http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol8no2a.htm
Volume 8 Issue No. 2
When will it be the "End of the World"?
by Venerable Shen-Kai
The question is often asked, "Will the world end someday; and if
so, when?" Perhaps, we can get a better perspective by looking at
what scientists have discovered. Out there in the vast universe,
changes take place continuously, many of which science has only
recently come to learn about. For example, in 1967, scientists
detected unusual signals of violent bursts of gamma-ray radiation
caused by titanic explosions at the far edges of the universe. This
was the beginning of our knowledge on the birth of the very first
stars. Einstein's Theory of Relativity led to the discovery of
black holes or extremely high energy regions in space which are
created when stars die. The current exploration of the planet Mars
has found ample evidence that water - the source of life - was once
flowing on the planet (New York Times, June 8, 2004). Yet, today
Mars is a dead planet.
According to a Nobel laureate, religious beliefs were stand-ins for
the mysteries that science is still unable to explain. But, by the
time the world ends, who will be here to unravel the mysteries? The
wisdom of Buddhism is different; it addresses the end from the
beginning. When will it be the "End of the World"? Venerable
Shen-Kai explains
The expression "End of the World" originated from Christianity or
religious groups which agree with the notion that an almighty god
created the world. But when asked when the world will end, no one
can give a clear answer! They would only say that the morals of
people have deteriorated and disasters are occurring everywhere, so
the world will be destroyed soon and we will then see the end of
the world. It is commendable that efforts have been made to use the
potential suffering of the "Three Small Calamities" to guide people
and persuade them to be upright.
Another unorthodox version emphasizes the coming of the "Three
Periods of the End Kalpa" and claims that the "End" is already
here. This group further persuades that if one is quick enough to
embrace their teachings, one can be saved; drawing an analogy of
"having your name struck off from the Roll of Hell and instead
submit an early registration for a place in Heaven." Such an
argument is superficially attractive, but is in fact also baseless
and false. In addition to using fear as a means to urge people to
believe in them, the doctrine also contradicts the factual concept
of the evolution of the world, viz. "Formation, Existence,
Destruction and Void". Therefore, we should not be erroneous in our
belief.
Instead of equating the planet Earth with the "world", in Buddhism,
the term "world" goes beyond the Earth.
When will we witness the "End of the World"? Let us now discuss
this topic, which is worthy of examination and deliberation.
What do we understand by the term "World"? (In the Chinese
language, it comprises 2 characters -( ). "" is the concept of
time. With neither beginning nor ending, time is an eternal cycle
through the Three Periods of past, present and future. "" is a
spatial term, with directional segregations of north, south, east
and west, upward and downward. The word "World" () is also known as
"" where "" means separation. This is similar to the separation
between one galaxy and another. In the same manner, the world in
which human beings live in is called the "" or "" (the human
world).
The Earth is not the only world. It is only one of the innumerable
planets in the vast universe. It is analogous to a grain of sand in
the riverbed of the Ganges River and is called the Earth. The
"Jambudvipa" mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures refer to the
Earth in which we live. Our earth is one of the many planets of the
"small chilocosm". To understand the extent of the vastness of the
whole world as described by the Buddha, it is necessary to explain
the term "Three Thousand Great Chilocosm".
Using "Xumi" or Sumeru (our outer space) as the absolute point of
reference, within this outer space, there is a sun. Above the sun,
there are higher celestial levels such as the Four Heavens of the
Four Deva Kings (Caturmaharajakayika), higher up is the Heaven of
the 33 Devas (Trayastrimsa). In the four directions of the Xumi
(our outer space), there are four big planets, namely:-
- Jambudvipa (), The Earth in which we live, situated south, and
not south
- Purvavideha (), which is situated east, and not east
- Aparagodaniya (), which is situated west, and not west
- Uttarakuru (), which is situated north, and not north
The conditions on these four big planets are complete and hence
favourable for human existence. There are many other planets within
this world which are incomplete or lacking the essential elements
necessary to sustain life. Existing beneath these four big planets,
are many hells, the lowest of which is the Hell of Ceaseless
Suffering. These are collectively termed a "Small World".
The various numbers of worlds are classified as follows:-
1,000 Small Worlds = 1 Small Chilocosm
1,000 Small Chilocosm = 1 Medium Chilocosm
1,000 Medium Chilocosm = 1 Great Chilocosm
A Great Chilocosm comprises Small Chilocosm, Medium Chilocosm and
Great Chilocosm, and is termed a "Three Thousand Great
Chilocosm".
A Great Chilocosm comprises 1,000,000,000 "small worlds". When the
other space systems have also been taken into account, then the sum
of planetary worlds of the Three Thousand Great Chilocosm becomes
innumerable. All of the above constitute a Buddha's sphere for
teaching and guidance. The Buddhist scriptures state that within
the Ten Directions (The ten directions of space, i.e. the eight
points of the compass and the nadir and zenith), there are numerous
Buddhas who are "presently speaking the Dharma". In one Buddha's
sphere for teaching and guidance there are 1,000,000,000 suns. When
there are innumerable worlds, there are countless suns, and
consequently, even more moons and planets. In the entire universe,
the magnitude of planets is even more incalculable; hence, the
Buddha's analogy of the sands of the Ganges River. The sand
deposits in India's Ganges River is greater than all other rivers
in the world; hence, Buddha always used this example whenever he
needed to illustrate a large number. In our current space age,
astronomers use the most powerful telescopes to observe space. But
the distance reachable by these means is limited to a few larger
planets. As for the stellar systems lying beyond the scope of view,
they use the terms "galaxies" and "Milky Way". In the future when
more of the stellar systems are discovered, they will have to use
terms such as "galactic ocean" to describe them more
appropriately.
Buddha's sphere of teaching and guidance covers one Three Thousand
Great Chilocosm; hence, the Buddhist scripture: "When a Buddha is
born, the whole world system of Three Thousand Great Chilocosm will
tremble". A question is often asked, "Why should it be that after
the nirvana of Sakyamuni Buddha, 5,670,000,000 earth years must
pass before the appearance of the next Buddha (Maitreya Buddha)?
Will there be no Buddha during this time? This is not the
case:
(i) In Tusita Heaven, the life-span is 4,000 celestial years, which
is equivalent to 5,670,000,000 earth years. During this span of
time, Sakyamuni Buddha is not only our teacher on Earth, but also
the teacher of the Three Thousand Great Chilocosm.
(ii) One should not consider from a worldly point of view that
Sakyamuni Buddha has died. In fact, Buddha has been liberated from
birth and death, being non-arising and non-ceasing. When the
causality for his manifestation on earth for reaching out to
sentient beings has come to completion, he needs to move on to
inhabited planets elsewhere in the Three Thousand Great Chilocosm
to reach out to other sentient beings there. He needs to await the
birth of Maitreya Bodhisattva, so Maitreya may succeed him as
Buddha.
From the above, we know how many worlds it takes to make up a Three
Thousand Great Chilocosm. In the Three Thousand Great Chilocosm,
the 4 evolving stages of "Formation, Existence, Destruction and
Void" will run concurrently, as each world undergoes the same
number of kalpa stages. (Kalpa : 1 small kalpa = 16.8 million
years, 20 small kalpas = 1 medium kalpa = 336 million years, 80
small kalpas = 4 medium kalpas = 1 great kalpa = 1.344 billion
years) Before the world enters the Destruction Kalpa, it is in the
Existence Kalpa, which comprises twenty small kalpas. Approaching
the end of the life-span shortening period in the cycle of each
small kalpa, i.e. when the average life-expectancy of human beings
is reduced to 10 years, the extremely evil nature of people's minds
will bring about "Three Small Calamities". These small calamities
are:
(i) Calamity of war: The people of this time are lawless,
irresponsible, poisonously hateful and instinctively murderous. At
an instant, the people can pick up a leaf and use it as a knife.
They can utilise any item at will as a deadly weapon for killing.
Between human beings, there are not only strife and fighting, but
also cruel injuring and killing. Human life is worth less than that
of ants and insects. At the end of the life-span shortening period
of the kalpa's cycle, such calamities take place frequently.
Occurrences are intermittent, each lasting a period of 7
days.
(ii) Calamity of plague: As a result of the evil nature of people's
minds, pestilence, plagues and epidemic diseases are commonplace.
People suffer from a myriad of incurable illnesses. Because
people's minds are poisoned with evil, their internal organs also
become intoxicated. Moreover, their exhalations are so venomous
that people die immediately upon contact. These disasters occur
frequently at the end of the life-span shortening period of the
kalpa's cycle, approximately lasting 7 months and 7 days.
(iii) Calamity of famine: When people's minds are exceedingly
vicious and evil, unfavourable seasonal changes result. Lengthy
droughts occur, destroying the harvests. People suffer from hunger.
Even feeding on roots and bark will not sustain life. There is no
livestock remaining. People resort to cannibalism. The duration of
such calamity is longer, persisting for 7 years, 7 months and 7
days. During this period, there is almost 100% human mortality by
starvation.
Nowadays the average life-span of humankind does not exceed 60 to
70 years. The public morals of the present society are
degenerating. The minds of people are no longer as pure as before.
People tend toward wickedness, and ridiculing the virtuous. The
virtuous are harmed, while the villainous are revered. If, the
average life-span of humans shortens by one year in each century,
by the time the life span drops to 10 years, the above-mentioned
Three Small Calamities will take place.
In recent years, natural disasters have become commonplace on
earth. These are the effects from the human mind turning toward
evil. On reaching the end of the life-span shortening period of the
kalpa's cycle, one can well imagine the retributive sufferings that
humanity has to face. Other religions may consider this period to
be the "End of the World". But in fact, it is not so. On the
contrary, it can only be said to be the final phase of a small
kalpa. At the end of this small kalpa, people will have encountered
the extreme of all suffering. Meanwhile, the minority of people who
have been cultivating and performing virtuous deeds for aeons of
lifetimes are repulsed by the immoral state of society. They
withdraw and live in solitude in the mountains. They only just
manage to escape the calamities and survive. In time, when people
have suffered enough and are seeking deliverance, these survivors
will emerge and return to society. They will advise and encourage
whomever they encounter, so that these people may learn to lead
wholesome lives and perform virtuous deeds. As a result, people are
inspired to develop their virtuous minds, conduct and karma, which
in turn allows their societies to once again thrive and prosper.
The life-span of human beings will then begin to increase,
lengthening a year per century, until the average person's
life-span reaches 84,000 years. At this point, the cycle repeats
such that the human life expectancy decreases again. This marks the
beginning of the shortening life-span phase of the 10th small kalpa
of the Existence Kalpa. At this time, the next Buddha, Maitreya
Buddha will come down to be born into this world.
After the birth of Maitreya Buddha, 995 Buddhas will be born into
this world in the span of time between the 11th and 20th small
kalpas of the Existence Kalpa, to guide and enlighten sentient
beings.
After the Existence Kalpa, the Destruction Kalpa begins. Within
this Destruction Kalpa, there are also 20 small kalpas. During the
19th small kalpa, sentient beings in every world, including the
earth world, of the Three Thousand Great Chilocosm will be the
first to be destroyed. Then, through aeons of kalpas, as a result
of the efforts of many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Ten
Directions in the Three Periods (past, present and future) to
enlighten sentient beings, all sentient beings learn to change
their wicked ways and lead virtuous lives instead. When many
sentient beings transmigrate from the six realms of existence into
the human realm and successfully received the guidance, and when
hell has emptied so that there isn't a single sentient being left
there, then the 20th small kalpa of the Destruction Kalpa starts.
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva () vowed: "As long as hell is not empty, I
shall not become Buddha. Only when all sentient beings are guided
and saved, will I attain supreme enlightenment." One can thus see
that the great vow of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva can be accomplished.
All sentient beings can be guided and saved, and he will then
attain Buddhahood.
Before the 19th small kalpa, all the sentient beings that are above
the 1st Jhana [1] , and in all the worlds from the 1st Jhana down
to the Hell of Ceaseless Suffering, will transmigrate, each
according to his own good karmic seeds of the past. Some will
transmigrate above the 2nd Jhana; some will surpass Three Fields of
Existence (World of Desires, World of Forms, and World of
Formless); and others will arrive at Pure Lands of Buddhas
elsewhere. At this time, the world of sentient beings will be
totally ruined. Only then, at the end of the final phase of the
last small kalpa, will the "Three Great Calamities" occur,
destroying all the material worlds. These three calamities of fire,
water and wind will not occur simultaneously, but each will take
its turn. At that time, balance in space will be lost, planets of
all the worlds will leave their orbits, and looking from the earth,
one will see seven suns appear in the sky at the same time. The
suns' fiery heat will burn up all the worlds. The destruction will
reach the farthest depths of the Hell of Ceaseless Suffering,
including all the worlds of the Three Thousand Great Chilocosm
World of Desires, and even the 1st Jhana of the World of
Forms.
After the passing of the "Great Fire Calamity" comes the "Great
Water Calamity". The worlds from the 2nd Jhana Plane in the World
of Form down through the Hell of Ceaseless Suffering will be
engulfed by floodwaters.
Next, the Great Wind Calamity follows. All the worlds below the 3rd
Jhana down to the Hell of Ceaseless Suffering will be blown away
like dust. All the materials will be dispersed into oblivion.
When the above-described Three Great Calamities destroy the world,
each calamity will not be over in the passing of a single event.
Each event will recur one after another. First, there will be seven
Great Fire Calamities followed by one Great Water Calamity. This
sequence of seven Fire and one Water Calamities will recur seven
times, after which the Great Wind Calamity will finally occur. So
altogether, there will be 56 Great Fire Calamities, seven Great
Water Calamities, and one Great Wind Calamity, making a total of 64
calamities. When all the worlds go through the course of these
Great Calamities and enter the Void Kalpa, then it is truly "End of
the World".
Notes: [1] According to Buddhism, the various celestial levels of
existence, in ascending order, are divided into Three Fields of
Existence, namely:
(i) World of Desires
(ii) World of Forms
(iii) World of Formless
(i) World of Desires:
Within the World of Desires, there are:
Heaven of Four Heavenly Kings (Catummaharajika)
Thirty-three Heavens (Tavatimsa) - (there are 33 devas in this
heaven comprising 8 devas in each direction of East, West, North
and South together with the centre being that of Sakka. Sakyamuni
Buddha was once the deva-king of this heaven.)
Heaven of Devas Yama
Tusita Heaven
Nirmanarati Heaven
Paranirmitavasavartin Heaven
(ii) World of Forms:
Above the World of Desires is the World of Forms where beings
delight in Jhanic bliss achieved by renouncing sense-desires. This
field consists of 4 Jhana Heavens - the Heaven of 1st Jhana, the
Heaven of 2nd Jhana, the Heaven of 3rd Jhana and the Heaven of 4th
Jhana.
In the Heaven of the 1st Jhana, there are:
The Heaven of Brahma's Retinue
The Heaven of Brahma's Ministers
The Heaven of Maha Brahma (Sakyamuni Buddha was once the heavenly
king of this heaven)
In the Heaven of the 2nd Jhana, there are:
The Heaven of Minor Lustre
The Heaven of Infinite Lustre
The Heaven of Light-sound or Radiant Lustre
In the Heaven of the 3rd Jhana, there are:
The Heaven of Minor Purity
The Heaven of Infinite Purity
The Heaven of Extensive Purity
In the Heaven of the 4th Jhana, there are:
The Heaven of blessing-arising
The Heaven of blessing-attached
The Heaven of vast-reward
The Heaven of no thought
The Heaven of no vexation
The Heaven of no heat
The Heaven of virtue-view
The Heaven of virtue-appear
The Heaven of form ultimate
(iii) World of Formless:
There are 4 other heavens within this World of Formless. The
heavens are totally devoid of matter or bodies. These are:
The Sphere of infinite space
The Sphere of boundless consciousness
The Sphere of nothingness and
The Spshere of no thought, no no-thought
From the above Worlds, there are altogether 28 levels of
heavens
