འཕགས་པ་གནས་འཇག་པའ་མད་ཞས་བྱ་བ 8

8

will be a rebirth equal in status to the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Vasiṣṭha, this is what I had in mind when I proclaimed, ‘In comparison to the happiness of the god realms, sovereignty in the human realm is of paltry worth.’

“Vasiṣṭha, that which among humans is two hundred years is but one day for the gods of the Heaven Free from Strife. Fifteen of those spans of one day equal half a month, and thirty such days equal a month, and twelve such months equal a year. By that way of calculating, whatever constitutes two thousand years, that is the lifespan for the gods of the Heaven Free from Strife. If calculated by human standards, it is one hundred and forty-four million years.²² Upon separation from the body, the fate of a faithful son or daughter of a good family, one who maintains the eightfold observance of the noble ones a single time, will be a rebirth equal in status to the gods of the Heaven Free from Strife. Vasiṣṭha, this is what I had in mind when I proclaimed, ‘In comparison to the happiness of the god realms, sovereignty in the human realm is of paltry worth.’

“Vasiṣṭha, that which among humans is four hundred years is but one day for the gods of the Heaven of Joy. Fifteen of those spans of one day equal half a month, and thirty such days equal a month, and twelve such months equal a year. Just so, by that way of calculating years, whatever constitutes four thousand years for the gods, that is the lifespan for the gods of the Heaven of Joy. If calculated by human standards, it is five hundred and seventy-six million years. Vasiṣṭha, upon separation from the body, the fate of a faithful son or daughter of a good family, one who maintains the eightfold observance of the noble ones a single time, will be a rebirth equal in status to the gods of the Heaven of Joy. Vasiṣṭha, this is what I had in mind when I proclaimed, ‘In comparison to the happiness of the god realms, sovereignty in the human realm is of paltry worth.’

“Vasiṣṭha, that which among humans is eight hundred years