Dighanikaya 2.150_17

2.150_17

Rājāmaccaparivutoti evarūpāya rajataghaṭaviniggatāhi khīradhārāhi dhoviyamānadisābhāgāya viya, rajatavimānaviccutehi muttāvaḷisumanakusumadāmasetadukūlakumudavisarehi samparikiṇṇāya viya ca, caturupakkilesavimuttapuṇṇacandappabhāsamudayobhāsitāya rattiyā rājāmaccehi parivutoti attho. Uparipāsādavaragatoti pāsādavarassa uparigato. Mahārahe samussitasetacchatte kañcanāsane nisinno hoti. Kasmā nisinno? Niddāvinodanatthaṃ. Ayañhi rājā pitari upakkantadivasato paṭṭhāya – ‘‘niddaṃ okkamissāmī’’ti nimīlitamattesuyeva akkhīsu sattisataabbhāhato viya kandamānoyeva pabujjhi. Kimetanti ca vutte, na kiñcīti vadati. Tenassa amanāpā niddā, iti niddāvinodanatthaṃ nisinno. Api ca tasmiṃ divase nakkhattaṃ saṅghuṭṭhaṃ hoti. Sabbaṃ nagaraṃ sittasammaṭṭhaṃ vippakiṇṇavālukaṃ pañcavaṇṇakusumalājapuṇṇaghaṭapaṭimaṇḍitagharadvāraṃ samussitadhajapaṭākavicitrasamujjalitadīpamālālaṅkatasabbadisābhāgaṃ vīthisabhāgena racchāsabhāgena nakkhattakīḷaṃ anubhavamānena mahājanena samākiṇṇaṃ hoti. Iti nakkhattadivasatāyapi nisinnoti vadanti. Evaṃ pana vatvāpi – ‘‘rājakulassa nāma sadāpi nakkhattameva, niddāvinodanatthaṃyeva panesa nisinno’’ti sanniṭṭhānaṃ kataṃ.

"Surrounded by his royal ministers" means surrounded by royal ministers on a night illuminated by the arising radiance of the full moon freed from the four defilements, as if the directions were being washed by streams of milk flowing from silver jars, and as if it were strewn with strings of pearls, garlands of jasmine flowers, white fine-cloth, and masses of white water-lilies fallen from silver mansions. "Gone up to the terrace of the fine palace" means gone to the top of the fine palace. He was seated on an expensive golden throne over which a white parasol was raised. Why was he seated there? In order to dispel sleep. For from the day he assaulted his father, this king, as soon as he merely closed his eyes thinking, "I will fall asleep," would wake up crying out as if struck by a hundred spears. And when asked, "What is this?" he would say, "Nothing." Therefore sleep was disagreeable to him; thus he sat in order to dispel sleep. Moreover, on that day a festival had been proclaimed. The whole city had been swept and sprinkled, strewn with sand, its house doorways adorned with five-colored flowers, puffed rice, and full jars, all directions decorated with raised flags and banners and varied arrays of blazing lamps, crowded with many people along the avenues and alleys enjoying the festivities. Thus they say he was seated also because it was a festival day. Yet even after saying this, the conclusion was made: "For a royal household it is always like a festival; he was seated solely in order to dispel sleep."