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AN 4.156

Eons

Kappasutta

from: 16. Faculties

Eons

“Mendicants, an eon contains four uncountable periods. What four?

When an eon contracts, it’s not easy to calculate how many years, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of years it takes.

When an eon remains fully contracted, it’s not easy to calculate how many years, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of years it takes.

When an eon expands, it’s not easy to calculate how many years, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of years it takes.

When an eon remains fully expanded, it’s not easy to calculate how many years, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of years it takes.

These are the four uncountable periods of an eon.”

Translation: German (Ayyā Sabbamittā), English (Bhikkhu Sujato). Source: SuttaCentral / Bilara (public domain, CC0).

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