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THE INITIATION AND OMNISCIENCE OF AJITA 105
Description of the Lower World (484-514)
The Lower World is established below the Middle World with a depth of seven rajjus less nine hundred yojanas. In it are seven earths, one below the other, occupying the lower part, in which are the terrifying abodes of the hell-inhabitants: Ratnaprabha, Sarkarā-, Vālukā-, Panka-, Dhuma-, Tamaḥ-, Mahātamaḥprabhā; and the depth of these is one hundred and eighty thousand, one hundred and thirty-two thousand, one hundred and twenty-eight thousand, one hundred and twenty thousand, one hundred and sixteen thousand, one hundred and eight thousand yojanas, respectively. The earths, Ratnaprabhā, etc., become wider in succession, one below the other.
In the first earth there are three million hells; in the second hell-region there are two million five hundred thousand hells; in the third, one million five hundred thousand; in the fourth, one million; in the fifth, three hundred thousand; in the sixth earth, ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five; in the seventh, five hells. Below the earths, Ratnaprabha, etc., are the Thick Waters, twenty thousand yojanas deep in the middle. Below the Thick Waters are the Thick Winds, deeper in the middle by innumerable thousands of yojanas 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 the middle depth, the Thick Water, etc., having the shape of a circle at the top.286
The diameter of the Thick Water sheath of the earth Ratnaprabha which has the shape of a circle is six yojanas. The diameter of the Thick Wind sheath is four and a half yojanas, and of the Thin Wind is one and a half yojanas. The Thick Water of Sarkara is one-third of a yojana more
286 494. These 3 sheaths surround each earth except at the top, where they have the shape of an open circle. PE II, p. 662, illustrates the sheaths around Ratnaprabhā.
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