11. The world has both light and darkness, owing to the presence or absence of the sun; beyond which there is the great abyss of vacuity, which is a vast expanse of darkness, except where there is a glimpse of Zodiacal light. 12. The polar circle is called the polar mountain, from the protuberance of the poles at both ends; it is termed also the Lokáloka or having a light and another dark side, owing to the course of the sun towards or away from it. Its distance from the starry circle, derives it also of Zodiacal light. 13. Beyond the polar circle, and afar from the sphere of the sky, there is the sphere of the starry frame, which revolves around them at a great distance on all the ten sides. 14. This starry (zodiacal) belt, girds the firmament up and down, from the heavens above to the infernal regions below, in the vast vacuity of space; and extends to all sides. 15. The starry sphere (or belt of the zodiac), turns round the polar circle of the earth, and its nether regions, as it appears to our imagination, and not otherwise (as fixed and motionless). 16. The sphere of zodiacal stars, is twice as distant from the poles, as those are distant from the middle of the earth; in the same manner as the covering crust of a ripe walnut is aloof from the sheath of its seeds. 17. Thus the starry belt is settled at double the distance from the poles, as the polar circle is situated from the equator; and it turns all about the ten sides, as a _bel_ fruit whirls in the sky. 18. The aspect of the world is according to the modality, in which it is situated in the imagination of Brahmá, and as it is reflected from its archetype in the Divine mind (or its consciousness of it). 19. There is another sphere of the heavens, which is afar from the starry frame, and twice in its extent than that; this is lighted by the zodiacal light and beyond it there reigns a thick darkness. 20. At the end of this sphere, there is the great circle of the universe; having one half of it stretching above and one below, and containing the sky in the midst of them. (This is called the _Brahmánda kharpara_, or the mundane sphere). 21. It extends to millions of yojanas, and is compact with all its contents; it is a mere work of imagination, and formed of vacuity in the immensity of vacuum (which is the mind of God). 22. The sphere of light turns on every side, of the great circle of vacuity, with all the lightsome bodies of the sun, moon and stars in its circumstance: there is no upside nor downward in it, but are all the same herein. 23. There is no actual ascending, descending nor standing, of any planetary body therein; they are mere manifestations of the intellect, which exhibits these variations in the workings of the mind. CHAPTER CXXVIII. THE VACUUM OF BRAHMA AND THE SIGHT OF THE WORLD THEREIN. Argument:--Vipaschita’s wanderings beyond the sphere of the world and the regions of darkness.