法苑珠林 3.10

3.10

Question: What is the clothing of the various devas like? Answer: As the sūtras state, throughout the six heavens of the six desire realms, all wear celestial garments and fly about at will. Looking upon them, they resemble robes complete with radiant light and colour, incomparable to the silk fabrics of the worldly realm. Although the clothing of the devas of the form realm is called celestial garments, it is just like radiance, increasingly superior and subtle, beyond description. As the Qishi jing states: 'The devas of the Cāturmahārājakāyika are half a yojana tall; their garments are one yojana long, half a yojana wide, and weigh half a liang. The bodies of the Trāyastriṃśa devas are one yojana tall; their garments are two yojanas long, one yojana wide, and weigh half a liang. The bodies of the Yāma devas are two yojanas tall; their garments are four yojanas long and weigh one-fourth of a liang. The bodies of the Tuṣita devas are four yojanas tall; their garments are eight yojanas long, four yojanas wide, and weigh one-eighth of a liang. The bodies of the Nirmāṇarati devas are eight yojanas tall; their garments are sixteen yojanas long, eight yojanas wide, and weigh one-sixteenth of a liang. The bodies of the Paranirmitavaśavartin devas are sixteen yojanas tall; their garments are thirty-two yojanas long, sixteen yojanas wide, and weigh one-thirty-second of a liang. The devas of Māra's retinue are thirty-two yojanas tall; their garments are sixty-four yojanas long, thirty-two yojanas wide, and weigh one-sixty-fourth of a liang. From this level upwards, the height of the devas' bodies and the size of their garments are exactly equal without difference.' The Qishi jing states: 'The garments of the devas of the desire realm have diverse adornments that cannot be fully recounted. However, for the two heavens of Nirmāṇarati and Paranirmitavaśavartin, the garments they wear vary in size according to their minds; lightness and heaviness are also like this. The devas of the form realm do not wear clothes, yet it is no different from wearing them; although their heads have no chignon, it resembles a celestial crown; they have no male or female characteristics, their form being of one single kind.' The Dīrghāgama states: 'The garments of the Trāyastriṃśa devas weigh six zhu; the garments of the Yāma devas weigh three zhu; the garments of the Tuṣita devas weigh one and a half zhu; the garments of the Nirmāṇarati devas weigh one zhu; the garments of the Paranirmitavaśavartin devas weigh half a zhu.' The Nyāyānusāra states: 'When the hosts of devas of the form realm are first born, their bodily dimensions are fully complete just like clothing.'