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[Alexandr Korol]

a king for themselves, whom they call Mahasammata. Some begin to hunt and eat the meat of animals that are just beginning to appear on earth. This process is described in the Aggañña Sutta.” Next comes the description of another world, now I will say which one. The second world — this corresponds to day, which means summer. The first antarakalpa (I don’t know exactly what that is, but it’s the first part of this world): “Vivartasthāyikalpa begins when the first being is born in hell, and thus the entire universe becomes populated. During the first aeon, the lifespan of humans decreases from several tens of thousands of years to a period of less than a hundred years, as in modern times. At the beginning of the first antarakalpa, people are generally happy. They are ruled by a chakravartin (wheel-turning monarch) — a universal ruler. The Mahāsudassana Sutta (DN.17) tells of a chakravartin who lives for 336,000 years. The Sakkapañha Sīhanāda Sutta (DN.26) tells of a later dynasty of chakravartins — Dālhanemi and his five descendants — who lived more than 80,000 years. The seventh in this line broke the tradition by refusing power and passing it to his son, ending his life as a śramaṇa. As a result, poverty arose, theft began, punishments were introduced, crimes and murders appeared. The human lifespan then quickly decreased from 80,000 to 100 years, halving with each generation as evil deeds increased: lying, adultery, slander, greed, hatred, ignorance, debauchery, and disrespect for parents and elders. During this period (according to the Mahāpadāna Sutta), three of the four Buddhas appeared: Buddha Krakucchanda, when the human lifespan was 40,000 years; Kanakamuni, when it was 30,000 years; and Kāśyapa, when it was 20,000 years. In our time, the human lifespan has become less than 100 years (Buddha Shakyamuni lived 80 years). The remainder of the antarakalpa is expected to be sorrowful — lifespan will decrease, morality will decline, and all kinds of misfortunes will occur and have destructive consequences. People will live for only 10 years and marry at the age of five, food will be severely lacking, it will be poor and tasteless, and nothing will remain of morality. The rulers will be the most cruel and power-hungry. People will become savage, attacking even family members and hunting each other. A great war will erupt, with the most aggressive killing one another. The less aggressive will scatter and hide in forests and caves. This war will mark the end of the first antarakalpa.” Well, as it is with us now, but you see,