Dream City

Li Shiwei looked around. Demonic qi boiled.

Desire, beauty, greed, malice.

All manner of demonic thoughts arose from this heart. When this heart was released, it became Anxin; once Anxin arose, it could become a demon, its transformations sweeping in every direction, reaching everywhere.

Before Li Shiwei appeared the ghostly Jambudvipa, five hundred yojanas deep. There were thirty-six kinds of Mara-command garland ghosts, while beasts numbered 3.4 billion species.

There were also 5.7 billion dragons dwelling in Jambudvipa, raining down turbid water and foul cold winds. Peals of thunder came one after another, yet no lightning shone. When drums were set upon oxen and beaten, they gave evil cries. A thousand-headed dragon, sixteen Avicis—the signs of being born into Avici appeared. At death, one saw one's body as an eight-year-old child, face downward, while winds in the air blew for three thousand years of suffering, surpassing even the bliss of Akanishtha Heaven.

Beyond such ugliness, one could also see Heavenly Maidens and heavenly beings singing chants, their voices like the roar of ocean tides. Mani jewels rained from above; fine meals rained upon the cities guarded by the world-protectors; rain poured endlessly into the sea like turning wheels; weapons rained among the Asuras; pure water rained upon Jambudvipa. It was wondrous beyond compare.

Ugliness and beauty each encircled her.

There were one hundred and thirty-six scenes of hell, triangular births and deaths, good and indeterminate, round births and deaths, and all the heavens.

There were seventy-two scenes of heavenly beings: forests of light, wish-fulfilling trees in the four directions, supreme touches like touching a Kanchilinti bird. Upon opening one's eyes, one always saw light. Those newly born in heaven bore five signs, light covering their bodies without garments, and upon seeing things, rare wonder arose in their hearts.

"These things