Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Seventeen)

The situation when the earth element perishes

Original text: 大王。又此地界。欲坏灭时。或为火焚。或为水漂。或为风吹。譬然酥油。其焰炽盛。乃至灰烬。不复可见。若为水漂。犹如以盐。投于水中。须臾消散。若为毗岚。猛风所吹。彼时三千大千世界。悉皆散坏。净尽无余。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, when the earth element is about to perish, it may be burned by a great fire, submerged by a great flood, or scattered by a great wind. When the earth element is burned by a great fire, it is like the lighting of a ghee lamp: the flame blazes fiercely until the ghee is completely burned up, leaving not even ashes to be seen. When the earth element is swept away by a great flood, it is like salt thrown into water—in a moment it dissolves and disappears. If the earth element is destroyed by the fierce wind of the vairambha, then at that time the trichiliocosm—the three-thousandfold great world—will entirely break apart and scatter, completely and without remainder, with nothing left in existence.