Dighanikaya 17: 4. Mahāsudassanasuttavaṇṇanā

Explanation of the Royal City of Kusāvatī

"Thus have I heard" introduces the Mahāsudassana Sutta. Herein, this is the explanation of novel terms: 'Made entirely of jewels'—here, one brick was made of gold, one made of silver, one made of beryl, one made of crystal, one made of ruby, one made of masāragalla stone, and one made of all jewels; this rampart was inner to all the ramparts, sixty cubits in height. However, some elders say: "A city should indeed look handsome to those standing inside and looking out; therefore the outermost was sixty cubits, and the rest progressively lower." Others say: "It should look handsome to those standing outside and looking in; therefore the innermost was sixty cubits, and the rest progressively lower." Still others say: "It should look handsome to those standing both inside and outside looking; therefore the middle rampart was sixty cubits, and there were three each, progressively lower, on the inside and the outside."

'Esikā' means a city-gate pillar. 'Tiporisaṅgā' means: one porisa is five cubits according to the hand of a mid-sized man; therefore its meaning is 'having a circumference of three porisas, a measure of fifteen cubits'. Now, how did they stand? Outside the city, one beside each great doorpost, one beside each small doorpost, and three between each great door and small door. Among the palm tree groves, regarding the palms made of all jewels, the method where one was made of gold should be understood just as stated for the ramparts; and this same method applies to the leaves and fruits. Moreover, those palm tree groves were eighty cubits in height, each standing one by one between the ramparts upon a level ground strewn with sand.

'Vaggu' means skilled and pleasant. 'Rajanīya' means capable of delighting. 'Khamanīya' means pleasing even when heard all day, not repellent. 'Madanīya' means producing pride, passion, and virile intoxication. 'Pañcaṅgikassa' means possessing these five factors: skin-covered on one face, skin-covered on both faces, completely covered with skin, hollow, and solid. Therein, 'skin-covered on one face' refers to instruments with one face, such as drums covered with hide. 'Skin-covered on both faces' refers to those with two faces. 'Completely covered with skin' refers to those covered entirely. 'Hollow' refers to flutes and the like. 'Solid' refers to cymbals and the like. 'Suvinīta' means well-tuned by tightening, loosening, and so forth. 'Suppaṭitāḷita' means well-struck in order to know that it is in tune. 'Sukusalehi samannāhata' means played by those who are skilled and adept at playing. 'Dhuttā' means dice-gamblers. 'Soṇḍā' means drunkards. Those very ones are 'thirsty' due to the desire to drink repeatedly. 'They enjoyed themselves' means they sported, dancing by moving hand or foot.

Explanation of the Wheel Treasure

'Head-bathed' means bathed with scented water, including the head. 'Observing the Uposatha' means having undertaken the factors of the Uposatha. 'Gone to the upper terrace of the noble palace' means gone to the top of the excellent palace; having eaten good food, having entered the auspicious chamber on the great upper terrace of the noble palace, reflecting upon his moral virtues. At that time, it is said, early in the morning the king spent a hundred thousand and gave a great gift; having bathed his head with sixteen pots of scented water and taken his morning meal, he draped his clean upper robe over one shoulder, sat cross-legged on the auspicious couch on the upper terrace of the palace, and sat reflecting upon the accumulation of his merits consisting of giving and the like. This is the normal rule for all wheel-turning monarchs.

Even as they are reflecting upon that, generated by seasonal conditions supported by wholesome deeds of the described kind, like a mass of lapis lazuli, as if cleaving the surface of the waters of the eastern ocean, as if adorning the sky, the divine wheel treasure appears. That appeared likewise for Mahāsudassana as well. This is called 'divine' because it is endowed with divine power. 'Its spokes were a thousand' means 'thousand-spoked'. 'Together with a rim and together with a hub' means 'with rim and hub'. 'Complete in all aspects' means fully accomplished in every way.

Therein, it is a wheel and also a treasure in the sense of producing delight, hence 'wheel treasure'. Furthermore, regarding that hub through which it is called 'with a hub', it was made of sapphire; in its middle was a core tube made of pure silver, shining as if smiling with a row of clean, smooth teeth, like a moon-disc with an opening in the middle, encircled at both outer rims by a silver band. Upon those bands encircling the hub's core tube, demarcating lines appeared beautifully distributed in appropriate places. This, first of all, is its hub's completeness in all aspects.

Moreover, regarding those spokes through which it is called 'thousand-spoked', they were made of the seven jewels, endowed with radiance like rays of the sun; their demarcating lines, vase-ornaments, and the like also appeared beautifully distributed. This is its spokes' completeness in all aspects.

Furthermore, regarding that rim through which it is called 'with a rim', it was made of bright red, pure, smooth coral, as if mocking the splendour of a cluster of rays of the morning sun. At its joints, glowing with the splendour of twilight colours, bands of red Jambunada gold and circular demarcating lines appeared beautifully distributed. This is its rim's completeness in all aspects.

Moreover, on the surface of its rim, between each group of ten spokes, there is a coral tube hollow inside like a blowpipe, studded with a ring of holes, catching the wind; when stirred by the wind, like a five-instrument orchestra played by skilled [musicians], its sound is melodious, delightful, charming, and intoxicating. Above that coral tube is a white parasol, and on both sides are two rows of draped floral garlands. Thus, with a circumference of the rim adorned by a hundred coral tubes bearing a hundred white parasols accompanied by two hundred rows of draped floral garlands, inside both axle-holes are two lion-mouths, from which hang down two pearl-clusters, as thick as palm trunks, radiant like clusters of rays of the full moon, terminating in red woollen globes resembling the youthful sun, mocking, as it were, the beauty of the celestial Gaṅgā's course. As these whirl around together with the wheel-treasure in the sky, three wheels seem to rotate as one. Such is its absolute perfection in every aspect.

And when people, having eaten their regular evening meal, sat on seats prepared at their own house doors, engaging in conversation, and children played at street junctions and the like, that [wheel], thus complete in every aspect, approaches towards the royal city, as though beautifying the region of the sky neither too high nor too low, close to the treetops of the woodland groves; inclining the ears of living beings with a sweet sound heard from twelve leagues away; drawing eyes, as it were, from a league away with its brilliance blazing with the emergence of manifold radiances; as though proclaiming the power of the wheel-turning king's merit.

Then, their hearts stirred merely upon hearing the sound of that wheel-treasure, those people, looking towards the eastern direction, said to one another: 'Look, sirs, what a marvel! Formerly this full moon rose alone, but today it has risen accompanied by a second! For like a pair of royal swans, this pair of full moons ascends the sky in succession.' Another said to him: 'What are you saying, friend? Where have you ever seen two full moons rising together? Has not the sun, possessing molten-gold rays and radiating tawny beams, risen?' Another, laughing, said: 'Are you mad? Did not the sun set just now? How could it rise following this full moon? Surely this must be the celestial mansion of some meritorious being, blazing with the emergence of radiance from countless jewels!' Rebuffing them all, others said: 'Sirs, why babble so much? This is neither the full moon, nor the sun, nor a divine mansion. For they do not possess such glorious splendour; rather, this must be the wheel-treasure!'

While that conversation of the people was ongoing, that wheel-treasure, leaving behind the disk of the moon, faced towards them. Then, when it was asked by them: 'For whom has this appeared?', there were those who answered: 'For no one else! Has not our great king fulfilled the duties of a wheel-turning monarch? It is for him that this has appeared.' Then that great multitude, and anyone else who saw it, all followed the wheel-treasure. And that wheel-treasure, as though wishing to make known that its arrival was solely for the king's sake, circled the city seven times right along the top of the wall; then, having circumambulated the king's inner palace and arrived at a place resembling the northern lion-window of the inner palace where it could easily be honoured with scents, flowers, and the like, stood as if fixed to an axle.

While it stood thus, the king, having seen the mass of radiance entering through the openings of the windows and the like, adorning the interior of the palace with the brilliant splendor of multi-hued jewels, developed a desire to see it. His retinue as well, coming with the gift of pleasant words, reported that matter. Then the king, his body pervaded with strong joy and gladness, released his cross-legged posture, arose from his seat, went near the lion-cage window, saw the wheel-treasure, and thought the thought beginning with, "Indeed, I have heard this." For King Mahāsudassana, too, everything was in that very same way. Therefore it was said: "Having seen it, to King Mahāsudassana… and so forth… 'Might I indeed be a wheel-turning king?'" In that passage, with the words: "He becomes a wheel-turning king: to what extent does he become a wheel-turning?" When the wheel-treasure, rising into the sky by even a finger's breadth or two fingers' breadth, rolls forth, then showing what must be done in order to set it rolling forth, [the Blessed One] said the words beginning with, "Then indeed, Ānanda."

Here, "having risen from his seat" means having gotten up from the seat on which he was sitting and come near the wheel-treasure. "Having taken a golden pitcher" means having lifted up a golden pitcher whose spout was like an elephant's trunk. "King Mahāsudassana immediately followed along with his fourfold army" means: for all wheel-turning kings, immediately upon sprinkling it with water and uttering the words, "Let the good wheel-treasure conquer!", the wheel-treasure rises into the air and rolls forth. At the very same moment it rolls forth, that king is called a "wheel-turning king." But when the wheel-treasure rolls forth, the king, following after it, mounts his noble wheel-turner's vehicle and rises into the sky. Then his retinue and the women of his royal chambers, with parasols, yak-tail chowries, and the like in hand, and also the viceroys, generals, and others, accompanied by their own respective military hosts—adorned with mail-coats and armor of various sorts, brilliant with the splendor of diverse ornaments, decorated with raised flags and banners—likewise rise into the sky and surround the king himself.

Royal officials, on the other hand, have drums sounded throughout the streets of the city to gather the people: "Dear friends, the wheel-treasure of our king has arisen! Gather together, adorned and embellished according to your means!" But the general public, having abandoned all chores simply at the sound of the wheel-treasure as is normal, and having gathered with perfumes, flowers, and the like, all rise into the sky and surround the king himself. For whenever the thought arose in anyone wishing to go with the king, that very person became airborne. Thus the assembly extended for twelve leagues in length and breadth. There was not a single person among them with a deformed or injured body, or wearing dirty clothes; for a wheel-turning king has a pure retinue. Moving in the sky like sky-roaming sorcerers, the wheel-turning king's retinue resembles gems scattered upon a surface of sapphire. For Mahāsudassana too it was just like that. Therefore it was said: "King Mahāsudassana immediately followed along with his fourfold army."

That wheel-treasure, moreover, rolls forth just above the treetops, in a region of the sky neither too high nor too low. In such a way that those who desired the flowers, fruits, and sprouts of the trees were easily able to take them; and those standing on the ground were able to discern: "This is the king, this is the viceroy, this is the general." And among the postures, such as standing, one goes by whichever posture one wishes. And those occupied with arts such as painting proceed performing their own respective tasks. For just as on the ground, so too their every task is accomplished right in the sky. Thus, taking the wheel-turning king's retinue, that wheel-treasure, leaving Mount Sineru to the left, proceeds over the surface of the great ocean to the eastern continent, Pubbavideha, which measures seven thousand leagues.

There, whatever part of the ground was suitable for the encampment of the retinue—spanning twelve leagues in diameter and thirty-six leagues in circumference—with food and provisions easily available, endowed with shade and water, pure, level, and delightful: over that region of the ground, the wheel-treasure stops as if firmly affixed by an axle. Then, at that sign, the multitude of people descends, and performing all their needs such as bathing and eating as they please, they make their encampment. For Mahāsudassana too, everything was in that very same way. Therefore it was said: "In whatever region, Ānanda, the wheel-treasure came to rest, there King Mahāsudassana made camp together with his fourfold army."

When the wheel-turner had made camp in this way, the kings there, even upon hearing that an enemy army had arrived, did not assemble their troops and prepare for battle. For from the very moment of the wheel-treasure's arising, there is no living being capable of raising a weapon against that king with the thought of enmity. Such is the potency of the wheel-treasure.

For by the wheel's power, the foes of that king
All without exception come to submission;
Tamer of Foes is the name of that sovereign,
And on that account his wheel is spoken of as such.

Therefore, all those kings, taking gifts corresponding to their own royal majesty and wealth, approach that king, and bowing their heads, paying homage to his feet with the coronation-like radiance of the crest-gems of their diadems, they enter into his servitude with words such as, "Come, great king!" They did just so for Mahāsudassana as well. Therefore it was said: "Those, Ānanda, in the eastern direction… and so forth… 'Instruct us, great king.'"

Herein, 'welcome' (svāgataṃ) means 'well come' (su āgataṃ). For when one person comes, people grieve, and when he departs, they rejoice; but when another comes, people rejoice, and when he departs, they grieve—you are of such a kind, causing joy by your coming and grief by your departure. Therefore it is said: 'Your coming is well come.' But when this was said, the wheel-turning king neither says: 'Supply me with this much tribute annually,' nor does he take away one's wealth to give it to another. Rather, having investigated taking life and the like with wisdom appropriate to his status as a righteous king, he teaches the Dhamma with a lovely, melodious voice in this manner: 'Look, dear friends! Taking life, when practiced, developed, and frequently cultivated, leads to hell,' and gives the admonition beginning with: 'Living beings are not to be killed.' King Mahāsudassana did the same; therefore it is said: 'King Mahāsudassana spoke thus: "Living beings are not to be killed... and eat as you have eaten."' But do all people accept this admonition of the king? Even the Buddha's [admonition] is not accepted by all; why would they [all] accept the king's? Therefore, those who are wise and discerning accept it. Yet all become followers. Therefore it is said: 'Whoever, Ānanda...', and so forth.

Then, when the exhortation had thus been given to the inhabitants of Pubbavideha and breakfast was finished, that wheel-treasure, rising into the air by the power of the wheel-turning monarch, plunged into the eastern ocean. And as it plunged in, the water of the great ocean, having contracted the diffusion of its waves like a nāga king drawing in its hood upon smelling the scent of an antidote, receding for about a league, stood within the ocean like a wall of beryl. And at that very moment, as if desiring to behold the glorious merit of that king, various gems scattered upon the floor of the great ocean came from here and there and filled that area. Then that royal retinue, seeing the floor of the great ocean filled with various gems, took them up in the folds of their garments and the like as they pleased; and when the retinue had taken the gems as they pleased, the wheel-treasure turned back. And as it turned back, the retinue was in front, the king in the middle, and the wheel-treasure at the rear. And the water of that ocean, as though enticed by the splendor of the wheel-treasure, and as though unable to bear separation from it, came on continuously striking the edge of the felly. In this way, having thoroughly conquered Pubbavideha bounded by the eastern great ocean, the wheel-turning monarch, desiring to conquer Jambudīpa bounded by the southern ocean, went toward the southern ocean along the path indicated by the wheel-treasure. Mahāsudassana also went in the very same way. Therefore it was said: 'Then indeed, Ānanda, the wheel-treasure, having plunged into the eastern ocean and crossed back over, rolled toward the southern direction.'

Now, the manner of its rolling as it rolled in this way, the encampment of the army, the approach of the rival kings, the giving of instruction to them, the plunging into the southern ocean, the receding of the ocean water, and the taking of the gems—all this should be understood in the very same manner as described earlier.

Having conquered that Jambudīpa measuring ten thousand leagues, crossing back over also from the southern ocean, going in the manner stated earlier in order to conquer Aparagoyāna measuring seven thousand leagues, and having thoroughly conquered that too as far as its ocean boundary; crossing over also from the western ocean, going in the same way in order to conquer Uttarakuru measuring eight thousand leagues, and having thoroughly conquered that too as far as its ocean boundary, he crossed back over from the northern ocean.

By this much, dominion over the earth bounded by the four [oceans] was attained by the wheel-turning monarch. Having thus won his victory, in order to view the success of his royal glory, he together with his retinue leapt up into the sky and looked down upon the four great continents, each surrounded by five hundred minor islands, like four natural lakes adorned with groves of full-blown lotuses, water lilies, and white lotuses; and proceeding in due order along the path indicated by the wheel-treasure, he returned to his own capital. Then that wheel-treasure stood, as if beautifying the gate of the inner palace.

Now when that wheel-treasure had been established in this way, there was nothing to be done with torches or lamps in the royal inner palace; the radiance of the wheel-treasure itself dispelled the darkness at night. But for those who desired darkness, there was indeed darkness. For Mahāsudassana too, all this occurred in the very same way. Therefore it was said: 'Having plunged into the southern ocean... and such a wheel-treasure appeared.'

Explanation of the Elephant-Treasure

When the wheel-treasure had thus appeared, the ministers of the wheel-turning monarch had the usual stall of the auspicious state elephant made into an even and clean area of ground, smeared with fragrant scents such as yellow sandalwood, strewn below with fragrant flowers of various colors, and decorated above like a heavenly palace with a canopy adorned with pleasing garlands of flowers hanging down between golden stars, and they said: 'Sire, think of the arrival of an elephant-treasure of such and such a kind.' Having given a great gift in the manner stated earlier and undertaken the moral precepts, he sat reflecting on that achievement of merit. Then, prompted by the power of his merit, wishing to enjoy that special honor, coming from either the Chaddanta clan or the Uposatha clan, an excellent elephant arrived and stood in that place—his pure white body adorned with feet, neck, and mouth as red as the orb of the morning sun; well-supported on seven points; with the arrangement of his limbs and minor limbs well-proportioned; having a trunk as lovely as a blooming red lotus; possessing supernormal potency like an ascetic; capable of traveling through the air; resembling a silver mountain whose edges are tinged with realgar powder. If coming from the Chaddanta clan, the youngest of all comes; if coming from the Uposatha clan, the eldest of all comes. But in the Pāli text, it only occurs as 'Uposatha, the nāga king.' A nāga king is never used by anyone; it is stated in the commentaries that the youngest of all comes. He comes in the manner described to wheel-turning monarchs who have fulfilled the duties of a wheel-turning monarch and are reflecting [upon it]. But in the case of Mahāsudassana, he came by himself to the usual stall of the auspicious state elephant, displaced that elephant, and stood there. Therefore it was said: 'Furthermore, Ānanda... the nāga king.'

Having seen that elephant treasure appear in this manner, elephant keepers and others, joyful and delighted, go swiftly and inform the king. The king comes in great haste and, seeing it, with a serene mind thinks, 'Noble indeed is the elephant mount, if it would submit to training!' and stretches out his hand. Then, drooping its ears like a household milk cow's calf and showing its gentleness, it approaches the king. The king wishes to mount it. Then his attendants, knowing his intention, having decorated that elephant treasure with golden banners and golden adornments, and having draped it with a golden net, bring it near. The king, without having it lie down, mounts it by means of a ladder made of the seven jewels, and his mind inclines toward traveling through the air. Together with the arising of his thought, that elephant king leaps into the blue surface of the sky, radiant with a net of sapphire light, like a royal swan. Thereupon, the entire royal retinue [travels] in the manner described for the progress of the wheel. Thus the king with his retinue, having circumnavigated the entire earth before breakfast time, returns to the royal capital. In this way, the wheel-turning king's elephant treasure has great supernormal power. For King Mahāsudassana too it was of that very kind. Therefore it was said: 'Having seen it, the king …pe… appeared.'

Exposition of the Horse Treasure

Now, for the wheel-turning king whose elephant treasure has appeared in this manner, the ministers have the normal auspicious horse stall made clean and level, adorn it, and in the aforementioned manner arouse the king's eagerness to contemplate its arrival. Having performed giving, honoring, and veneration in the aforementioned manner, and having undertaken morality and vows, sitting comfortably on the top of the palace, he recollects the perfection of his merit. Then, prompted by the power of his merit, from the Sindhi breed, resplendent like a mass of autumn white clouds entwined with lightning flashes, with red feet and a red muzzle, with a body pure, sleek, dense, and firm like a mass of moonlight, possessed of a black head like a crow's neck or a sapphire, thus called 'Black-headed'; possessed of fine, round, straight hairs like muñja grass, appearing as though neatly trimmed and arranged, thus called 'Muñja-maned'; sky-faring, a king of horses named Valāhaka arrives and establishes himself in that place. But for Mahāsudassana, he arrived just like the elephant treasure. All the rest is to be understood in the very manner described for the elephant treasure. Referring to a horse treasure of such kind, the Blessed One said: 'And furthermore' and so forth.

Exposition of the Jewel Treasure

Now, for the wheel-turning king whose horse treasure has appeared in this manner, four cubits in length, with a circumference equal to a cart-hub, adorned at both ends with two golden lotuses with utterly pure strings of pearls emerging from the edge of their seed-cups, surrounded by eighty-four thousand jewels, as if spreading the splendor of the full moon surrounded by a host of stars, the jewel treasure arrives from Mount Vepulla. For it, having arrived in this manner, placed in a pearl net and raised into the air sixty cubits high on a succession of bamboos, its radiance spreads over an area of a league all around during the night, whereby that whole area becomes illuminated as if at daybreak. Then farmers pursue their farming work, merchants open their shops, and various craftsmen engage in their various trades, thinking 'It is day.' For Mahāsudassana too, all that was just the same. Therefore it was said: 'And furthermore, Ānanda, …pe… the jewel treasure appeared.'

Exposition of the Woman Treasure

Now, for the wheel-turning king whose jewel treasure has appeared in this manner, the woman treasure appears, the special cause for extraordinary sensual pleasure. Either they bring his chief queen from the royal family of Madda, or she comes by herself from Uttarakuru through the power of his merit. But the rest of her perfection is found in the Pāli itself in the manner beginning: 'And furthermore, Ānanda, to King Mahāsudassana the woman treasure appeared, beautiful, lovely' and so forth.

Herein, 'beautiful' (abhirūpā) means having an abundance of beauty due to fullness of form. 'Lovely' (dassanīyā) means delighting the eyes merely by being seen, hence to be looked upon even after abandoning other distractions of business. 'Pleasing' (pāsādikā) means making the mind serene through joyful satisfaction merely by being seen. 'Utmost' (paramāya) means highest due to bringing about serenity in this way. 'With beauty of complexion' (vaṇṇapokkharatāya) means with fairness of complexion. 'Endowed' (samannāgatā) means possessed of. Or she is 'beautiful' because she is neither too tall nor too short; 'lovely' because she is neither too thin nor too stout; 'pleasing' because she is neither too dark nor too pale; 'endowed with the utmost beauty of complexion' because she has surpassed the human complexion, yet not reached divine complexion. For the radiant complexion of humans does not emanate outward; but that of deities emanates even to a great distance.

Her bodily radiance, however, illuminates an area measuring twelve cubits. And among [the qualities] 'neither too tall' and so forth, by the first pair perfection of height is spoken of; by the second pair, perfection of girth; by the third pair, perfection of complexion. Or else, by these six the absence of bodily defects is spoken of, and by 'surpassed the human complexion' the perfection of the body is spoken of. 'Like a tuft of floss or a tuft of cotton' (tūlapicuno vā kappāsapicuno vā) means like a tuft of tree-cotton or a tuft of shrub-cotton dipped into the scum of ghee and kept there, having been beaten a hundred times. 'In the cold' (sīte) means in the king's cold season. 'In the heat' (uṇhe) means in the king's hot season. 'Fragrance of sandalwood' (candanagandho) means the scent of fresh yellow sandalwood, well ground and blended with the four fragrances, wafts constantly from her body. 'A fragrance of blue lotuses wafts' (uppalagandho vāyati) means at times of smiling and speaking, the exceedingly sweet fragrance of a blue lotus just blossomed wafts from her mouth.

Now, to show the conduct appropriate to the physical perfection of one endowed with such beauty, touch, and fragrance, the passage beginning with "Now she…" is spoken. Herein, "rising before him" means that upon seeing the king, she rises first from her seat, as if burned by fire. "Retiring after him" means that when he is seated, she carries out duties such as fanning him with a palm-leaf fan, and only afterwards lies down or sits down. "Doing what he commands" means she responds to his speech by saying, "What shall I do for you, sire?" "Pleasing in her behavior" means she acts and conducts herself solely in a way pleasing to the king. "Speaking affectionately" means she speaks only that which is dear to the king.

Now, in order to show that "this conduct of hers was purely from purity of intention, and not out of deceit," he said the passage beginning with "Now she…" Herein, "did not commit adultery" means she did not transgress and go astray; it is said that except for the king, she did not desire any other man even in her thoughts.