大方廣佛華嚴經疏 5.22

5.22

Second is the assembly of the eight classes and the Four Heavenly Kings. The text has eight sections: the first four are miscellaneous classes; the latter four, as the governing leaders, are heavenly kings, while the governed are the eight classes. Now to begin with the first. An asura is also called an *asura*; this is merely a difference between the regional Sanskrit pronunciations of Chu and Xia. The *Vibhāṣā* translates it as 'non-god' (*adevano* / *asura*). The *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* states: 'They are subsumed under the destiny of the gods, but because they largely practice flattery and deceit and lack the true practice of gods, they are called non-gods.' According to the *Abhidharma*, they are also subsumed under the destiny of ghosts, because they are veiled by deceit and crookedness. The *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra* subsumes them under both ghosts and animals, because the asura Rāhu is a lion's son. The *Gāthā-sūtra* subsumes them under gods, ghosts, and animals, possessing all the explanations above. For this reason, the destinies are sometimes opened into six and sometimes combined into five. They mostly delight in fighting and wrangling, harboring thoughts of victory and defeat. Some dwell in Mount Citrakūṭa, and some dwell beneath the sea, as explained in the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna*. However, those who possess great power do so because they extensively cultivated merit. Those today who cultivate merit while harboring minds of victory, defeat, and flattery are mostly reborn among them. Rāhu here translates as 'holding afflictions' [or 'eclipse/grasping'], because he can use his hand to conceal and grasp the sun and moon, causing distress to the devas. Second, *Vima* translates here as 'thread'; *citra* means 'various'—meaning this king can use a single thread to conjure various phenomena. Among their virtues, for the real ones, conceit is present in both cause and effect; the provisionally manifested ones specifically destroy it, though not without cutting off the rest as well, hence the text says 'and'. Second, the garuḍa was formerly called 'golden-winged', but properly it is called 'wondrous-winged' (suparṇa), because its wings are adorned with various jewel-like colors. This translates according to its appearance. If translated directly by equivalence, it is called 'great-croppy-necked' (mahāgalātmā / *galā*), because it constantly deposits nāgas in its crop. This bird can consume and digest fish, nāgas, and the seven jewels. Furthermore, birds and nāgas each possess the four modes of birth: egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born. Each subsequent mode surpasses the preceding ones; an inferior cannot eat a superior, meaning an egg-born bird cannot eat a womb-born [nāga], and so forth; the superior can devour the inferior, and the transformation-born eats all four modes of birth, as explained in the *Ekottarika-āgama*. Consuming the transformation-born with the transformation-born temporarily fills the stomach, and it also symbolizes the bodhisattva gathering in sentient beings. The 'Chapter on Leaving the World' states: 'The garuḍa that is the bodhisattva takes wish-fulfillment as firm feet, […] up to seizing humans, devas, and nāgas to place them on the shore of nirvāṇa.' Regarding 'power of great swiftness', the *Ekottarika-āgama* explains: When this bird eats a nāga, it descends from the iron-fork tree atop the Vajra Mountain, plunges into the sea to seize the nāga, and before the waters have closed again, it has already returned to its original tree. This is its swiftness. The 'power of gathering and holding in the great sea' refers to gathering and eating those whose lifespans are about to expire. But if a nāga has received the three refuges or has a single thread of a kāṣāya on its body, it cannot be seized. The bodhisattvas are likewise, as quoted earlier from the 'Chapter on Leaving the World'. Moreover, the 'Manifestation Chapter' states: 'Taking sentient beings whose wholesome roots have ripened and placing them within the Buddhadharma' is what is meant by the lifespan expiring. If their minds adhere to false refuges and are obscured by the view of annihilation, they cannot be taken. 'Universally contemplating the ocean' means circling the four continents in search of nāgas whose lifespans are ending. Among the virtues, the 'power of great expedient means' refers to being able to enter existence while fully understanding the emptiness of sentient beings, which is the calm abiding and insight (śamatha-vipaśyanā) of the ten powers. 'Universally able to rescue and gather' refers to agitating the ocean water of the great thirst of saṃsāra to retrieve those whose wholesome roots have matured, as explained in the 'Manifestation Chapter'. Third, kinnaras are called here 'doubtful spirits'. Because they have a single horn on their heads, their bodies resemble humans, and their faces are extremely handsome, onlookers conceive doubt: 'Is this a human? Or is this a non-human?' Hence they are designated by this name. According to the *Abhidharma-saṃyuktābhidharma-hṛdaya-śāstra*, they are subsumed under the destiny of animals. They are also called 'singing spirits' because they can sing melodies; they are the spirits who perform Dharma music for the Lord of the Devas, and are attendants of the Four Heavenly Kings. They symbolize the bodhisattva manifesting the form of a sentient being while not being an [ordinary] sentient being, constantly gladdening sentient beings with the joy of Dharma. Among the virtues, diligently contemplating is necessary to attain the joy of Dharma and soothe the spirit; bringing joy both to oneself and others constitutes their sovereign sporting. Fourth, mahoragas are called here 'great-belly-goers'—that is, the python kind. They also symbolize the bodhisattva coursing everywhere while having nowhere coursed. Among their virtues, because this kind is deaf and dull, they cause them through expedient means to abandon delusion. Fifth, the yakṣa kings: the first is the Heavenly King of the North, namely Vaiśravaṇa. If considered from what governs, he is subsumed under the assembly of gods; here he is named from what he governs. However, each of the Four Kings governs two classes, and the title is established from one of them. Yakṣa translates here as 'swift and agile', because they fly through the air quickly. They are also called 'miserable-lived'. This heavenly king also governs another class called rākṣasas, which translates here as 'terrifying'. As for the name Vaiśravaṇa, it translates as 'much-hearing' (bahuśruta), because the fame of his blessed virtues is heard throughout the four directions. This one is the king of the heavenly yakṣas, while the remaining nine are yakṣas. The yakṣas themselves are kings; although one is a deva, he is named after what he governs, and furthermore the other nine are all yakṣas, hence this is not an assembly of gods. The next three follow this pattern. Just as with Sāgara among the nāgas, could he possibly be a deva? Among the virtues, because this class flies through the air and devours humans, the bodhisattva manifests as their king, thereby reversing it to offer protection and also preventing the rākṣasas of craving and views from harming the wisdom-life of the dharmakāya. Sixth, the nāga kings: the first is also a deva, namely the Heavenly King of the West, Virūpākṣa. The Tripiṭaka Master of the Tang translated this as 'ugly eyes', *virū* meaning ugly and *akṣa* meaning eyes. The Tripiṭaka Master Divākara translated: *vi* means pervasive and manifold; *rū* is fully *rūpa*, which translates as form; *pakṣa* translates here as the sense faculties. It means the eyes and other faculties possess various forms and colors, hence it is used as the name; it does not necessarily mean ugly. This king presides over two classes, namely nāgas and pūtanas. Pūtana translates here as 'fever ghosts'. Sāgara translates here as 'ocean'. Because he is the most exalted within the great ocean, he alone receives this name. Takṣaka was formerly translated as 'many-tongued', because he was fond of talking. Correctly, it means 'able to harm what can be harmed': *takṣa* means able to harm, and *ka* means what is harmed. It means that if he hisses or glares in anger, humans and animals will all die. 'Free from fever' (Anavatapta) refers to the nāga of Lake Anavatapta. Nāgas are subject to four burning afflictions, but he is entirely free from them now. The four fevers will be explained below. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra* states: 'This nāga is a seventh-stage bodhisattva.' The *Sumerugarbha-sūtra* states: 'He is the nāga lord in horse form.' Furthermore, all nāgas are divided into five physical types: first, elephant-shaped, with the nāga king Supratiṣṭhita as lord; second, serpent-shaped, with the nāga king Nanda as lord; third, horse-shaped, with the nāga king Anavatapta as lord; fourth, fish-shaped, with the nāga king Varuṇa as lord; fifth, frog-shaped, with the nāga king Manasvin as lord. Among the virtues, externally they make clouds move and rain fall, dispelling burning poisons; internally their clouds of compassion broadly cover and their Dharma rain universally moistens, dispelling the burning afflictions of karmic defilements and suffering. Seventh, the kumbhāṇḍa kings: the first is the Heavenly King of the South, namely Virūḍhaka. This translates as 'Lord of Increase', meaning he can cause one's own and others' wholesome roots to increase. This king also governs another class, namely the preta. Preta translates here as 'nightmare-incubus ghosts' (*vaitāḍa* / *pretas*); the rest is as in the phonetic commentaries. Among the virtues, because this class has deep and heavy hindrances, non-obstruction is specifically clarified: they themselves train in the light of wisdom of the dharmadhātu of non-obstruction between the provisional and the real in order to benefit sentient beings. Eighth, gandharvas translate here as 'scent-seekers'. Because various musicians do not engage in standard livelihoods, but merely follow the scent of food and drink from various households and go there to play music and seek food to sustain themselves, worldly people therefore designate all musicians as gandharvas. Because they can perform music, they are named accordingly. They are also called 'scent-eaters', dwelling between the ten jewel mountains and feeding on various powdered incenses. They are the spirits who perform music for Śakra, the Lord of the Devas. When Śakra desires music, a sign appears on this king's body. Dhṛtarāṣṭra is the Heavenly King of the East; this translates as 'holder of the realm', meaning he protects and holds the country and brings peace to sentient beings; he is named here after what he governs. He also governs another class named piśācas, which translates here as 'essence-eaters', meaning they consume the vitality of sentient beings and the essence of the five grains. Among the virtues, the great Dharma is the Dharma of great dependent origination; through faith and understanding, through profound joy, and because of deep love and reverence, they practice without remiss.