[56] "There comes a time, Vāseṭṭha, when at some point or other, after the passing of a long stretch of time, this world contracts. While the world is contracting, beings are for the most part destined for the realm of Streaming Radiance (Ābhassara). There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture (pīti), self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory; and they remain so for a long, long stretch of time. There comes a time, Vāseṭṭha, when at some point or other, after the passing of a long stretch of time, this world expands. While the world is expanding, beings for the most part pass away from the company of the Streaming Radiance and come to this state of existence. And they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory; and they remain so for a long, long stretch of time.
Now at that time, Vāseṭṭha, all was one mass of water — darkness, a blinding gloom of darkness. Neither moon nor sun was discerned; neither constellations nor stars were discerned; night and day were not discerned; the month and the fortnight were not discerned; the seasons and the year were not discerned; female and male were not discerned. Beings were reckoned simply as 'beings.'
Then, Vāseṭṭha, at some point or other, after the passing of a long stretch of time, savorous earth (rasapaṭhavī) spread itself over the water for those beings. Just as a film forms on the top of heated milk-rice as it cools, even so did it appear. It was endowed with color, endowed with fragrance, endowed with taste. Its color was like that of fine ghee or fine butter; its taste was like that of flawless honey of the small bee.
Then, Vāseṭṭha, a certain being of greedy nature, thinking, 'Well now, what might this be?' tasted the savorous earth with his finger. As he tasted the savorous earth with his finger, it pleased him, and craving (taṇhā) entered into him. Other beings too, Vāseṭṭha, following that being's example, tasted the savorous earth with their fingers. As they tasted the savorous earth with their fingers, it pleased them, and craving entered into them.
Then, Vāseṭṭha, those beings set about eating the savorous earth, breaking off lumps of it with their hands. And when, Vāseṭṭha, the beings set about eating the savorous earth, breaking off lumps of it with their hands, then those beings' self-luminance vanished. When their self-luminance had vanished, the moon and sun appeared; when the moon and sun had appeared, the constellations and stars appeared; when the constellations and stars had appeared, night and day were discerned; when night and day were discerned, the month and the fortnight were discerned; when the month and the fortnight were discerned, the seasons and the year were discerned. To this extent, Vāseṭṭha, this world had evolved again."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.