Q.70正法念處經

Chapter Seven: Mindfulness of the Body

Furthermore, the practitioner observes the karmic retribution of sentient beings and reflects: If this is so, these sentient beings should lament and weep; why, then, do they sing, dance, rejoice, and laugh without contemplating heedlessness? Sentient beings in the hells undergo suffering, lamenting and weeping in sorrow. They do not realize that sentient beings, bound by the net of sensual desire, create evil karma through body, speech, and mind and consequently fall into the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the animal realm, where they undergo great painful retribution, sorrow, and weeping.

Having endured every kind of painful retribution, they fall, in accordance with the karma they have committed, into the Reviving Hell, the Black-Rope Hell, the Crushing Hell, the Screaming Hell, the Great Screaming Hell, and the Scorching Heat Hell. Bound by the five sensual desires, sentient beings sink and drift in the great ocean of birth and death. Having thus contemplated the karmic retribution of human beings, the practitioner clearly understands the external body.

Furthermore, the practitioner accordingly contemplates the external body and examines what other delightful mountains and forests exist in the land of Uttarakuru. By means of wisdom acquired through hearing or the divine eye, the practitioner sees that in the land of Uttarakuru there is a great mountain called Mind-Conforming, extending one thousand yojanas in length and breadth. On the summit of this mountain, female kinnara constantly sing with exceedingly beautiful voices.

Along the riverbanks, in groves, on level ground, and within mountain caves are numerous flower ponds. There are groves such as the Na-lê-chi-la Grove, Bà-na-sa Grove, Khiếp-la Grove, Am-bà Grove, Priceless Grove, Kim-tỳ-la Grove, Ca-ti-tha Grove, Peacock Grove, Câu-sí-la Grove, Parrot Grove, River-Pond Grove, Lotus Grove, Utpala Grove, Tân-đầu-ba-lợi-đa Grove, Cưu-la-bà-ca Grove, Jivajivaka-Bird Grove, and Tala Grove.

Thus, within these groves are all kinds of precious things and exquisitely melodious sounds. Everyone joyfully listens to them and is consequently obscured by deluded craving, causing the flames of desire and attachment to increase. Whenever anyone listens, the singing of the female kinnara becomes increasingly intense.

When a hungry deer with grass in its mouth hears this singing, the grass involuntarily falls from its mouth. Birds that fly and leap among the trees, playing together and pecking at sweet, delicious fruit, all become still when they hear these sounds. Swarms of bees that hear them cease drinking sweet nectar.

When sages flying through the sky hear these sounds, they stop and fly no farther. Thus, the voices of the female kinnara in the forests of Mind-Conforming Mountain are exceedingly pleasant and delightful.

This mountain consists entirely of precious vaidurya; gold and silver form its rocks, coral forms its trees, pearls form its sand, and the Padma ponds contain crystal lotus flowers. On this mountain are white geese whose color resembles conch shells. There are also beautiful deer made of the seven precious substances. In the groves are Câu-sí-la birds, peacocks, jivajivaka birds, and others whose calls are exceedingly delightful. There are also ponds and beautiful, radiant swarms of bees such as these. Everyone on Mind-Conforming Mountain, whether seeing or hearing these things, gives rise to delight and longing. Throughout the mountain, all the men and women rejoice, laugh, play, and feel completely at ease.

Mind-Conforming Mountain has a second delightful quality: the light of Mount Sumeru shines downward from above and illuminates a distance of two hundred yojanas, while the light of Mind-Conforming Mountain shines downward from above for fully two thousand yojanas. Its clear radiance causes the light of the golden trees, the light of the vaidurya mountain, and everything else to become white. Just as the golden radiance of Mount Sumeru causes all nearby grasses and trees to become golden, so the radiance of Mind-Conforming Mountain causes all birds and beasts, rivers and lakes, ponds, trees, and flowers to become white.

Through the power of the radiance of Mind-Conforming Mountain, the White Radiant people dwelling there also have white skin. They are strong, upright, and beautiful, always joyful and exceedingly pure. They anoint their bodies with exquisite fragrances, adorn themselves with flower garlands, sing, laugh, and play, and delight in music.

They harbor no jealousy, possess no sense of “mine,” and are free from conceit. All radiance becomes white. They anoint their bodies with various powdered fragrances and rejoice greatly upon hearing songs.

Wish-fulfilling trees produce fragrant and delicious wine that causes no illness when drunk. In accordance with the thoughts of the people there, garments emerge from the trees, without any distinction of crosswise or lengthwise seams. There are all kinds of food and drink, ornaments, and birds whose beautiful calls cause people to fall into deep sleep.

There are also birds whose exceedingly beautiful calls awaken them. Many kinds of flowers grow in the flower ponds. Thus, the White Radiant people experience pleasures as the karmic fruit corresponding to the superior, middling, or inferior wholesome karma they have created.

Furthermore, the practitioner accordingly contemplates the external body and examines why these sentient beings must undergo the suffering of death when their wholesome karma is exhausted. Why do they not recognize suffering before birth? At conception, through the father’s essence and the mother’s blood, consciousness arises and enters the womb within the urinary passage.

The winds of karma gather, combine, and move, bringing about a transformation every seven days; this stage is called arbuda. Within the arbuda, because the being did not kill living beings in a previous life, the conscious mind is not extinguished and does not decay. After forty-nine days it is called a lump of flesh and dwells in the womb near the urinary passage.

Whenever the mother moves or consumes food or drink, the fetus is compressed and suffers intensely, like grapes being pressed. The winds of karma then stir the lump of flesh, causing it to grow and produce five protuberances: the two legs, the two arms, and the head. As the winds of karma continue to move and promote growth, a membrane develops, enclosing it amid the placenta like a tube.

Whether the mother eats hot or cold food, or food that is tasty or unpleasant, that food passes through the opening of this tube—the vessels and sinews—and enters the navel, sustaining the life within the womb so that it does not die. Thus, while dwelling in the womb, the fetus undergoes great suffering and affliction. If it does not die or perish within the womb, it is defiled by the amniotic fluid.

Its ten months in the womb are like imprisonment, tormented by suffering and distress, its entire body feeling as though crushed beneath a mountain. After being born and emerging from the womb, the infant comes into contact with the wind and sunlight and suffers beyond measure. When placed upon the ground, it crawls about as it wishes and sucks its fingers; milk arises from its fingers to nourish and enlarge its body and increase its lifespan.

It grows into a child, then reaches maturity and the prime of life, and gradually declines into frailty and old age.

When the winds cease, the store of karma turns in accordance with the karma of sentient beings, whether wholesome or evil, and the various karmic deeds come to fruition. Although these sentient beings directly perceive karma and its painful retribution, they nevertheless remain heedless. The root of painful experience within birth and death is birth itself.

Cold, heat, hunger, thirst, weariness, sickness, pain, separation from loved ones, and meeting those one hates—all occur within birth and death. Birth is a great suffering that destroys life as beings revolve through birth and death. All is impermanent, suffering, empty, arising and ceasing, and without self.

Why do the people of Uttarakuru not understand this? Mountain caves, groves, flowers, fruits, rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, lotus flowers, and all other things are destroyed by impermanence and return to emptiness. Likewise, all sentient beings must die and may be born in the heavenly realm.

When their lives in heaven come to an end, they follow their karma and fall into the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, or the animal realm.

Contemplating karma and its retribution in this way, the practitioner perceives birth and death through the White Radiant people and gives rise to compassion.

Furthermore, the practitioner, in accordance with contemplation of the external body, examines what other delightful mountains and forests exist in Uttarakuru. By knowledge acquired through hearing or by the divine eye, he sees that in Uttarakuru there is a great mountain named Kuśayaśas, one thousand yojanas in breadth, with a lotus pond named Cool and Refreshing, five hundred yojanas in breadth. The pond is filled throughout with golden lotuses, and there is no defiling mud within it.

Many swarms of bees, geese, ducks, and mandarin ducks enhance the beauty of the lotus pond. Within it are celestial Kuśayaśas flowers, mandārava flowers, trees, fruits, rivers, streams, mountain caves, parks, forests, ponds, and lakes, all cool and refreshing, as previously described. In the very center of the mountain, extending five hundred yojanas, are eighty-four thousand wondrous and delightful palaces.

Some palaces are made of pure gold with railings of silver; some are made of silver with railings of pure gold; crystal palaces have railings of precious vaiḍūrya; palaces of vaiḍūrya have crystal railings; palaces of blue precious jade have railings of mother-of-pearl; and palaces of precious mother-of-pearl have railings of blue indra-jewel. In this manner, among the jeweled railings are jeweled nets hung with bells, filling the entire place.

The sounds of singing, dancing, laughter, play, and joyous music delight the hearts of all. Grapevines spread everywhere. It resembles the celestial city of Sudarśana and the celestial Sudarśana Dharma hall.

The adorned great mountain Kuśayaśas is likewise. This mountain also has eighty-four thousand palaces, parks, forests, rivers, lakes, woodland trees, flowers, fruits, and all other things in complete abundance. The people who dwell on Mount Kuśaya are named Variegated in Color.

Their hearts are always joyful; they sing, dance, laugh, play, eat, drink, and make merry.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates karma and its results: Why do sentient beings fail to perceive the suffering of separation from those whom they love? All sentient beings must be parted from their loved ones and go elsewhere, yet they do not understand that everyone must die and perish, receiving results according to the karma they have created. Those with wholesome karma are born in the heavenly or human realms, whereas those with unwholesome karma fall into the realms of hell beings, hungry ghosts, or animals.

Like these people called Variegated in Color, their hearts are always heedless and never know contentment. Attached to forms, sounds, fragrances, tastes, tangible objects, and pleasures, they are bound by them, sinking and rising in the river of craving and burning in the fire of desire. Yet they still do not comprehend the principle of impermanence.

When they die and perish, they fall into a place of utter darkness. They do not perceive the suffering of aging, which destroys the vigor of youth, nor do they see that the fire of death is about to consume them and can separate them forever from all their loved ones. Death is like a great flame that burns the tree of human life and sets the forest of sentient beings ablaze.

Furthermore, the practitioner, in accordance with contemplation of the external body, examines by what karma the people of Uttarakuru are born among the ten mountains. These ten mountains are:

One: Mount Saṃkāśa

Two: Mount Equal Peaks

Three: Mount Vṛkṣa

Four: Mount White Cloud Pond

Five: Mount Areca Grove

Six: Mount Garland Adornment

Seven: Mount Indra’s Delight

Eight: Mount Joyful Pond

Nine: Mount Compliant Mind

Ten: Mount Kuśayaśas.

By knowledge acquired through hearing or by the divine eye, he sees that these sentient beings, through wholesome karma from former lives—refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and drinking intoxicants, and practicing the ten wholesome deeds—are born among these ten mountains.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates karma and its results, examining by what karma the physical strength and appearance of those sentient beings surpass those of other beings. By knowledge acquired through hearing or by the divine eye, he sees that these sentient beings possess right view and practice generosity. Their minds are neither deceitful nor flattering; they do not harm sentient beings; they are honest and compassionate; they practice in accordance with the true Dharma and draw near to the true Dharma.

Through these causes and conditions, after death these sentient beings are born in a good destination, either in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings or the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. When they die there, they are born among these ten mountains. When they die in this place, they are born elsewhere.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates karma and its results, examining through what karmic conditions these sentient beings receive such extraordinary results. By knowledge acquired through hearing or by the divine eye, he sees that in former lives these sentient beings bestowed freedom from fear upon the frightened. When they saw a person near death being led out through the government gate in bonds, about to be taken to the execution ground, while drums were beaten to announce the grim news and the executioner was ordered to kill that person, these sentient beings paid the ransom and enabled that person to live.

Through these causes and conditions, after death they are born in a good destination, whether in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, or the Yāma Heaven.

Furthermore, the practitioner, in accordance with contemplation of the external body, examines through what causes and conditions these sentient beings are born in heavenly realms more excellent than other heavens, with delightful complexions and appearances, and receive offerings from sentient beings. By knowledge acquired through hearing or by the divine eye, he sees that in former lives these sentient beings delighted in hearing the Buddha’s true Dharma and the sacred Dharma of the Vinaya.

They read and recited the Buddha-Dharma, even if only a single verse, and reflected upon it. Through the cause and condition of hearing a single sentence of the true Dharma, they become wheel-turning kings, rulers of the four continents. When they die here, they are born in heaven.

They return to the heavens of the Six Desire Realms once, twice, and up to seven times. These are the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Yāma Heaven, the Tuṣita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformation, and the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Transformations. When their lives end in one heavenly realm, they are born in another.

Because of their wholesome minds, they joyfully experience forms, sounds, fragrances, tastes, and tangible objects, and are again born in heaven. When they die in heaven, because they heard the true Dharma in former lives, they attain the First Dhyāna in a subsequent life and are born in the Brahmā Heaven, the Heaven of Brahmā’s Retinue, or the Great Brahmā Heaven. Again, through the power of the causes and conditions of the seed planted by hearing the true Dharma, they attain the Second Dhyāna in a subsequent life.

If they die at that time, they are born in the Heaven of Lesser Light, the Heaven of Limitless Light, or the Heaven of Radiant Sound. Again, through the power of the causes and conditions of the seed planted by hearing the Dharma, they attain the Third Dhyāna in a subsequent life and are born in the Heaven of Universal Purity or the Heaven of the Birth of Merit. Again, through the causes and conditions of hearing the true Dharma, practicing it, inquiring into its meaning, and reflecting upon it, they attain the Fourth Dhyāna in a future life.

With the fire of freedom from attachment they burn the tree of afflictions and are born in the Heaven of Limitless Beings, the Heaven of Universal Excellence, or the Heaven of Abundant Fruit. Again, through the causes and conditions of hearing the true Dharma and through the seeds planted by practice, reading, recitation, inquiry into meaning, and reflection, they establish those holding wrong views in right view, convey all sentient beings beyond peril, and attain the path of a pratyekabuddha.

Those who make the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and become one accomplished in knowledge and conduct, a Well-Gone One, a Knower of the World, an Unsurpassed One, a Tamer of Persons, a Teacher of Gods and Humans, a Buddha, a Blessed One.

Explanation: Through the power of the causes and conditions of hearing the true Dharma: to hear the true Dharma means to hear teachings that take generosity and observance of the precepts as their foundation.

Why is this so? Here, hearing the Dharma means that when a householder or monastic hears of the karmic results of giving, clearly understands them, and then practices giving, that person knows the karmic results of giving. One hears of the karmic results of observing the precepts and then safeguards the prohibitory precepts.

One hears of the karmic results of wisdom and then cultivates wisdom. Upon hearing the Dharma, one will be reborn in the heavens and will assuredly attain liberation. Hearing the Dharma is the seed for birth in the heavens and the attainment of nirvana.

Among all forms of giving—whether giving material means of livelihood, giving fearlessness, or giving through observance of the precepts—hearing the giving of the true Dharma is the foremost giving. Hearing the true Dharma concerning observance of the precepts is foremost. If, after hearing the true Dharma, one teaches it to others, causing them to abandon evil and enabling the Dharma to flourish, one is a father of the true Dharma.

Furthermore, the practitioner who contemplates the external body in accordance with reality considers what other people dwell beyond Uttarakuru. By wisdom born of hearing or by the divine eye, the practitioner sees that north of Uttarakuru there is a land two thousand yojanas across.

The first land is named Ca Xa Tỳ Lê and is three hundred yojanas across. This land has a river named Ca Xa Tỳ Lê, and the people living there are also called Ca Xa Tỳ Lê. Its lotus ponds, flowers, fruits, gardens, and forests, with interlacing branches that shade one another, are as previously described.

Beyond this land is a river named A-Di-Đa. The territory here is seven hundred yojanas across. Its gardens, forests, ponds, and flowers are all complete, as previously described. Along the banks of the A-Di-Đa River are five other lands:

1- The Land of the Celestial Radiance Pond

2- The Land of Ba La Xa Trì

3- The Land of Barbarian Garments

4- The Land of Peacock Cries

5- The Land of Mountain Vista Abodes.

The Land of the Celestial Radiance Pond is one hundred and fifty yojanas across. The Land of Ba La Xa Trì is one hundred and fifty yojanas across. The Land of Barbarian Garments is two hundred yojanas across. The Land of Peacock Cries is one hundred yojanas across. The Land of Mountain Vista Abodes is one hundred yojanas across.

There are also ten lands, each one hundred yojanas across. Those ten lands are:

1- The Land of Câu Đăng Già

2- The Land of Holding Fragrance

3- The Land of Black Garments

4- The Land of Turning Eyes

5- The Land of Perilous Mountain Cliffs

6- The Land of Harmonious Conduct

7- The Land of the Four Directions

8- The Land of Gardens

9- The Land of Abundant Prosperity

10- The Land of Tây Già Đa.

Examining these lands further, the practitioner sees that their rivers, ponds, gardens, forests, flowers, and fruits are all complete, as previously described. The faces of the people on each of the four continents likewise resemble their respective continents. The faces of the people of Jambudvipa resemble the shape of their great continent, broad above and narrow below. The faces of the people of Uttarakuru also resemble their great continent. The practitioner examines all the islands, islets, mountain caves, gardens, forests, flowers, fruits, rivers, lakes, birds, and beasts of Uttarakuru and sees that they are all complete. Having examined them in this way, the practitioner clearly understands the external body.

Furthermore, the practitioner who contemplates the external body in accordance with reality considers what mountains, forests, seas, and small sandbanks lie between the lands of Uttarakuru and Godaniya. By wisdom born of hearing or by the divine eye, the practitioner sees that between the realms of Uttarakuru and Godaniya lies a great sea named Universal Eye, ten thousand yojanas across. Within it is a whirlpool one yojana wide, formed by the power of dragons.

Beyond this great sea is a great mountain named Du Hý Man, ten thousand yojanas in both length and breadth. Scorched by the dragons’ breath, the mountain is as black as ink.

Beyond this mountain is a great sea named Cụ Tư Duy, one thousand yojanas in both length and breadth. It contains many great fish, such as the Đề-di fish, the Đề-di-nghê-la fish, the Quân-tỳ-la fish, and the Na-ca-la fish. Fish of these kinds fill the entire sea. This sea is extremely deep, and those who behold it are terrified. In this sea dwells the dragon Lạc-trụ, who is free from anger.

Beyond this great sea is another great sea named Water Cloud, ten thousand yojanas across. Great waves arise in this sea, reaching heights of ten, twenty, or thirty yojanas.

Beyond this sea is a great island named Confluence of Pearls, which contains a great many pearls. When fish or dragons die in the water, they float to the surface and are cast up onto the island. This island is one thousand yojanas in both length and breadth.

Beyond this island is a great mountain named Treasure Mountain, whose broad, level summit is five thousand yojanas across. The summit contains the seven precious substances, including vaidurya, and resembles a second summit of Mount Sumeru, King of Mountains.

Beyond this mountain is the Chân Thúc Ca Forest, two thousand yojanas across. It is complete with every kind of garden, forest, flower, and fruit.

Beyond this forest is a great mountain five thousand yojanas across, containing a pond of golden lotus flowers. Geese and celestial birds constantly sing upon its peaks.

Beyond this mountain is a great sea ten thousand yojanas across, filled throughout with golden-colored water. Golden light radiates from within the sea. In this sea is a golden mountain named Golden Water, five hundred yojanas high.

Beyond this mountain lies Godaniya, ninety yojanas across, containing one billion settlements and twelve thousand cities. The foremost great city encompasses as many as five hundred settlements. Just as the realm of Jambudvipa has more than three hundred other great cities, such as the city of Ba-trất-lê-phất-đa, so too does Godaniya have five hundred great cities, including Great Cloud Assembly and others. The city of Great Cloud Assembly is twelve yojanas across, and its crossroads, houses, and towers fill the entire city. The foremost great city in this land is named Hundred Gates. The cities that follow it are Lan Thuần, Nê Mục La, Radiance, Mountain Valley, and others. Foremost great cities such as these are gathered around the central city.

There are also great lands named Già Đa Chi, Tăng Sai Na Đa, Ma No, Silver, and Banner. These foremost great lands are comparable to the foremost great kingdoms in the realm of Jambudvipa, such as Kashi, Kosala, Magadha, and Godaniya. The foremost lands here are likewise.

Next are the central lands, including Ni Khí La, Đơn Trì, Già Đô La, Câu Lan Trà, Tỳ Đa Sa, and Quật Hành. Such are the foremost great lands within the borders of Godaniya. There are twenty-five lands encompassing all the others, just as there are eighteen great kingdoms in Jambudvipa. Godaniya has five great rivers:

1- The Broad River

2- The Quân-chu-sư-ba-đế River

3- The Moon-Power River

4- The Joyful Waters River

5- The Tăng Chi Na River.

They are like the four great rivers of Jambudvipa: the Ganges River, the Sindhu River, the Vakshu River, and the Sita River.

The land of Godaniya has five great mountains:

1- Dragon Flight Mountain

2- Three Peaks Mountain

3- Encircling Gate Mountain

4- Hundred Joints Mountain

5- Firm Mountain.

They are like the four great mountains in the realm of Jambudvipa:

1- Snow Mountain

2- Dân Đà Mountain

3- Ma La Đa Mountain

4- Kê La Sa Mountain.

The land of Godaniya has three great ponds:

1- Deep-Banked Pond

2- Uninterrupted Pond

3- Radiant Light Pond.

They are like Lake Anavatapta and Lake Chiêm Bà in the realm of Jambudvipa.

Furthermore, the practitioner who contemplates the external body in accordance with reality considers what the people of Godaniya enjoy and make use of. By wisdom born of hearing or by the divine eye, the practitioner sees that Godaniya has a great many cattle and calves. All its women have three breasts.

Just as women in the realm of Jambudvipa give birth after ten months, so too do the women of Godaniya. Just as milk flows from both breasts of the women of Jambudvipa, so too does milk flow from all three breasts of the women of Godaniya. Just as Jambudvipa is complete with gardens and forests, and with every kind of flower, fruit, river, and lake, so too is Godaniya; yet its fruits possess only half the flavor, its flowers only half the fragrance, and its rivers only half the salty taste.

Furthermore, the practitioner, in accordance with contemplation of the external body, observes by what karma beings are born in the land of Cù Đà Ni. What lower-grade and middle-grade karma causes them to be born in the land of Cù Đà Ni? Through wisdom born of hearing or the divine eye, he sees that those born in various places observe few precepts, practice little giving, perform few wholesome deeds, and follow the true Dharma only to a small extent.

Why do they observe few precepts? In previous lives, because they were poor and destitute, they undertook precepts for hire, or did so out of fear of punishment, rather than with a pure mind. They paid homage to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; drew near to the king; obtained wealth to give because of their proximity to the king; did not read or recite the sutras; and gave to those who were not fields of merit.

Greedy people of wrong views regarded them as fields of merit, considered the ten wholesome deeds defiled, and committed unwholesome acts. After dying in Jambudvipa, they were born in Cù Đà Ni.

Thus, they do not know what is wholesome and what is evil. When eating, they discern only half the flavors; they lack wisdom and are attached to women... All these things arise from the karmic causes and conditions of previous lives.

All beings are enveloped by karma; because of karma they act, create karma, and are swept along in transmigration. According to the wholesome and evil karma they have created, beings undergo corresponding results. Those who create wholesome karma are born in the heavenly realms; those who create evil karma fall into hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, or the animal realm.

Through karma, they undergo corresponding results. It is like sowing seeds: if rice is planted, rice is obtained; if glutinous rice is planted, glutinous rice is obtained; if grass is planted, grasses grow. If seeds are planted in poor soil, the resulting harvest is diminished; if seeds are planted in good soil, many firm and substantial grains and fruits are gathered.

Just as planting red rice does not cause other plants to grow, planting beans yields beans, and planting sugarcane yields sugarcane. If a good field is used, the fruits obtained are also abundant. There are three kinds of fields:

1- Giving to a field of merit

2- Giving with hardship to a field of merit

3- Giving with hardship.

Giving to a field of merit is called the superior grade.

Giving with hardship to a field of merit is called the middle grade.

Giving with hardship is called the lower grade.

Apart from the merit of contemplation, there are likewise the following three kinds of fields:

First: a field with many stones and much scum upon the water is a middle-grade field.

Second: a field with sufficient water, no foul weeds, no layer of scum or alum upon the water, and no thieves such as insects is called a superior-grade field.

Third: a field with much scum upon the water, harmful weeds, poorly regulated water, and many thieves is a lower-grade field.

If the farmer is diligent and exerts additional effort, he obtains firm and substantial grain.

Internal phenomena and external phenomena are covered by karma and flow in accordance with karma. Karma changes without cease according to each force, each cause and condition, and each rebirth. The people of Cù Đà Ni did not cultivate pure karma and therefore were born in that land. After death, they must, through their own karma, be swept along through birth and death. Thus, after the practitioner has contemplated the karma of external phenomena, he clearly understands the external body.

Furthermore, the practitioner, in accordance with contemplation of the external body, observes what mountains, rivers, seas, and small islands lie beyond the land of Cù Đà Ni. Through wisdom born of hearing or the divine eye, he sees that between the two continents of Cù Đà Ni and Phất Bà Đề lies a great sea called Pure Water, twelve thousand yojanas across. Its pure water fills it completely, and it contains many shellfish, Đề Di fish, Đề Nghê La fish, Na Ca fish, Mà Già La fish, Quân Tỳ La fish, Thất Thâu Ma La fish, and fish that are blue in color.

Beyond this sea lies Coral Mountain, five thousand yojanas in length and breadth. Ferocious beings dwell within this mountain.

Beyond this mountain lies a sea of hot water containing many venomous serpents. The breath of these venomous serpents heats the seawater. Because venomous serpents dwell there, not a single other being lives in that place. All beings die from the heat of their venom.

Beyond this sea lies a great sea called the Red Sea, fifteen thousand yojanas across. Dragons and asuras live beneath this sea. Because of food and drink, they become angry, hate and envy one another, and constantly fight. There is a dragon named Ma Đa Lê Na and an asura named Tăng Già Đa.

Beyond this sea lies a great island called the Kingdom of Rākṣasī Women, two thousand yojanas across. On this island are long-haired rākṣasī women who devour fragrant flowers and flesh roasted in fire. In a single thought-moment, they can travel two thousand yojanas, and they constantly harm others. Throughout this rākṣasa island, bones, blood, and flesh lie scattered everywhere, filling it with a foul stench.

Beyond this island lies another great island called the Kingdom of Piśācī Women, five thousand yojanas across. Piśācī ghosts with hair covering their bodies dwell on this continent.

Beyond this island lies a great mountain called Nhiêu Mountain, five hundred thousand yojanas in length and breadth. It has many forest trees, including: Na-lê-chi-la trees, Ba Na Bà trees, Priceless-Fruit trees, Đa La trees, Đa Ma La trees, Tỳ Da La trees, Câu La Ca trees, Đà Bà trees, Khư Đề La trees, Đề La Ca trees, A Thù Na trees, Ca Đàm Bà trees, Nê Trà La Bà trees, Khư Thù La trees, Am Bà La trees, Tỳ Mạt Bát Đà trees, Bà Đa Lợi trees, Bà Trất trees, Chân Thúc Ca trees, dragon trees, sorrowless trees, Kỳ Lân Đà trees, Chi Đa Ca trees, Ca Ni Ca La trees, A Đề Mục Đa Ca trees, Na Phù Ma Lợi Ca trees, Ba Trất Ca trees, Ba Tiết La trees, Ca Tỳ Thama trees, Chiêm Ba Ca trees, Ca La Tỳ Lược Ca trees, blue sorrowless trees, Cưu La Bà Ca trees, Quân Đà trees, Bà Đà La trees,

Cưu Tất Xà trees...

There are many varieties of fruit trees such as these. Streams flow everywhere. The gandharva kings roam and enjoy themselves in this forest.

Beyond this mountain lies a great sea five hundred yojanas wide called Milk Water. The color and flavor of the seawater are no different from milk. Great fish five yojanas long live in this sea.

Beyond this sea lies a sand mountain one thousand yojanas wide, without trees or medicinal herbs.

Beyond this mountain lies another great sea called Dragon-Filled, six thousand yojanas wide. Dragons called Chiên Già La live in this sea, wage war against one another, and delight in causing heavy rain.

Beyond this sea lies another great sea called Tô Vô Đà La, two thousand yojanas across. Its surface is motionless, clear, tranquil, and still. Many Quân Tỳ La fish, Na La Ca fish, Thất Thâu Ma La fish, and various kinds of shellfish live beneath the sea.

Furthermore, the practitioner understands karma and its resultant retribution. Through knowledge acquired from hearing or through the divine eye, he sees every place—the mountains, rivers, seas, islets, and mountain forests described above—and realizes that there is nowhere without birth and death, arising and cessation. All bonds of affection must end in separation, and there is nowhere that does not continually change because of karma.

There is nowhere that is not governed by karma, nowhere that does not revolve through karma, with beings receiving the results of their own karma, whether in life or in death. There is no mountain, river, sea, or islet that is not a place of birth and death. The mountains, rivers, seas, and islets are beyond enumeration; there is none where I have not been born.

Throughout hundreds of thousands of thousands of kotis upon kotis, kotis of hundreds of thousands of births and deaths, one has always had to part from those one loves and meet those one hates. Throughout hundreds of thousands of thousands of kotis upon kotis of hundreds of thousands of births and deaths, one has fallen into the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the animal realm, without beginning or end, bound by the nets of greed, anger, and delusion and revolving in samsara.

Therefore, one should become disenchanted with and abandon birth and death, and should not greedily cling to it. This birth and death is exceedingly distressing, tenacious, prolonged, painful, agonizing, and difficult to endure. Aging and death, sorrow and lamentation, suffering, distress, grief, and affliction—all that is born must certainly die and be destroyed.

Within birth and death, there is not the slightest permanence. Just as, when the sun rises, not the slightest darkness remains, so too is the contemplation of birth and death. Thus, the practitioner contemplates the external body and clearly understands the external body.

Furthermore, as the practitioner accordingly contemplates the external body, what other mountains, rivers, seas, and islets lie beyond the Sea of Equality? Through knowledge acquired from hearing or through the divine eye, he sees that the land of Phất Bà Đề is eight thousand yojanas across and is surrounded by numerous small islands. It possesses settlements, cities, rivers, ponds, trees, islands large and small, mountain caves, grasses, flowers, fruits, birds, and beasts; everything is fully present. There are six great mountains:

1- Mount Đại Ba Xa

2- Mount Tân Man

3- Mount Khổng Tước Tập

4- Mount Thú Cốc

5- Mount Hải Cao

6- Mount Chơn Châu Man.

They extend throughout the land of Phất Bà Đề, like the four great mountains of Jambudvipa described previously.

Mount Đại Bà Xa is three thousand yojanas across. Within this mountain are three great forests, each one thousand yojanas in extent:

1- Tu Di Forest

2- Lưu Thủy Forest

3- Dục Man Forest.

There are all manner of trees, such as the Ha lê cần tree, Bình diện tree, Cốc Sanh tree, Chi đẳng tree, Ngạn sanh tree, and Thạch sanh tree, like the trees enumerated in Jambudvipa. The people living upon this mountain are of the Đại Man people. Within the mountain are the Bà lô hà River, Lưu sa River, Hiệp lưu River, Tốc Lưu River, Long thủy River, Quang lâm River, and Chinh ca River.

The second great mountain is named Lâm Man and is one thousand yojanas across. This mountain contains Cưu Trất Forest, Hành Forest, Thiên Mộc Hành Forest, Yên Forest, and Cửu Thùy Forest. Within the mountain are the Đa La Phú River, Giác Vi River, Ái Thủy River, Nhiếp niệm River, and Yên Tiếu River. The people living upon Mount Lâm Man are called Câu Tri La.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates the third mountain, named Khổng Tước Tụ, which is one thousand yojanas across. This mountain contains four great forests:

1- Vân Forest

2- Bách Trì Forest

3- Cao Hống Forest

4- Chơn Châu Luân Forest.

There are also great rivers, such as the Nê Quân Luân Đà River, Đại Hỷ River, Ái Lam River, Tiên lưu River, and Kết River. On Mount Khổng Tước Tụ there are people called Thanh Hầu.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates the land of Phất Bà Đề and sees the fourth mountain, named Thú Dục. This mountain contains the forest named Xa Tri La, Khả ái Forest, and Di Già Forest, all replete with flowers and fruits, as previously described. Within the forests are the Niết Nậu Ca River, Phổ Tiếu River, and Ca La La River. Within the mountain are species of beasts named Điều phục, Phổ ảnh, Mao thú, Kiến đồ, Vi mã, Vô đạo, Tiên thú, Đa la đầu noa, Hảo nhĩ tượng đầu, Đệ nhất nhi, Ái ảnh, Thố mao, Đà thân, Hắc vĩ, Bạch đầu, Đoan chánh, Xà thiệt, Cẩu nha, Già bà da, Kiềm Bà, and Hùng tĩnh tĩnh. Some such species of beasts exist in Jambudvipa, while others do not.

On Mount Thú Dục, the parks, forests, rivers, lakes, flowers, fruits, and trees are all fully present, as previously described. All its flower ponds are also like those in Jambudvipa. The people living upon Mount Thú Dục are called Tốc Lực.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates the land of Phất Bà Đề and sees the fifth mountain, named Hải Cao, which is one thousand yojanas wide. Its parks, forests, lakes, flowers, and fruits are all fully present, as previously described. This mountain contains Tam Đích Forest, Yết Hầu Bế Forest, and Sơn Forest. Within the forests are the Tam giác River, Cao Hoán River, and Thạch Thanh River. The people living upon Mount Hải Cao are called Già Chu La. Having contemplated Mount Hải Cao, he clearly understands the external body.

Furthermore, the practitioner accordingly contemplates the external body, examining what mountains exist in the land of Phất Bà Đề. Through knowledge acquired from hearing or through the divine eye, he sees the sixth mountain, named Chơn Châu Man, which is one thousand yojanas across and is everywhere replete with parks, forests, rivers, and lakes. Its various flowers, fruits, birds, and beasts are also fully present, as previously described. From Mount Chơn Châu Man arises a great river named Bất Kiến Ngạn, which is one yojana wide. The people living upon Mount Chơn Châu Man are called Phổ Nhãn.

Thus, the land of Phất Bà Đề is encircled by six mountains. The land of Phất Bà Đề has three great cities:

1- The city of Thiện Môn

2- The city of Sơn Lạc

3- The city of Phổ Du Hý.

Each great city is three yojanas wide. There are also cities of intermediate and inferior rank. One intermediate city is named Câu Trất Hàm. Next are the city of Đại Ba Xá and the city of Phổ Hống. Among the intermediate cities, the largest city of all beneath heaven is the city of Nhất Thiết Phụ. Next are the city of Đại Âm and the city of Khoáng Dã Khổng Huyệt. Among the small cities, there is one that is foremost in size.

There are also three hundred fifty million, three thousand, five hundred fifty-six settlements. The foremost settlement is Ca Thi Ma La, followed by the settlements of Thủy Mạt, Cân Thon Thọ Đề Thôn, Nhất Thiết Nhơn Diệp, Tỳ Đầu La, Ba Ca Thôn, Tỳ Trất, Ma Ma, Na Đề, Già Trất Úng, Đồ Kha, Lâm, Xích Toàn, A xoa, Phong Xuy, Man Thôn, Đảnh Thọ, and Hắc Phan. Such are the foremost settlements.

The people living there have round, full faces resembling the shape of that land. The people of Jambudvipa have beautiful hair. The people of Uất Đơn Việt have beautiful, dreamlike eyes. The people of Cù Đà Ni have high foreheads and slender, beautiful abdomens. The people of Phất Bà Đề have beautiful thighs and shoulders. Thus, the bodies of the people in the four continents are beautiful in these respective ways.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates karma and its resultant retribution, examining what karma causes beings to be born in the realm of Phất Bà Đề and whether their karma is of superior, intermediate, or inferior grade. Through knowledge acquired from hearing or through the divine eye, he sees that in previous lives these beings did not understand karma and its resultant retribution. Because they did not understand, they gave alms to those who were not fields of merit; or it was extremely difficult to request anything from them, and only after being entreated with great difficulty would they give, as previously described. Because of this karma, their birth is called birth of the inferior grade.

Those beings who observe the precepts of the middle grade, or who remain close to kings, do not kill living beings, yet their minds are not pure. Through these causes and conditions, when they die, they are born in heaven. When they die in the heavenly realm, they are then born in Purvavideha; this is called birth through karma of the middle grade.

Superior persons possessing superior karma hear the true Dharma, preserve it, read and recite it, and expound it to others, causing them to rejoice accordingly and practice as taught. They understand that no phenomenon can transcend the perilous field and path of birth and death. Having heard the true Dharma, they receive and uphold it, read and recite it, and expound it to others.

Of all forms of giving, the gift of Dharma is supreme. The highest observance of the precepts is to hear the true Dharma; hearing the true Dharma with wisdom is foremost and supreme. The meaning of the true Dharma is as previously explained.

Having contemplated the karma and resulting retribution of the people of Purvavideha, the practitioner clearly understands the external body.

Furthermore, the practitioner examines the land of Purvavideha to see what mountains, rivers, seas, and small islands are found there. Through wisdom born of hearing or through the divine eye, the practitioner sees that, approximately eight thousand yojanas beyond the land of Purvavideha, there is a great mountain named Magnetic Stone. It is three thousand yojanas across, and extends ten thousand yojanas on each side. Every fragment of iron, however small, is swiftly drawn toward this mountain.

Beyond this mountain is a great sea seven thousand yojanas wide, named Pa Hanh. Five mountains surround it like a jeweled bracelet. Those five mountains are:

1- Mount Cham Khau

2- Mount Dai Tang

3- Mount Da Tra Ca

4- Mount Xa Da

5- Mount Hoan Hy.

Beyond these mountains is a great island named Da Tra Ca Man Tra, three thousand yojanas wide. Many yakshas and kimnaras dwell upon this island. It abounds in rivers, ponds, flowers, fruits, and forest trees, and is exceedingly delightful. All the kinds of animals found in Jambudvipa and Purvavideha are also fully present on this island.

Beyond this island is a great sea named Many Constellations. Within the sea is a mountain named Udayana, surrounded by thirteen mountains and situated not far from Mount Sumeru. Followers of non-Buddhist teachings maintain: “The wholesome and unwholesome karma of the people of Jambudvipa serves as a predominant condition. Wholesome or unwholesome winds blow upon Mount Udayana, causing the constellations to appear.”

The Brahmin teachers of non-Buddhist doctrines disregard the principle of karmic retribution and do not know the ultimate truth. Standing before human kings, they say: “The constellations, the sun, the moon, and the stars create living beings; they are not produced through karmic retribution.”

Because of their erroneous wrong views, these Brahmin teachers of non-Buddhist doctrines say: “Living beings are created by the constellations, the sun, and the moon; they are not produced through karmic retribution.” If beings were created by the constellations and not through karmic retribution, then the sun and moon would be supreme. Whether the seasons are favorable or unfavorable, as all the seasons change, flowers and fruits appear.

If the sun and moon were supreme, why would they be obscured by other celestial bodies, such as Nhat-sa-ba-no-nguyet and Rahu? Is the obscuration of all the stars by the seven luminaries due to wholesome or unwholesome karma? The constellations themselves also possess wholesome and unwholesome karma.

Therefore, wholesome and unwholesome karma arises from the actions of living beings; it is not created by the constellations.

Furthermore, the practitioner, contemplating the constellations in accordance with the external body, sees that karma and its resulting retribution are not created by the constellations. Having contemplated the Sea of Constellations, Mount Sumeru, and Mount Udayana, the practitioner clearly understands the external body.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates the Sea of Many Constellations, which measures seven thousand yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise. Beyond this sea is an island inhabited by rishis, abounding in mountains, rivers, forest trees, flowers, and fruits, just like Jambudvipa. The island measures three thousand yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise and is the dwelling place of rishis and yakshas. It is replete with all kinds of wish-fulfilling trees, flowers, and fruits.

Beyond this island is a great encircling mountain, and there is a sea three thousand yojanas wide between the two lands of Jambudvipa and Purvavideha. This great sea, named Cold and Warm Waters, measures three thousand yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise. Many conches, shellfish, timi fish, timi-nghe fish, nakara fish, nagara fish, and shishumara fish dwell there, together with species belonging to the families of turtles and soft-shelled turtles.

Beyond this sea and mountain is a great sea named the Red Sea, situated not far from Jambudvipa and measuring five thousand yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise. The Red Sea is filled with red water. Many great red fish devour one another there, and their spilled blood turns the seawater red. For this reason it is called the Red Sea.

Beyond this sea is a great sea named Blue Waters, measuring seven thousand yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise. It abounds in mountains and rivers and contains many great fish. This sea is exceedingly deep.

Beyond this sea is yet another great sea named the Gathering of Jewels, measuring three thousand yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise. All kinds of precious things gather there, including golden sand, mother-of-pearl, pearls, coral, sumara jewels, and every other variety. This sea also contains the poisonous Ma-thau fruit, which grows upon trees and disturbs the mind. Anyone who eats this fruit falls unconscious for seven days, resembling a dead person. Any bird that eats this fruit dies immediately.

Beyond the Sea of the Gathering of Jewels is a great sea named Salt, measuring seven thousand yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise. It is filled with many shellfish, conches, clams, mussels, timi fish, timi-nghe fish, kumbhira fish, and nakara fish. Nagas, yakshas, rakshasas, and pishacha ghosts also abound in its waters, and beneath the water are countless mountains.

Five hundred small islands surround this continent of Jambudvipa. To mention the great islands in brief, they are Golden Land Island, Jewel Stone Island, Banner-Garland Island, Ca Na Island, Conch-Shell Island, Pearl Island, Vi Island, Radiant Island, E-sa-ba-da-ca Island, White Bran Island, Universal Worthy Island, Mastery of Mind Island, Black Pair Island, Fragrant Garland Island, Triangular Island, Tu-Ma-Noa Island, Xa Ma Tu Do Island, A Lam Ca Island, and Lanka Island.

There are twelve mountains that are the dwelling places of rakshasas. There are also Di Luu Ty La Ca Island, Mountain-Abiding Island, Red Shell Island, Red Pearl Island, Snowy Whirlpool Island, Dust-Surrounded Island, Pathless Island, Five Bronzes Island, Phu Island, Xa Kiet De Luc Island, Kingdom of Women Island, Blazing Tree Island, E-Sa-Ba-Da Island, and Man Island. Such are the most excellent small islands of Jambudvipa.

Jambudvipa measures seven thousand yojanas both lengthwise and crosswise, pervading the whole expanse and delightful, as previously described.

Furthermore, the practitioner contemplates the external body in accordance with reality, examining the places reached by the light of the sun and moon. Through wisdom born of hearing or through the divine eye, the practitioner sees that the moon and sun illuminate Mount Sumeru, the four continents on its four sides, and even the great seas. Their light extends throughout the eighty-four thousand yojanas of Mount Sumeru. When the light reaches one side of the mountain, it illuminates only half of that mountainside.

Mount Cakravada is encircled by vajra for three billion six hundred million yojanas. The fire of Unendurable Karma burns the vajra mountain Cakravada, causing the waters of the Milk Sea near the mountain to become clotted cream. The water surrounding the mountain becomes fresh butter; farther away, it becomes clarified butter; and farther still, it is scorched by the fires of hell and gradually diminishes. Therefore, it does not completely fill Jambudvipa, and so forth...

The practitioner contemplates the realm of desire and sees it clearly; therefore, he becomes disenchanted and abandons thoughts of sensual desire. He sees no place that is permanent, indestructible, and unchanging. Everywhere, samsara is without beginning, and all arises through its causes, conditions, and karmic results. Sentient beings take delight according to their own karmic retribution. There is no place where there is neither arising nor cessation. Hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of times, they revolve through immeasurable and boundless births and deaths without interruption.

Having contemplated the inner body and the outer body, he becomes disenchanted and abandons sensual craving, no longer delighting in forms, sounds, odors, tastes, or tangible objects.

Thus, kings, Brahmins, householders, villagers, and practicing bhikkhus cultivate the contemplation of the “Foundation of Mindfulness of the Body.” They no longer abide in Mara’s realm. Having heard the teaching on the contemplation of the foundation of mindfulness of the body, they destroy the five views, and within the unsurpassed Dharma, the Dharma-eye arises in them. Having taught that the Foundation of Mindfulness of the Body is an unsurpassed Dharma, whether in a mountain ravine or cave, in a charnel ground or an open place, or beside a haystack, you should practice and train in meditation. Do not be heedless; do not wait until death to feel remorse. This is my instruction.

At that time, having heard the words of the Blessed One, all the bhikkhus rejoiced, placed their faith in them, and gladly practiced accordingly.