法苑珠林 3.38

3.38

As the *Sūtra on the Origination of the World* (*Lokasthiti-sūtra*) states: Across the other three continents, all have the customs of marriage between men and women. The people of Uttarakuru possess no notion of 'I' or 'mine'; if the tree branches droop, men and women engage in union and have no marriages. The dragons (nāgas), garuḍas, asuras, and the like all have customs and rituals of marriage between males and females, broadly resembling those of the human world. The devas of the six desire realms and the Māra devas all have marriage, broadly stated as before. From here upwards, all the devas no longer marry, because there is no distinction between male and female. When the people of the four continents engage in sexual desire, their two sexual organs come into contact and impure fluids discharge. When all the dragons, garuḍas, and the like engage in sexual desire, their two sexual organs come into contact, but only a breath of air is expelled to obtain satisfaction, without any impure fluids. When the devas of the Thirty-three engage in sexual desire, the organs meet to bring satisfaction, and likewise only air is expelled, no different from the dragons and birds mentioned above. The Yāma devas attain sexual satisfaction by holding hands; the Tuṣita devas attain sexual satisfaction by mindfulness; the Nirmāṇarati devas attain sexual satisfaction by gazing intently; the Paranirmitavaśavartin devas attain sexual satisfaction by conversing; the devas of Māra's retinue attain sexual satisfaction by looking at one another; in all cases they attain satisfaction and fulfill their sexual desire. Furthermore, the *Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra* states: When the devas of the Four Heavenly Kings seek a celestial maiden, only after her family consents may they receive her, either through barter or purchase. The devas of the desire realm are likewise. The humans of Jambudvīpa, the other three continents, the devas of the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Trāyastriṃśa devas must harmonize and unite to fulfill sexual desire. The Yāma devas fulfill desire by embracing. The Tuṣita devas fulfill desire by holding hands. The Nirmāṇarati devas fulfill desire by smiling together. The Paranirmitavaśavartin devas fulfill desire by gazing at each other. The humans of Western Godānīya experience sensual pleasures twice as superior to those of Jambudvīpa. In this way, progressing sequentially, up to the Paranirmitavaśavartin devas, whose sensual pleasures are twice as superior to those of the Nirmāṇarati devas. Among the humans of the other four continents, some consume coarse food and some experience gestation. Among the various goddesses in the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings, there is neither coarse food nor gestation; neither do they give birth to children nor do they cradle children. When males and females are born, whether upon the knees or at the sleeping place, children are born. If born at a woman's place, the celestial maiden thinks, 'This is my child,' and the male deva also says, 'This is my child'; thus there is only one father and one mother. If born upon the father's knees or at his sleeping place, there is only one father, yet all his wives and concubines may be considered mothers. There are also practitioners who remain free from sexual desire until death. The sexual desires of the devas of the Four Heavenly Kings are immeasurable and countless; yet there are also practitioners who remain free from sexual desire until death. All the devas of the desire realm are likewise. Generally, all women find pleasure in touch; all men find pleasure in the discharge of impure fluids; the devas of the desire realm find pleasure in the release of air. Furthermore, the *New Vibhāṣā* states, quoting a sūtra: At the beginning of the kalpa, humans had no male or female sexual organs, and their forms did not differ. Later, having eaten the savory earth (bhūmi-rasa), male and female sexual organs arose, and from this arose the distinction between male and female. The form realm is free from solid food (kavaḍīkārāhāra), and thus lacks these two organs. Some say: 'The male and female organs are useful in the desire realm, not in the form realm; therefore they lack them. The nose and tongue organs are useful in the desire realm, not in the form realm; therefore they lack them.' Question: Are the devas of the form realm female or male? Answer: It should be said: 'They are all male. Although they lack male organs, they possess other masculine marks, and because they are capable of relinquishing defilement, they are called male.'