Confusion over the great world system
Namo Amituofo 🙏
Hi everyone, so I have a question on a subject I am a bit confused about and want to know more about.
So it is about the great world system in Buddhism, so a great world system is the teaching range of one Buddha it contains 1 billion unit worlds all with there own 4 continents and mount merus, now it is said it expands and contracts but recently I have been told by ai (this is why I am verifying) that actually it doesn't literally mean expansion or contraction all it means is worlds appear and then contraction just means they get destroyed and the great world system does not actually expand or contract physically you know like a balloon.
I am confused so does the great world system itself expand and contract? Or does it just means worlds appear and decay leaving empty space rather than the great world system shrinking.
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to reply.