Part 21 - Eight Causes of Earthquakes

And the Buddha said: “Ānanda, there are eight causes of, or conditions leading to great earthquakes. They are:

(1) This great earth is supported by water, the water by air, the air by space. When very strong winds blow, the water is shaken. When the water is shaken, the earth is shaken. This is the first cause of, or the first condition leading to great earthquakes.

(2) Further, Ānanda, a samaṇa or a brāhmana who has great (mental) power, and who is accomplished in the supernormal powers of the mind, or a deva of great power, by developing intense concentration on the limited image of the earth element and on the boundless image of the water-element can cause the earth to shake strongly, to sway violently, and to convulse. This is the second cause of, or the second condition leading to great earthquakes.

(3) Further, Ānanda, on the occasion of a Bodhisatta passing away in the Tusitā Deva realm and descending into (i.e. conceiving) in the mother’s womb, mindfully and with clear comprehension, this great earth shakes, quakes strongly, sways violently, and is convulsed. This the third cause of, or the third condition leading to great earthquakes.

(4) Further, Ānanda, on the occasion of a Bodhisatta was born, mindfully and with clear comprehension, this great earth shakes, quakes strongly, sways violently, and is convulsed. This is the fourth cause of, or the fourth condition leading to great earthquakes.

(5) Further, Ānanda, on the occasion of a Buddha attaining Supremely Perfect-Enlightenment, this great earth shakes, quakes strongly, sways violently, and is convulsed.

(6) Further, Ānanda, on the occasion of a Buddha expounding the Supreme Dhamma on the Four Ariya Truths, (His first sermon known as the Dhammacakka-puvattana Sutta), the great earth shakes, quakes strongly, sways violently, and is convulsed.

(7) Further, Ānanda, on the occasion of a Buddha relinquishing mindfully and with deliberation, the life maintaining mental process, this great earth shakes, quakes strongly, sways violently and is convulsed.

(8) Further, Ānanda, on the occasion of a Buddha passing away leaving no remainder of the five aggregates and enters upon Parinibbāna, realizing the ultimate peace, this great earth shakes, quakes strongly, sways violently, and is convulsed.

“Ānanda, these are the eight causes of, or the eight conditions leading to great earthquakes.”

(The Buddha’s discourse is not yet ended. Some elaboration on the above eight factors:)

i) Earthquakes occur due to the unstable conditions of the elements of the cosmos. The great earth is supported by a mass of air which is nine hundred and sixty thousand yojanas thick. Above that mass of air, there is a mass of water which is four hundred and eighty thousand yojanas thick. Above that mass of water lies the great earth which is two hundred and forty thousand yojanas thick. The lower half of the thickness, i.e. a hundred and twenty thousand yojanas, of the earth is granite while the upper half of the same thickness is earth. When the elements become unstable and powerful winds blow across the surface of the normal mass of air, the mass of air is temporarily displaced so that its support of the mass of water is withdrawn. The mass of water then drops abruptly, leading to a sudden drop of the mass of the great earth. When the extra-ordinarily strong winds become calm again, the mass of air returns to its normal level, resumes its function of supporting the mass of water, and rises up again. This leads to the rising up of the great earth. Thus, strong winds that blow due to unstable conditions of the elements are the causes of earthquakes. This phenomena is present all the time, occurring occasionally. This sudden falling and rising of the earth is not noticed because of the thickness of the great earth.

ii) Earthquakes due to powerful persons: Persons possessed of psychic power can cause earthquakes by means of that power. The method they employ is by entering into absorption of the jhāna, with water as the object of concentration and thereby causing the upheaval of the great earth. They cause the earthquake for some noble purpose, e.g. the Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna caused the Vejayanta pinnacled mansion of Sakka to shake for the purpose of arousing an emotional religious feeling in others; and Sāmaṇera Sangharakkhita also did the same thing to inquire after something.

[The Story of Sāmaṇera Sangharakkhita]

iii) The third cause (conception of a Buddha to be) and

iv) The fourth cause (birth of a Buddha to be) are due to the superb merit of the Buddhato-be.

v) The fifth cause (the occasion of Enlightenment) is due to the power of the penetrative Knowledge of the Buddha.

vi) The sixth cause (the occasion of delivering the First Sermon) is due to the power of the Knowledge consisting in the power of exposition (i.e., expression) of the Buddha. On this great occasion, the guardian spirit of the great earth, showing his appreciation is figuratively said to be applauding by the great earth, according to the Commentary. vii) The seventh cause is due to the power of the Buddha-Knowledge in relinquishing the life-maintaining mental process, out of weariness of sentient existence which is conditioned by cause. On this great occasion, the guardian spirit of the earth sympathized with the Buddha (in the matter of decay and death which incumbent on everyone, not excepting the Buddha) and showed his sympathy by the great earthquake.

viii) The eighth cause is due to the power of the Buddha’s Knowledge that makes the Buddha very happy with the delightful satisfaction in having accomplished His mission that had taken Him four asaṅkhyeyyas and a hundred thousand aeons (kappas) for attainment of Perfect Peace (Anupādisesa Nibbāna). As for the guardian spirit of the earth, it was occasion for grief and lamentation. The great earthquake then is an expression of his grief and lamentation. (Commentary and Sub-Commentary).