法苑珠林 3.26

3.26

如立世阿毘曇論云。時帝釋將諸天眾。欲園遊戲至善法堂。諸天圍遶恭敬入園。善法堂內最中柱邊有師子座。帝釋升坐。左右二邊各十六天王行列而坐。其餘諸天隨其高下依次而坐。時天帝釋有二太子。一名栴檀。二名脩毘羅。是忉利天二大將軍。在三十三天左右而坐。時提頭賴吒天王依東門坐。共諸大臣及與軍眾。恭敬諸天得入中坐。時毘留勒叉天王依南門坐。共諸大臣及軍眾。恭敬諸天得入中坐。時毘留博叉天王依西門坐。時毘沙門天王依北門坐（並如前也得入中坐）。是四天王於善法堂。世間善惡奏聞帝釋及忉利天。時佛世尊說如是事。是月八日四天王大臣遍行世間次第觀察。當於今日若多若少。受持八戒。若多若少皆行布施。若多若少修福德行。若多若少恭敬父母沙門婆羅門家內尊長。月十四日十五日亦如是。若無多人受持八戒布施恭敬。爾時四王往法堂。所諮問帝釋說如是事。是時諸天帝釋聞此事已。生憂惱心。說如是言。是事非善。非法家中諸天尊長諸天眷屬。方應減損。脩羅伴侶日向增多。若受持八戒布施修福。恭敬沙門尊長等。四王諮問。諸天帝釋心生歡喜。說如是言。是事甚善。如法諸天眷屬日向滋多。脩羅伴侶稍就減少。故引佛說祇夜偈言。

As the Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra states: At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, leading the multitude of devas, wished to play and amuse himself in the park and went to the Hall of the Good Dharma. The devas surrounded him and respectfully entered the park. In the very centre of the Hall of the Good Dharma, beside a pillar, was a lion throne. Śakra mounted the throne, and sixteen deva kings sat in rows to his left and right respectively. The rest of the devas sat in order according to their rank. At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, had two princes: one named Candana and the other named Suvīra. They were the two great generals of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, and sat to the left and right of the Thirty-Three Gods. At that time, the Deva King Dhṛtarāṣṭra sat by the eastern gate, and together with his ministers and military host, revering the devas, was permitted to enter and sit inside. At that time, the Deva King Virūḍhaka sat by the southern gate, and together with his ministers and military host, revering the devas, was permitted to enter and sit inside. At that time, the Deva King Virūpākṣa sat by the western gate, and at that time the Deva King Vaiśravaṇa sat by the northern gate (both as before were also permitted to enter and sit inside). These Four Heavenly Kings in the Hall of the Good Dharma reported the good and bad deeds of the world to Śakra and the Trāyastriṃśa devas. At that time the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, spoke of such matters: On the eighth day of the month, the ministers of the Four Heavenly Kings travel throughout the world and observe in succession whether today, in greater or lesser numbers, people uphold the eight precepts, whether in greater or lesser numbers they all practice dāna, whether in greater or lesser numbers they cultivate deeds of merit, and whether in greater or lesser numbers they show reverence to parents, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and family elders. The fourteenth and fifteenth days are also like this. If not many people uphold the eight precepts, practice dāna, and show reverence, the Four Kings then proceed to the Dharma Hall to consult Śakra and speak of such things. At that time, the devas and Śakra, having heard this, give rise to worry and grief in their hearts, saying: 'This is not good. The elders and retinues of the gods in households that are not according to Dharma are bound to decline, while the companions of the asuras will increase day by day.' If people uphold the eight precepts, practice dāna, cultivate merit, and revere śramaṇas, elders, and so forth, when the Four Kings report this, the devas and Śakra rejoice in their hearts, saying: 'This is most excellent! The retinues of the devas who accord with Dharma will increase day by day, and the companions of the asuras will gradually diminish.' Therefore, quoting the Buddha's spoken geya verse: