Again, other Bodhisattvas Mahdsattvas, equal to the dust atoms of a whole macrocosm, have by hearing this Dharmapary&ya moved forward the wheel that never rolls back. Some Bodhisattvas Mah&sattvas, equal to the dust atoms of a mean uni- verse, have by hearing this Dharmapary&ya moved forward the wheel of spotless radiance. Other Bo- dhisattvas Mahdsattvas, equal to the dust atoms of a small universe, have by hearing this Dharmapar- ydya come so far that they will reach supreme, perfect enlightenment after eight births. Other Bodhisattvas Mah&sattvas, equal to the dust atoms of four worlds of four continents 1 , have by hearing this Dharmapary&ya become such as to require four births (more) before reaching supreme, perfect enlight- enment. Other Bodhisattvas Mah&sattvas, equal to the dust atoms of three four-continental worlds, have by hearing this Dharmaparyiya become such as to require three births (more) before reaching supreme, perfect enlightenment. Other Bodhisattvas Mahisat- tvas, equal to the dust atoms of two four-continental worlds, have by hearing this Dharmaparyiya become such as to require two births (more) before reaching supreme, perfect enlightenment. Other Bodhisattvas Mah&sattvas, equal to the dust atoms of one four- continental world, have by hearing this Dharma- parydya become such as to require but one birth before reaching supreme, perfect enlightenment. Other Bodhisattvas Mahdsattvas, equal to the dust atoms of eight macrocosms consisting of three parts, have by hearing this Dharmaparydya conceived the idea of supreme, perfect enlightenment 2 .
Or, perhaps, of one whole world of four continents.
The number 8 being the half of 16, the number of kalds of a
