Part 2 - Kṛṣṇarāji or dark-formation

Q. 77. Bhante! How many have been stated to be the kṛṣṇarājis?

A. 77. Gautama! Kṛṣṇarājis have been stated to be eight.

Q. 78. Bhante! Where have these eight kṛṣṇarājis been stated to be?

A. 78. Gautama! Above the kalpa named Sanatkumāra and Māhendra, and beneath the vimāna named Riṣṭa. in the kalpa named Brahmaloka, there are stated to be eight kṛṣṇarājis of the shape of gymnastic ground, equi-dimensional,—two in the east, two in the west, two in the south and two in the north. The internal kṛṣṇarāji of the east touches the external kṛṣṇarāji of the south; the internal kṛṣṇarāji of the south touches the external kṛṣṇarāji of the west; the internal kṛṣṇarāji of the west touches the external kṛṣṇarāji of the north; the internal kṛṣṇarāji of the north touches the external kṛṣṇarāji of the east. The two external kṛṣṇarājis in the east and the west are like hexagons; the two external kṛṣṇarājis in the north and the south are like triangles; the two kṛṣṇarājis in the east and the west are like squares; the two internal kṛṣṇarājis in the north and the south are also like squares.

Couplet:

Kṣṣṇarājis east and west are hexagonal,
External ones in south and north are triangular,
The remaining kṛṣṇarājis, all internal,
Are of the shape of a square.

Q. 79. Bhante! What have been stated to be the dimensions and circumference of kṛṣṇarāji?

A. 79. Gautama! They are stated to be an unlimited (number of) thousand yojanas in breadth, a limited (number of) thousand yojanas in length, and an unlimited (number of) thousand yojanas in circumference.

Q. 80. Bhante! How big is stated to be the size of kṛṣṇarāji?

A. 80. Gautama!... this isle named Jambūdvīpa,... till (paces for) six months, then, he (the God) may have covered some portions of kṛṣṇarāji, while some other portions of it he may not have covered. So big has been stated to be the size of kṛṣṇarāji, oh Gautama!

Q. 81. Bhante! Is kṛṣṇarāji a house? Is it a shop?

A. 81. It’s neither.

Q. 82. Bhante! Is it a village?

A. 82. This also is not correct.

Q. 83. Bhante! Do great clouds in kṛṣṇarāji accumulate moisture? Do they have formation? Do they shower rain?

A. 83. Yes, they do.

Q. 84. Bhante! Is it done by deva, by asura or by nāga?

Q. 85. Bhante! Is kṛṣṇarāji a thunder-like sound?

A. 85. Similar to great clouds.

Q. 85. Bhante! Does kṛṣṇarāji contain coarse water-bodies, coarse fire-bodies and coarse flora-bodies?

A. 86. It is not so, except in the case of beings with oblique -movement.

Q. 87. Is kṛṣṇarāji of the shape of the moon, the sun, planets, stars and heavenly bodies?

A. 87. No, it is not.

Q. 88. Is kṛṣṇarāji the beam of the moon? Is it the ray of the sun?

A. 88. Neither.

Q. 89. Bhante! What has been stated to be the colour of kṛṣṇarāji?

A. 89. Gautama! Black,... til! at a very quick and fast pace, he (the god) moves out of it.

Q. 90. Bhante! How many have been stated to be the names of kṛṣṇarāji?

A. 90. Gautama! Eight names have been stated, which are, kṛṣṇarāji, megharāji, maghā, māghavatī, vātaparighā, vātaparikṣobhā, devaparighā, devaparikṣobha.

Q. 91. Bhante! Is kṛṣṇarāji the result of earth, water, soul or matter?

A. 91. Gautama! Result of earth, not of water, result of soul and also of matter.

Q. 92. Bhante! Have all prāṇas, bhūtas, jīvas and sattvas been formerly born in kṛṣṇarāji?

A. 92. Gautama! (They have been so born) many times, or an infinite number of times, but they have never been born as coarse water-bodies, as coarse fire-bodies, or as coarse flora-bodies.

Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):

(There is no commentary available for this section).