妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.48

2.48

The commentary: Above, the five internal protective assemblies were explained; below, the ten external protective assemblies are explained. Among them, humans and non-humans make two parts. Among non-humans, devas and non-devas make two parts. Among devas, the desire and form realms make two parts. The desire realm has three: first, Śakra; second, the Four Heavenly Kings; third, Vaśavartin; this is the first. Alternatively, terrestrial dwellers and aerial dwellers make two parts; among terrestrial dwellers, Śakra and the Four Kings make two parts; this is the first. In Sanskrit it is Śakra-devānām-indra: Śakra is the clan name, translated here as 'Able'; deva is 'deva'; indra is 'lord'. Correctly it is 'Able Deva-Lord'. 'Shitihuan'in' says 'Deva-Lord Śakra', both being corrupt and inverted. He dwells upon the summit of Mount Meru, the sovereign lord of the Trāyastriṃśa devas. In the past his personal name was Kauśika, translated here as 'Cocoon-Child'; his proper name was Amagadha, translated here as 'Without Malice', which is the Magadha country, the place where Śakra practiced the causes in the past being used as the name of the country. That country in antiquity was named 'Place of Bringing Amṛta', which refers to the beginning of the kalpa when Śakra fought with the asuras: using a mountain as a pestle to churn the milk-ocean, he obtained amṛta and brought it to this land, hence named after it. In the past, Śakra had thirty-two companions, and had Lady Sudharmā, Lady Pārijātaka, Lady Nandā, and Lady Śacī, who cultivated superior karma together; therefore they were born into the heavens, where there are the Sudharmā Hall, the Pārijātaka Tree, the Nandana Garden, the asura maiden Lady Śacī. These origins and conditions are as in the Commentary on the Samayabhedoparacanacakra.