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160
भगवती मूत्र शः २ उः १
Indeed, Skandaka, in the city of Śrāvasti, the Vaiśālikasravaka Piñgala had said unto thee as follows: Oh Māgadha ! Are the spheres with limit or without limit ? (And so on)...till you have come to me in a hurry. Skandaka, is that right ?
---Ehante! What you have said is right.
जे वि य ते खंदया ! अयमेयारूवे अज्झस्थिए चितिए पत्थिर मणोगए संकप्पे समप्पज्जित्था-कि सते लोए अणते लोए। तस्स वि य णं अयमठे-एवं मए खदया ! चउठिवहे लोए पन्नते तं जहा-दव्वओ खेत्तओ कालओ भावओ। दवओ णं एगे लोए सअंते। खेत्तओ णं लोए असंखेज्जाओ जोयणकोडाकोडीओ आयामविक्खंभेणं असंखेज्जाओ जोयणकोडाकोडीओ परिकखेवे पण्णता अत्थि पुण से अंते । कालओ णं लोए ण कयाइ न आसी न कयाइ न भवइ न कयाइ न भविस्सइ भविसु य भवति य भविस्सइ य। धवे णियए सासए अक्खए अव्वए अवठिए णिच्चे नस्थि पुण से अंते। भावओ णं लोए अगंता वण्णपज्जवा गध-रस-फासपज्जवा अणंता संठाणपज्जवा अगंता गरुयलहुयपज्जवा अणंता अगस्यलहुयपज्जवा नत्थि पण से अंते। से तं खंदगा ! दव्वओ लोए सअंते खेत्तओ लोए सअंते कालओ लोए अणते भावओ लोए अणंते । ।
--So Skandaka, as you have in your mind doubt, thought, curiosity, enquiry, inquisitiveness as to whether the spheres are with limit or without, so, on this, oh Skandaka, dol ordain as follows :
from
four angles,
viz.,
The spheres have to be viewed substance, place, time and bhäva.
As to substance, the spheres are one and with limit.
As to place, the spheres are said to be extended over innumerable crores of yojanas in length and breadth, and over innumerable crores of yojanas in circumference, but still with limit.
As to time, the spheres existed in the past, they exist in the present and they will exist in the future. There was, there is
