are on each side with the bigger one in the middle.
The structures of the city of Trāyastriṃśa are of varying sizes, furthest away from the centre are structures which measure 2,000 yojanas, the next 3,000, the innermost are 6,000 yojanas, further inward again are ones 5,000 yojanas and then 2,000 yojanas. At the centre of all of these is a great throne called Sudhāma which serves as Indra’s throne. This central area alone is 240,000 yojanas wide.
Above the head of the elephant is a jewelled platform 6,000 yojanas wide. Atop that jewelled platform is a prāsāda adorned with the seven jewels and its height is beyond measure. From this prāsāda hang nets of tinkling bells which tinkle in the breeze. Inside that prāsāda is an inner chamber which measures 3,000 yojanas wide, where Indra’s royal throne is placed. It is furnished with thick cushions and large and small pillows, and supporting rests. The throne is 600 yojanas tall and Indra sits upon it surrounded by devas. Above the elephant are three tiers of manifested forms of radiance. Each of these manifested forms have seven tusks which extend 600,000 yojanas. Above each tusk are puskarini lakes with lotus petals and atop each petal are celestial maidens who dance. There are seven of these maidens each and they have attendants of their own.
The elephant has a total of 33 heads, and 231 tusks, 618 puskarini lakes, 10,319 clusters of lotuses on those lakes, 79,233 lotuses, and 554,031 petals. The celestial maidens number a total of 3,882,417, and the attendants number 27,182,819. His tusks have special places within them all 5 yojanas wide with many celestial maidens living there. When Indra sits upon the jewelled throne on Airāvana’s head, he is attended by many devas. Indra’s principal queen is Queen Sudharmā, who is adorned with jewels and the seven jewels, and she sits beside Indra along with her attendants. Another queen is named Queen Sukhātā who is firm in virtue and purity, and she too is richly adorned and attends upon Indra’s side. Another queen is called Sunandā, who is the same and another queen is named Sucitrā who is the same.
Outside the city of Trāyastriṃśa, in the north-eastern direction, is a garden called Mahāvatta, and near it is another garden called Puṇḍarīkavana. This garden is enclosed by walls on all four sides, with each side measuring 160,000 krośas. It has jewelled gates and jewelled niryūhas at every entrance as previously described. Within this garden stands a Great Golden Coral Tree called Paricchātaka, or Karpagavrkṣa. The canopy of this tree extends 240,000 krośas and its height is 800,000 krośas and the trunks circumference is 120,000 krośas. Foliage and branches extend out to 200,000 krośas. Beneath this tree is a jewelled crystal slab called Paṇḍukambala with a height of 48,000 krośas, and a width of 60,000 krośas. Its thickness is 120,000 krośas and it has the colour of deep red like a lotus flower with a surface that is soft like fine cloth that is soft like the crest of a golden royal hamsa.
The Great Encircling Mountains
Mt. Meru is said to rise 6,000 yojanas above, and beneath the water extends 1,000 yojanas, with a thickness of 4,000 yojanas, with a circumference of 252,000 yojanas. Its eastern side is made of silver, its southern side is made of Indranīla, its western side is made of crystal or clear glass-like jewels, and its northern side is made of gold. Each quarter is said to extend vast expanses for thousands of yojanas and is adorned with different kinds of radiant substances. At the summit of Mt. Meru is the great prāsāda called Vaijayanta located at the centre of the City of Trāyastriṃśa. Below Mt. Meru is the realm of the asuras which extends 10,000 yojanas.
There are three mountain ranges which support Mt. Meru like tripod legs, called the Trikūṭa Mountains. They serve as the base of Mt. Meru. Each of these are described as vast and with thousands of yojanas in height. Beneath these mountains lie the abodes of certain nāgas, situated between the intermediate regions of the mountains.
Outside Mt. Meru is a great surrounding ocean called Sītāntara, which encircles it. This ocean is 4,000 yojanas wide and 4,000 yojanas deep. Next to this ocean is Mt. Yugandhara is 42,000 yojanas tall and its thickness is thousand of yojanas. It’s full circumference is around 700,000 yojanas.
Beyond Mt. Yugandhara is another ocean called Sītāntara which encircles it, this ocean is 21,000 yojanas wide and deep.
Beyond that is another mountain and another Sītāntara. Then another mountain called Karavika, and then another Sītāntara, then Mt. Sudarśana, and then another Sītāntara, then another mountain and Sītāntara, then Mt. Vinataka and another Sītāntara, then Mt. Aśvakarṇa. Each of these are halve of the width, height, and distance as the ones before it.
Beyond Mt. Aśvakarṇa then lies the Great Ocean with the Great Continents on each of these four cardinal directions. Beyond this lies the encircling mountain called Mt. Cakravāḍa which is 300,000 yojanas away. It is 2,000,000 yojanas tall, 6,000,000 yojanas wide, and 72,000,000 yojanas in circumference. This acts as a wall that encloses everything within it.
The eastern continent (Pubbavideha) lies east of Mount Sumeru. It is about 1,000 yojanas wide and has a circumference of about 210,000 yojanas.
The northern continent (Uttarakuru) lies at the foot of Mount Sumeru (north side). It is about 4,000 yojanas wide and has a circumference of about 32,000 yojanas.
The western continent (Aparagodāniya) lies west of Mount Sumeru. It is about 9,000 yojanas wide and has a circumference of about 225,000 yojanas.
The southern continent (Jambudvīpa), where we live, lies at the head side. It is about 100,000 yojanas wide and has a circumference of about 300,000 yojanas.
Above and around these are the great continents and the smaller continents, surrounding one another.
There are smaller continents and lands between the great continents. These are called Antaradvīpas. They are 1,000 yojanas wide and 300,000 yojanas in circumference.
Features of Jambudvipa
Jambudvipa is 100,000 yojanas in extent and it is where humans dwell. Only 3,000 yojanas of it is inhabited by humans while the rest is submerged by ocean for about 60,000 yojanas, and still more, the rest are the regions of Mt. Himavān.
Mt. Himavān is 40,000 yojanas wide and 2,500 yojanas tall, with many peaks.
On this mountain is a great Nigrodha Tree standing near the great Sītā river. From the ground up to its branches is about 50 yojanas, and from the branches up to the top is another 50 yojanas.
The branches extend from east to west for about 1,000 yojanas, and from the lower branches to the upper branches about 800,000 krośas in length. The full circumference of the tree is about 2,400,000 krośas.
Its flowers are exceedingly beautiful and fragrant. The fruits of this tree are as sweet as honey and when it falls or is touched by a person, it releases a fragrance like sandalwood. One can reach into the fruit with the full width of one’s arm before reaching the seed of the fruit. Birds of many kinds feed off of the fruit of this tree. Some fruits are as large as rice granaries and some are as large as wagons. These fruits fall from this Nigrodha Tree. The fruits that fall to the east and west become food for the fish in the water below. Some of the fruits that fall turn into pure gold and are called Jambunāda for they are of “Jambu River Origin”.
Beyond this tree, in one direction, are tamarind trees bearing large fruits very sweet in taste. Furthermore are somó trees whose fruits taste like honey. Beyond these are eight great rivers, and then furthermore are tall Nigrodha trees with fruits that taste like honey. Those groves are extremely beautiful and have fruits that look like young maidens, and so they are called Narīphala trees, they are so beautiful that men who come to see them are filled with desire, but when one seeks to eat them, they realise they are like illusions and that there is nothing there to consume. These groves extend eastward until they reach the ocean and westward until they reach the right great rivers. Their widths are about 100,000 vyamas. Beyond these rivers are four great continents, one is called Kuru, another is called Kuru, another is Mahāvideha, and another is called Trāyastriṃśa-like. The soil there is filled with white sand and is filled with sweet-smelling cāmara. People living there use cāmaras as household adornments. The people who live there do not cultivate rice nor farm at all, as rice and grains arise there by themselves without the need of effort or labour, and are sweet like natural nectar.
Beyond this region lies the Mt. Himavān region, where there are many kinds of trees. All of them have sweet fruits and pleasant tastes.
In the Mt. Himavān Region are seven Great Lakes:
1. Lake Anavatapta,
2. Lake Gandhamādana,
3. Lake Rathanaka
4. Lake Punnagagā
5. Lake Kunalā
6. Lake Palipāsā
These seven lakes are all equal in size, depth, and circumference. Each is about 1,000 vyamas in width, 432,000 vyamas in depth, and 1,256,000 vyamas in circumference.
Around Lake Anavatapta are seven mountains:
1. Sudarśanakūṭa
2. Citrakūṭa
3. Kalakūṭa
4. Gandhamādana
5. Kailāśa
Each are around 200 yojanas in height.
Mt. Sudarśana is golden and encircles Lake Anavatapta like a wall about 400,000 vyamas thick.
Inside the lake, on four sides are:
Mt. Citrakūṭa which is made of the seven jewels.
Then there is Mt. Kālakūṭa is green like the flower of the Añjana (sapphire or blue lotus).
Then there is Mt. Gandhamādana which is made of crystal and filled with jewels. Inside it are caves and opens like clusters of split beans and seeds. The plants and trees that grow there are of many kinds. Some have fragrant roots, trunks, tops, bark, stems, flowers, leaves, and sap. Thus the trees possess ten kinds of fragrance. All of the trees are medicinal in nature and the vines and creepers that grow exist in many kinds of forms and are ever present. This is the place called Mt. Gandhamādana.
The mountain shines like a blazing charcoal, and when the moonlight shines upon it, it appears like fire, as if it would burn the forest or land.
There is also a place where Pratyekabuddhas would dwell. At the entrance of that cave is a great tree called Mahāsāvatthana about 6 yojanas tall and 1 yojana wide.
Mt. Kailāśa is made of silver. All of these mountains are of equal length and height. They all incline toward Lake Anavatapta, by the divine power of the nāga kings and devas who live there, and who cause rains to fall there which flow toward Lake Anavatapta so that it never becomes dry.
Thus, when the sun and moon pass over their light moves across the edges of Lake Anavatapta and never disturbs it. The water is extremely clear and even rain fall is never able to disturb it.
Lake Anavatapta has four bathing places. One has golden staircases decorated with jewels and laid with crystal slabs, all perfectly smooth and beautiful. The water is so clear that the reflections of fish can be seen and beneath the water everything appears like polished crystal.
One bathing place is for male devas, another for female devas, one for Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and another for Ṛṣis and Brahmins.
Outside the mountain region, surrounding Lake Anavatapta, are four great openings shaped like animal faces. One is a lion, another is an ox, another is a horse, and another is an elephant.
From the ox’s mouth flows water from Lake Anavatapta, and the water is surrounded by cattle imagery and symbols. This water flows out westward and then circulates around Lake Anavatapta, and then flows toward the southern direction of the Great Ocean.
The water flowing out from the southern side circles around Lake Anavatapta three times. After that, it flows onward and meets again as described earlier, and then continues westward until it reaches the Great Ocean.
The water flowing out from the western side also circles around Lake Anavatapta three times, and then flows toward the southwest into the Great Ocean.
From the northern side, the water flows around Lake Anavatapta in the same way.
The surrounding channels of the lake are about 6,000 vyāmas in width, and the water flows far away toward the northern direction.
There is a river called the Gaṅgā that flows toward a mountain where it descends from the sky, falling from a height of many yojanas. It is about 6,000 vyamas in circumference and is called the “Sky Gaṅgā” (Ākāśa Gaṅgā), which falls upon a great rock.
There is also a great lake called Tiyakaṇḍhapasāṇa, and another called Tiyangakokkharaṇī.
From there, the waters spread out and flow over rocks and cliffs for many hundreds of thousands of vyāmas.
There is also a river called Bahandha Gaṅgā, which flows and falls from cliffs for hundreds of thousands of vyāmas.
Another stream, called Umagga Gaṅgā, flows and strikes a mountain called Vijantiratharaṇa-bhabbata.
From that mountain, the water bursts upward again and becomes two great rivers, like branching arms.
These are the five great rivers:
1. Gaṅgā
2. Yamunā
3. Aciravatī
4. Mahī
5. Sarabhū
These rivers flow through human cities and then into the Great Ocean.
Between these rivers are the other lakes, and each lake is 6,232,000 vyāmas in width.
Within these lakes are continuous streams of flowing water which flow without interruption. Their waters are clear and beautiful, and extend for hundreds of thousands of yojanas. For each lake, beyond the water are puṇḍarīka flowers wide in extent. Beyond that are padma flower equal in extent to the last. Beyond that are white samudra oceans wide in extent, then red oceans wide in extent, then white utapala flowers wide in extent, then green utapalas wide in extent, then fields of white rice wide in extent, then red rice fields wide in extent, then pumpkin fields wide in extent, then bottle-gourd fields wide in extent, then cucumber fields wide in extent, then sugarcane fields with stems as thick as palm trees wide in extent, then banana fields as large as elephant tusks and trunks wide in extent, jackfruit trees with fruits as large as water jars wide in extent, then mango fields wide in extent, then makhuet, with all kinds of fruits, large and small, with delicious tastes and excellent flavours.
In Lake Ṣaḍḍanta there are eight mountains which surround it. Some are made of gold, some of crystal, some of the petals of añjana, some of sparkling crystal, some of suvarṇajāti, and some of emerald.
The miraculous powers of the Bodhisattva Elephant King born in Lake Ṣaḍḍanta is present there. The land is entirely of gold and there is a river flowing across that land. The water there is clear and fragrant. There are also two golden posts and pillars there. Any elephant born to that lineage becomes a royal elephant in that place, who are extremely large, tall, white, and beautiful, like perfectly crafted conch shells. Their feet are red and as beautiful as Suvarṇajāti, and the water in which they bathe is pure.
When such an elephants grow up, they become extremely powerful, without equal in strength. They may reach a heights of 88 cubits, and a length of 120 cubits.
Their trunks are white and clear like a banana stem, measuring 57 cubits in length. Their tusks are beautifully curved like silver tubes adorned with gold fittings, measuring 18 cubits in thickness and 30 cubits in length.
They have six kinds of colouration:
• yellow like gold
• black like the wing of a bup beetle (iridescent insect)
• red like suvarnajāti (deep red-gold)
• white like silver
• dull grey like indranila (sapphire)
These six radiances shimmer and move around the body of these royal elephants without end, without defect, and at all times.
These elephants possess great supernatural power and can fly through the air with their retinues. They are the kings among elephants, and they dwell at the foot of Mt. Himavān upon crystal pavements of beryl, and above golden thrones near Lake Ṣaḍḍanta.
The elephants that serve as their attendants are also large, tall, and exceedingly beautiful.
The king of these elephants is described as extremely powerful, unmatched by any other. His size is given as 88 cubits in height and 120 cubits in length. His trunk is pure white like a banana blossom, about 57 cubits long, graceful like silver tubing adorned with golden rings.
His tusks are 18 cubits thick and 30 cubits long, shining with six colours: yellow like gold, black like the wing of a beetle, red like the reddish hue of the hīgku (a fragrant resin), white like silver, and mixed hues resembling indranīla and other gems. These rays shine constantly around his body without fading or diminishing.
This elephant has great power and can fly through the sky. He is king over all elephants. These elephants live near the base of Mt, Himavān and upon jeweled pavements of vaidūrya stone, beside golden thrones located near the Lake Ṣaḍḍanta. Their retinues are likewise large, noble, and magnificent.
The Lake Ṣaḍḍanta is described as the playground of the elephant king. In its centre is a clear, beautiful, and unceasingly pure expanse of water that neither dries nor overflows. It has the same description of encircling groves and flowers and fruits as before.
Surrounding all of these are seven encircling mountain ranges:
1. Suvarṇapārśva 56,000 vyāmas tall
2. Sapphana 48,000 vyāmas tall
3. Suvarṇaratna 9,000 vyāmas tall
4. Mahodaka 12,000 vyāmas tall
5. Upādaka 24,000 vyāmas tall
6. Mahākāla 16,000 vyāmas tall
7. Cūlakāla 9,000 vyāmas tall
Saddharmatā 