法苑珠林 3.19

3.19

問曰。諸天住處。其義云何。答曰。如婆沙論說。天雖有三十二。住處但有二十八重。以彼四空絕離形報。故無別處。遍在欲色二界之中。但隨欲色二界眾生成就四空無色業者。隨命終處即便受彼無色界報故。無別處不同．大乘說有色也。其二十八重者。謂須彌山。根從地上昇去地四千由旬。繞山縱廣一萬由旬。是干手天於中止住。復上昇一倍。繞山八千由旬。是彼持花鬘天於中止住。復上一倍遶山四千由旬。是彼常放逸天於中止住。復上一倍遶山四千由旬。是彼日月星宿天於中止住。復上一倍遶山四千由旬。是彼四天王天於中止住（其中由有七種金山是四天王城邑聚落悉在其中也）。復上昇四萬由旬至須彌山頂縱廣四萬由旬。其中有善見城。縱廣一萬由旬。面別有其千門。三十三天於中止住。即從此山昇虛空四萬由旬。有處如雲七寶所成。其猶大地。是焰摩天於中止住。復上一倍有地如雲。七寶所成。是兜率陀天。復上一倍有地如雲。七寶所成。是化樂天。復上一倍有地如雲。七寶所成。是化自在天。如是乃至色界究竟天。皆悉有地如雲。七寶所成。相去皆倍不煩具說。依順正理論云。三十三天迷盧山頂。其頂四面各二十千。若據周圍數成八萬。有餘師說。面各八十千。與下際四邊其量無別。山頂四角各有一峯。其高廣量各有五百。有藥叉神名金剛手。於中止住守護諸天。於山頂中有宮名善見。面二千半。周萬踰繕那。金城量高一踰繕那半。其地平坦。亦真金所成。俱用百一雜寶嚴飾。地觸柔軟如妬羅綿。於踐躡時隨足高下。是天帝釋所都大城。城有千門嚴飾壯麗門有五百青衣藥叉。勇健端嚴長一踰繕那量。各嚴鎧仗防守城門。於其城中有殊勝殿。種種妙寶具足莊嚴蔽天宮。故名殊勝。面二百五十。周千踰繕那。是謂城中諸可愛事。城外四面四苑莊嚴。是彼諸天共游戲處。一眾車苑謂此苑中隨天福力種種車現。二麁惡苑。天欲戰時隨其所須甲仗等現。三雜林苑。諸天入中所玩皆同俱生勝喜。四喜林苑。極妙欲塵雜類俱臻歷觀無厭。如是四苑形皆異方。一一周千踰繕那量。居各有一如意池面各五十踰繕那量。八功德水瀰滿其中。隨欲四苑花鳥香林莊飾。業果差別難可思議天福。城外西南角有大善法堂。三十三天時集諦。辯制伏阿素洛等如法不如法事。

Question: What is the meaning of the abodes of the various devas? Answer: As stated in the Vibhāṣā, although there are thirty-two heavens, their abodes comprise only twenty-eight tiers. Because the four formless [heavens] are entirely free from physical retribution, they have no separate places; they permeate the desire and form realms. Merely, as sentient beings of the desire and form realms accomplish the formless karma of the four immaterial states, they immediately receive the retribution of that formless realm wherever they die; hence there is no separate place, unlike the Mahāyāna teaching that there is form. As for the twenty-eight tiers: from the base of Mount Sumeru on the ground, ascending 4,000 yojanas above the earth, encircling the mountain for an extent of 10,000 yojanas, this is where the Shield-in-Hand (Karahatta) Devas abide. Ascending double that height again, encircling the mountain for 8,000 yojanas, is where the Garland-Bearer (Mālādhāra) Devas abide. Ascending double that height again, encircling the mountain for 4,000 yojanas, is where the Ever-Intoxicated (Sadāmatta) Devas abide. Ascending double that height again, encircling the mountain for 4,000 yojanas, is where the Devas of the Sun, Moon, and Stars abide. Ascending double that height again, encircling the mountain for 4,000 yojanas, is where the Cāturmahārājakāyika Devas abide (within this, because there are seven golden mountains, the cities and villages of the Four Heavenly Kings are all situated therein). Ascending again 40,000 yojanas to the summit of Mount Sumeru, which measures 40,000 yojanas in extent, therein is the City of Sudarśana, 10,000 yojanas in extent, with a thousand gates on each face; the Trāyastriṃśa Devas abide therein. Ascending 40,000 yojanas into the open sky from this mountain, there is a place like clouds formed of the seven jewels, resembling the great earth; this is where the Yāma Devas abide. Ascending double that height again, there is ground like clouds formed of the seven jewels; this is the Tuṣita Heaven. Ascending double that height again, there is ground like clouds formed of the seven jewels; this is the Nirmāṇarati Heaven. Ascending double that height again, there is ground like clouds formed of the seven jewels; this is the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven. In this manner, up to the Akaniṣṭha Heaven of the Form Realm, all have ground like clouds formed of the seven jewels, their distances doubling consecutively; it is not necessary to speak of them in detail. According to the Nyāyānusāra: The Trāyastriṃśa Heaven is on the summit of Mount Meru. The four sides of its summit are each twenty thousand [yojanas]; if calculated by circumference, it amounts to eighty thousand. Other masters say each side is eighty thousand, no different in measure from the four sides of the lower base. The four corners of the summit each have a peak, each 500 in height and breadth. There is a yakṣa spirit named Vajrapāṇi who abides therein, guarding the devas. In the center of the mountain summit is a palace named Sudarśana, two and a half thousand [yojanas] on each face, and ten thousand yojanas in circumference. The golden walls are one and a half yojanas high. Its ground is flat and level, also formed of genuine gold, adorned and decorated throughout with one hundred and one varied jewels. The touch of the ground is soft, like cotton; when stepped upon, it yields and rises with the foot. This is the great capital city of Śakra, King of the Gods. The city has a thousand gates, magnificent and stately in ornamentation; at each gate are five hundred blue-clad yakṣas, brave, handsome, and one yojana in height, each equipped with armor and weapons to guard the city gates. In the city there is the Vaijayanta Palace, fully adorned with various wonderful gems, surpassing celestial palaces, hence named Vaijayanta. It is 250 [yojanas] on each face and 1,000 yojanas in circumference. These are the delightful things in the city. Outside the city on its four sides, four parks serve as adornments, which are the places where the devas frolic together: first is the Chariot-Assembly Park (Caitraratha), where various chariots manifest according to the devas' meritorious power; second is the Harsh Park (Pāruṣyaka), where armor, weapons, and the like manifest as needed when the devas wish to battle; third is the Mixed Forest Park (Miśraka), where upon entering, whatever the devas enjoy is the same, together producing supreme joy; fourth is the Joyful Forest Park (Nandana), where the most wondrous sensual pleasures and diverse sights arrive together, so that viewing them brings no satiety. These four parks differ in their cardinal directions, each being 1,000 yojanas in circumference. In each there is a Wish-Fulfilling Pond, each 50 yojanas on a side, filled to the brim with water of eight virtues. As desired, the four parks are adorned with flowers, birds, and fragrant forests, the differences of their karmic fruit being inconceivable celestial merits. In the southwest corner outside the city is the great Hall of Good Dharma (Sudharmā), where the Trāyastriṃśa Devas gather at times to examine and debate the subjugation of the asuras and matters that are according to or contrary to the Dharma.