8. The Seven Suns （八）七日经（初一日诵）

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was wandering in Vesali, staying in the Ambapali Grove.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: "All conditioned phenomena are impermanent, not lasting, quickly changing, and unreliable. Such conditioned phenomena should not be clung to with delight, but should be seen as afflictions, to be sought to be abandoned, and to be sought to be liberated from. Why is this? When there is no rain, all the trees, grains, and medicinal plants will wither, break, and perish, and cannot remain permanent. Therefore, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, not lasting, quickly changing, and unreliable. Such conditioned phenomena should not be clung to with delight, but should be seen as afflictions, to be sought to be abandoned, and to be sought to be liberated from.

Furthermore, when two suns appear in the world, at that time all the ditches, streams, and rivers will dry up and cannot remain permanent. Therefore, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, not lasting, quickly changing, and unreliable. Such conditioned phenomena should not be clung to with delight, but should be seen as afflictions, to be sought to be abandoned, and to be sought to be liberated from.

Furthermore, when three suns appear in the world, at that time all the great rivers will dry up and cannot remain permanent. Therefore, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, not lasting, quickly changing, and unreliable. Such conditioned phenomena should not be clung to with delight, but should be seen as afflictions, to be sought to be abandoned, and to be sought to be liberated from.

Furthermore, when four suns appear in the world, at that time all the great springs that flow from the five rivers of Jambudvīpa - namely, the Ganges, the Yāmuna, the Sarabhū, the Airāvati, and the Mahī - will all dry up and cannot remain permanent. Therefore, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, not lasting, quickly changing, and unreliable. Such conditioned phenomena should not be clung to with delight, but should be seen as afflictions, to be sought to be abandoned, and to be sought to be liberated from.

Furthermore, when five suns appear in the world, at that time the water level of the great ocean will decrease by one hundred yojanas, and continue to decrease until it is seven hundred yojanas. When five suns appear, the remaining water in the great ocean will be seven hundred yojanas, and continue to decrease until it is one hundred yojanas. When five suns appear, the water level of the great ocean will decrease by one tāla tree, and continue to decrease until it is seven tāla trees. When five suns appear, the remaining water in the great ocean will be seven tāla trees, and continue to decrease until it is one tāla tree. When five suns appear, the water level of the great ocean will decrease by one person, and continue to decrease until it is seven people. When five suns appear, the remaining water in the great ocean will be seven people, and continue to decrease until it is one person. When five suns appear, the water level of the great ocean will decrease until it reaches the neck, shoulders, waist, hips, knees, and ankles, and sometimes the water in the great ocean will completely evaporate, not even enough to wet a finger. Therefore, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, not lasting, quickly changing, and unreliable. Such conditioned phenomena should not be clung to with delight, but should be seen as afflictions, to be sought to be abandoned, and to be sought to be liberated from.

Furthermore, when six suns appear in the world, at that time all the great earth and Mount Sumeru will all emit smoke, combining into one smoke, like when a potter first starts a kiln, all emitting smoke, combining into one smoke. When six suns appear, all the great earth and Mount Sumeru will all emit smoke, combining into one smoke. Therefore, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, not lasting, quickly changing, and unreliable. Such conditioned phenomena should not be clung to with delight, but should be seen as afflictions, to be sought to be abandoned, and to be sought to be liberated from.

Furthermore, when seven suns appear in the world, at that time all the great earth and Mount Sumeru will all burn and blaze together, combining into one great fire; when seven suns appear, all the great earth and Mount Sumeru will all burn and blaze together, combining into one great fire. The wind blows the fire, up to the Brahma Heaven. At that time, the newly born gods who are not familiar with the formation and destruction of the world, who have not seen the formation and destruction of the world, and who do not know the formation and destruction of the world, upon seeing the great fire, all become terrified with their hair standing on end, thinking: 'Does the fire not come here? Does the fire not come here?' The previously born gods who are familiar with the formation and destruction of the world, who have seen the formation and destruction of the world, and who know the formation and destruction of the world, upon seeing the great fire, console the gods, saying: 'Do not be afraid. The fire will stop there and will not come here.' When seven suns appear, Mount Sumeru will collapse and be destroyed, from one hundred yojanas to two hundred yojanas, three hundred yojanas, up to seven hundred yojanas, collapsing and being destroyed. When seven suns appear, Mount Sumeru and this great earth will be burned, destroyed, and extinguished, without any remaining ashes, like burning ghee or oil, being boiled and extinguished, without any remaining smoke or soot. In this way, when seven suns appear, Mount Sumeru and this great earth will be without any remaining ashes. Therefore, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, not lasting, quickly changing, and unreliable. Such conditioned phenomena should not be clung to with delight, but should be seen as afflictions, to be sought to be abandoned, and to be sought to be liberated from.

I now tell you that Mount Sumeru will collapse and be completely destroyed. Who can believe this? Only those who have seen the truth. I now tell you that the great ocean water will dry up and be completely exhausted. Who can believe this? Only those who have seen the truth. I now tell you that the entire great earth will be burned and completely destroyed. Who can believe this? Only those who have seen the truth. Why is this? Bhikṣus! In the past, there was a great teacher named Sunetra, who was revered by non-Buddhist ascetics. He abandoned desire and attained the bases of supernatural power. Sunetra had countless hundreds of thousands of disciples. Sunetra taught the Dharma of the Brahma world to his disciples. When Sunetra taught the Dharma of the Brahma world, some of his disciples did not fully practice it. After their lives ended, they were reborn in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods, the Yama Heaven, the Tuṣita Heaven, the Nirmāṇarati Heaven, or the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven. When Sunetra taught the Dharma of the Brahma world, some of his disciples fully practiced it. They cultivated the four brahmavihāras and abandoned desire. After their lives ended, they were reborn in the Brahma Heaven. At that time, Sunetra thought: 'I should not go to the next world together with my disciples and be reborn in the same place. I should now cultivate supreme loving-kindness. After cultivating supreme loving-kindness, I will be reborn in the Ābhāsvara Heaven after my life ends.' At that time, Sunetra then cultivated supreme loving-kindness later. After cultivating supreme loving-kindness, he was reborn in the Ābhāsvara Heaven after his life ended. Sunetra and his disciples did not practice the path in vain, and attained great rewards.

Bhikṣus! What do you think? Do you think that the great teacher Sunetra who was revered by non-Buddhist ascetics, abandoned desire, and attained the bases of supernatural power in the past was someone else? Do not think so. Know that it was I. At that time, I was named Sunetra, revered by non-Buddhist ascetics, abandoned desire, and attained the bases of supernatural power. At that time, I had countless hundreds of thousands of disciples. At that time, I taught the Dharma of the Brahma world to my disciples. When I taught the Dharma of the Brahma world, some of my disciples did not fully practice it. After their lives ended, they were reborn in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods, the Yama Heaven, the Tuṣita Heaven, the Nirmāṇarati Heaven, or the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven. When I taught the Dharma of the Brahma world, some of my disciples fully practiced it. They cultivated the four brahmavihāras and abandoned desire. After their lives ended, they were reborn in the Brahma Heaven. At that time, I thought: 'I should not go to the next world together with my disciples and be reborn in the same place. I should now cultivate supreme loving-kindness. After cultivating supreme loving-kindness, I will be reborn in the Ābhāsvara Heaven after my life ends.' Later, I cultivated supreme loving-kindness. After cultivating supreme loving-kindness, I was reborn in the Ābhāsvara Heaven after my life ended. At that time, I and my disciples practiced the path without being in vain, and attained great rewards. At that time, I personally practiced this path, for my own benefit, and also for the benefit of others, for the benefit of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the sake of gods and humans, seeking righteousness and benefit, seeking peace and happiness. At that time, my teaching did not reach the ultimate, did not reach the ultimate purity, did not reach the ultimate practice of purity, did not reach the ultimate completion of the practice of purity. At that time, I was not free from birth, old age, sickness, death, crying, and sorrow. I was not yet able to escape all suffering.

Bhikṣus! I now appear in the world as a Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Gods and Men, Buddha, Bhagavān. I now benefit myself, and also benefit others, benefit many people, have compassion for the world, for the sake of gods and humans, seeking righteousness and benefit, seeking peace and happiness. I now teach the Dharma that reaches the ultimate, the ultimate purity, the ultimate practice of purity; the ultimate completion of the practice of purity. I now am free from birth, old age, sickness, death, crying, and sorrow. I now have attained liberation from all suffering.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and received them with respect.