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respectively.
The earths, Ratnaprabha, etc., become wider in succession, one below the other.
In the first earth there are 3,000,000 hells; in the second hell-region there are 2,500,000 hells; in the third, 1,500,000; in the fourth, 1,000,000; in the fifth, 300,000; in the sixth earth, 99,995; in the seventh, 5 hells. Below the earths, Ratnaprabha, etc., are the Thick Waters, 20,000 yojanas high in the middle. Below the Thick Waters are the Thick Winds, higher in the middle by innumerable thousands of yojanas more than the Thick Waters. The Thin Winds are innumerable yojanas more than the Thick Winds, and space also innumerable yojanas more than the Thin Winds. They gradually decrease from that middle height, the Thick Water, etc., at the top having the shape of a circle.428
The diameter of the Thick Water sheath of the earth Ratnaprabha which has the shape of a circle is 6 yojanas. The diameter of the Thick Wind sheath is 4 yojanas, and of the Thin Wind is 1 yojanas. The Thick Water of Sarkarā is of a yojana more in diameter than the sheath of Ratnaprabhā. In the Thick Wind I gavyūta (= yojana) increase is ascertained, and in the Thin Wind there is of a gavyūta increase. This (same) increase to the dimensions of the Sarkara-sheaths takes place in the diameters of the sheaths of the third earth. In the same way this increase in the dimension of each preceding sheath is made in the sheaths up to the seventh earth. Everywhere, the sheaths Thick Water, Thick Wind, and Thin Wind have a height the same as that of their respective earths. The seven earths supported by Thick Water, etc., are as described.
In these are the hells, the places for experiencing bad karma. The pain (of punishment), disease, body (its size), age, soul-color, grief, fear, etc., must be known as
428 494. I. e., each one of the 7 earths has sheaths of Thick Water, Thick Wind, and Thin Wind. These surround each earth except at the top, where they have the shape of an open circle.
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