WonderingWorrier
Active Member
I don't think it is talking about age.
I think it talking about the measurement of a man (hidden in the form of age).
The measurement decreases as morality degenerates. And increases as the virtue recovers.
Gautama is said to be the eldest.
"82,000 Teachings from the Buddha I have received; 2,000 more from his disciples; Now, 84,000 are familiar to me.
Who nothing has heard and nothing understood, He ages only oxen-like: His stomach only grows and grows, But his insight deepens not".
Ananda (accesstoinsight.org)
84,000 seems to be a significant number.
"Householder, regardless of whether a gift is coarse or refined, if it is given attentively, respectfully, with one's own hand, not as if throwing it away, with the view that something will come of it: Wherever the result of that gift comes to fruition, one's mind will incline to the enjoyment of splendid food, will incline to the enjoyment of splendid clothing, will incline to the enjoyment of splendid vehicles, will incline to the enjoyment of the splendid five strings of sensuality. And one's sons & daughters, slaves, servants, & workers will listen to one, will lend ear, will make their minds attend for the sake of knowledge. Why is that? Because that is the result of attentive actions.
"Once, householder, there was a brahman named Velāma. And this was the nature of the gift, the great gift, he gave: He gave 84,000 gold trays filled with silver, 84,000 silver trays filled with gold, 84,000 copper trays filled with gems. He gave 84,000 elephants with gold ornaments, gold banners, covered with nets of gold thread. He gave 84,000 chariots spread with lion skins, tiger skins, leopard skins, saffron-colored blankets, with gold ornaments, gold banners, covered with nets of gold thread. He gave 84,000 milk cows with tethers of fine jute and copper milk pails. He gave 84,000 maidens adorned with jeweled earrings. He gave 84,000 couches spread with long-fleeced coverlets, white wool coverlets, embroidered coverlets, rugs of kadali-deer hide, each with a canopy above & red cushions on either side. He gave 84,000 lengths of cloth — of finest linen, of finest cotton, of finest silk.[2] To say nothing of the food & drink, staple & non-staple food, lotions & beddings: They flowed, as it were, like rivers.
"Now, householder, if the thought should occur to you, 'Perhaps it was someone else who at that time was Velāma the brahman, who gave that gift, that great gift,' that's not how it should be seen. I was Velāma the brahman at that time. I gave that gift, that great gift. But in that gift there was no one worthy of offerings; no one purified that gift.
I think the gold trays, the silver trays, and the copper trays are gifts.
As the Lion skins, the tiger skins, and the leopard skins are gifts.
As the linen, the cotton, and the silk are gifts.
I have noticed a very similar concept as the sutta of the age of man declining, and rising.
The height of man declining. Within Islam it is said that Adam was 60 cubits tall (27.4 metres), and men have been declining in height since Adam.
But scientists say there is no skeleton evidence of that happening. No evidence of giants.
The bible explains the concept of the lowering, and rising of the height of men:
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Luke 2:52
Thoughts lower, and raise the height:
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Matthew 6:27
I do not disregard these teachings as nonsense.
I think they are not talking about age, or height. I think they are talking about the measurement of men.