分別功德論 1.11

1.11

What is meant by nāgas being incomprehensible? Whenever clouds are raised and rain is brought forth, it is entirely due to nāgas raining it down, issuing from the nāga's eyes, ears, nose, or mouth. Does it come from the body, or does it come from the mind? Dwelling dependent on Mount Sumeru there are five classes of devas who can also make rain fall. How does one distinguish the rain of nāgas from the rain of devas? As for the rain of devas, that which falls as fine mist is it; that which falls coarsely is the rain of nāgas. What are the five classes of devas? First, the Crooked-Legged Devas; second, the Summit Devas; third, the Indolent Devas; fourth, the Abundant-Power Devas; fifth, the Four Heavenly Kings. When the asuras raise troops to go up to the heavens to fight, they first fight with the Crooked-Legged Devas. Gaining victory, they then proceed next to the Summit, next to the Indolent, and to the Four Heavenly Kings, up to the Thirty-Three Devas. When the lower four heavens wish to fight, they repel the enemy with rain, having no other weapons. There are two kinds of rain: there is joyous rain, and there is angry rain. Harmonious and gentle rainfall is joyous; thunder, hail, and lightning bolts are angry. Asuras also send down rain, devas also drop rain, and nāgas also send down rain. Each brings forth rain, and the principle cannot be definitively fixed. Therefore it is said that the rain of nāgas is incomprehensible.