法苑珠林 2.30

2.30

Regarding the first [group], the Four Heavenly Kings: according to the Dīrgha-āgama, the Heavenly King of the east is named Duoluocha, which means Ruler of the State (the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra calls him Dhṛtarāṣṭra); he commands gandharvas and piśācas as divine generals, protecting the people of Pūrvavideha from being harmed. The Heavenly King of the south is named Biliuli, which means Ruler of Growth (the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra calls him Virūḍhaka); he commands kumbhāṇḍas and pretas, generals who protect the people of Jambudvīpa. The Heavenly King of the west is named Biliubocha, which means Ruler of Diverse Languages (the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra calls him Virūpākṣa); he commands all nāgas and pūtanas, generals who protect the people of Aparagodānīya. The Heavenly King of the north is named Vaiśravaṇa, which means Ruler of Much Learning; he commands yakṣas and rākṣasas, generals who protect the people of Uttarakuru. The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: "In standard Sanskrit, Śakra Devānām-Indra should be pronounced Devānām-Indra; Śakra means 'able' in Qin, deva means 'god' (deva), and indra means 'lord' (indra). Combined, it means 'Able Lord of the Devas'." Suyāma means "wondrously good" in Qin; Tuṣita means "wondrous contentment" in Qin; Sunirmita means "delighting in transformations" in Qin; and Vaśavartin means "freely transforming others" in Qin. The king of the Brahmā heavens is named Śikhin (which means "great crest" in Qin, or alternatively "great vessel"). The Śuddhāvāsa heavens mean "Pure Abodes" in Qin. (This explains only the essentials following the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra, touching briefly upon some heavens; the other names of the heavens above are fully stated in the Vibhāṣā-śāstra, but because the text would be burdensome they cannot all be recorded here.) The Madhyama-āgama says: At that time, a certain monk came to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, withdrew to stand to one side, and said to the Buddha, "World-Honoured One, for what reason is he named Śakra Devānām-Indra?" The Buddha told the monk, "When Śakra Devānām-Indra was formerly a human being, he practiced generous giving to śramaṇas, brahmins, the poor, and the destitute, providing them with food and drink, money and property, lamps, and so forth; because of his great capability he is called Śakra Devānām-Indra." [The monk asked,] "Again, for what reason is he named Purandara?" [The Buddha] replied, "When he was formerly a human being, he gave alms repeatedly—clothing, food and drink, and even lamps; therefore he is named Purandara." [The monk asked,] "Again, for what reason is he named Maghavan?" [The Buddha] replied, "When he was formerly a human being, his personal name was Maghava; so he was named after his original name." [The monk asked,] "Again, for what reason is he named Vāsava?" [The Buddha] replied, "When he was formerly a human being, he made offerings and donations of vāsas garments; therefore he is named Vāsava." [The monk asked,] "Again, for what reason is he named Kauśika?" [The Buddha] replied, "Because when he was formerly a human being, he belonged to the Kauśika clan." [The monk asked,] "Again, for what reason is he named Śacīpati?" [The Buddha] replied, "Because that Śacī is the chief queen of the heavenly emperor Śakra." [The monk asked,] "Again, for what reason is he named Thousand-Eyed (Sahasrākṣa)?" [The Buddha] replied, "When he was formerly a human being, he was clever and wise, contemplating, examining, and weighing a thousand kinds of meanings in a single sitting." [The monk asked,] "Again, for what reason is he named Indra?" [The Buddha] replied, "Because the heavenly lord is the master over all the thirty-two heavens." The Buddha told the monk, "Yet when that Śakra Devānām-Indra was formerly a human being, he received and kept seven precepts, by which he attained the state of Śakra, Lord of the Devas. What are the seven? Namely, making offerings to parents, and so on up to practicing generosity impartially. As the verses of the sūtra say, he became Śakra, Lord of the Devas."