Viyahapannatti 11.9.506-508

At that time and in that period, there was a city named Hastināpura—[its description as before]. Outside of that city of Hastināpura, in the north-eastern direction, there was a garden named Sahasrāmravana—abounding in flowers and fruits of all seasons, delightful, resembling the Nandana grove, possessing pleasant and cool shade, charming, yielding sweet fruit, free of thorns, pleasing, handsome, lovely, and beautiful.

In that city of Hastināpura, there lived a king named Śiva—possessing the strength of the Great Himavant, the great Malaya, Mandara, and Mahendra mountains—[his description as before]. That King Śiva had a queen named Dhāriṇī—having tender hands and feet—[her description as before]. That King Śiva and Queen Dhāriṇī had a son named Prince Śivabhadra—having tender hands and feet, just like Sūryakānta, up to: inspecting with his own eyes the realm, the country, the army, the vehicles, the treasury, the storehouses, the city, and the inner apartments, he lived.

Then, once upon a time, during the midnight hour, as King Śiva was reflecting upon the yoke of kingship, this internal, reflective, desired, mentally conceived thought arose in him: "There is indeed for me an exceptional fruition of welfare resulting from deeds well done, well striven, auspicious, and beneficial in past lives, through which I increase in silver, increase in gold, increase in wealth, increase in grain, increase in sons, increase in beasts, increase in realm, and thus increase in country, army, vehicles, treasury, storehouses, city, and inner apartments, and exceedingly increase in abundant money, gold, jewels, gems, pearls, conch-shells, rocks, coral, red jewels, and essential possessions. Why then should I remain merely looking on at the complete exhaustion of the deeds well done, well striven, auspicious, and beneficial in past lives?

Therefore, so long as I still increase in silver, up to exceedingly increase, and so long as even tributary kings remain under my control, it is better for me, tomorrow when the night has brightened into dawn, up to when the sun, the thousand-rayed day-maker, has arisen, blazing with brilliance, to have fashioned numerous iron cooking-pans, iron cauldrons, ladles, and copper ascetic utensils, to install Prince Śivabhadra upon the throne, and taking those numerous iron cooking-pans, iron cauldrons, ladles, and copper ascetic utensils, to go to those forest-dwelling hermits who dwell along the bank of the Ganges—[namely: hotriyas, potriyas, kotriyas, as described in the Aupapātika, up to those who live subjecting themselves to penance through the heat of the five fires, as if roasted on coals, roasted in an oven, or roasted on spits].

Among them, going before those hermits who sprinkle the directions, to become shaven-headed and renounce the world as a hermit who sprinkles the directions. Having renounced, I will undertake this special vow: 'It is fitting for me, for the rest of my life, to live performing continuous two-day fasts with the ascetic practice of turning toward the cycle of directions, repeatedly raising up my arms facing the sun, exposing myself to the sun's heat upon the ground of heat-penance.'" Having thus resolved, the next morning when the night had brightened into dawn, up to when the sun, the thousand-rayed day-maker, had arisen, blazing with brilliance, he had fashioned numerous iron cooking-pans, iron cauldrons, ladles, and copper ascetic utensils, and summoned his family retainers. Having summoned them, he spoke thus: "Quickly, O beloved of the gods! Sweep, sprinkle, and plaster the city of Hastināpura, both within and without, up to making it fragrant with excellent perfumes, like a box of scent, and report back this command accomplished." And they reported that command accomplished.

Then King Śiva summoned the family retainers a second time and spoke thus: "Quickly, O beloved of the gods! Prepare the great, precious, highly worthy, and extensive royal consecration for Prince Śivabhadra." Then those family retainers prepared it accordingly.

Then King Śiva, surrounded by numerous commanders, judges, barons, chieftains, district officers, householders, wealthy men, guild leaders, generals, caravan leaders, envoys, and frontier guards, seated Prince Śivabhadra upon an excellent throne facing the east. Having seated him, he consecrated him with eight hundred golden pitchers, up to eight hundred earthen pitchers, with all imperial splendor, up to the loud beating of kettledrums, with a very great royal consecration. Having consecrated him, he dried his limbs with a soft, delicate, fragrant, saffron cloth. Having dried them, he anointed his limbs with fresh gośīrṣa sandalwood, adorned him just like the adornment of Jamāli, up to adorning and decorating him like a wish-fulfilling tree. Having done so, joining his hands with the ten nails touching his head in reverence, he congratulated Prince Śivabhadra with cries of victory and triumph. Having congratulated him, with those agreeable, delightful, beloved, pleasing, charming, captivating, heart-stirring voices, he repeatedly praised and eulogized him with hundreds of auspicious wishes of victory and success, and spoke thus:

"Conquer, conquer, O joyful one! Conquer, conquer, O auspicious one! May good betide you! Conquer the unconquered, protect the conquered, dwell in the midst of the conquered! Like Indra among the gods, like Camara among the asuras, like Dharaṇa among the nāgas, like the moon among the stars, like Bharata among men, dwell for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, many hundreds of thousands of years, unimpaired and whole, joyful and content, fulfilling your maximum lifespan! Surrounded by beloved kin, exercising and maintaining over the city of Hastināpura and over many other villages, mines, towns, small hamlets, poor villages, port towns, isolated settlements, commercial cities, hermitages, trading towns, caravanserais, and encampments, rulership, supreme sovereignty, lordship, mastery, foremost status, authority, dominion, and command of armies, live enjoying extensive pleasures amidst the loud sounds of energetic theatrical performances, songs, instrumental music, strings, handclaps, cymbals, percussion, small bells, drums, and answering musical notes!" Saying this, he uttered cries of victory.

Then Prince Śivabhadra became king—possessing the strength of the Great Himavant, the great Malaya, Mandara, and Mahendra mountains—[his description], up to he lived ruling the realm.

Then, on a favorable lunar day, astrological division, solar day, auspicious moment, and lunar mansion, King Śiva had prepared abundant staple food, beverages, sweets, and savories. Having had them prepared, he invited his friends, kinsmen, relatives, clan members, and dependents, as well as kings and kṣatriyas. Having invited them, he bathed, performed protective offerings, fulfilled auspicious and propitiatory rites, put on excellent, auspicious garments suitable for royal assemblies, adorned his body with modest but priceless ornaments, and at the time of the meal, sat on an excellent comfortable seat in the dining pavilion. Together with those friends, kinsmen, relatives, clan members, dependents, kings, and kṣatriyas, he enjoyed, offered, distributed, and ate abundant staple food, beverages, sweets, and savories.

Having eaten, washed his hands, and become clean and thoroughly pure, he honored and entertained those friends, kinsmen, relatives, clan members, and dependents with abundant staple food, beverages, sweets, and savories, and with garments, perfumes, garlands, and ornaments. Having honored and entertained them, he took leave of those friends, kinsmen, relatives, clan members, dependents, kings, and kṣatriyas, and of King Śivabhadra. Having taken leave, he took the numerous iron cooking-pans, iron cauldrons, ladles, and copper ascetic utensils, and went to those forest-dwelling hermits who dwell along the bank of the Ganges. As described above, up to: having become shaven-headed in their presence, he renounced the world as a hermit who sprinkles the directions. Having renounced, he undertook this special vow: "It is fitting for me, for the rest of my life, to live performing continuous two-day fasts with the ascetic practice of turning toward the cycle of directions, repeatedly raising up my arms"—having undertaken this vow, he lived having undertaken his first two-day fast.

Then the royal sage Śiva, at the conclusion of his first two-day fast, descended from the ground of heat-penance. Having descended, dressed in bark garments, he went to his hut. Having arrived, he took his basket and carrying-pole. Taking them, he sprinkled the eastern direction, saying: "May Soma, the great king of the eastern direction, protect the royal sage Śiva who has set forth on his journey; may he protect the royal sage Śiva! And whatever bulbous roots, roots, barks, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, and greens are there, may he permit them!" Saying this, he went to the eastern direction. Having gone, he gathered whatever bulbous roots, up to greens were there, ...

... and having gathered them, he filled the basket and carrying-pole. Having filled them, he gathered darbha grass, kuśa grass, firewood for the sacrificial fire, and branch-tips of leaves. Having taken them, he went to his hut. Having arrived, he set down the basket and carrying-pole. Having set them down, he cleared the altar-mound. Having cleared it, he smeared and swept it. Having done so, with darbha grass and a pitcher in hand, he went to the great river Ganges. Having arrived, he entered the great river Ganges, ...

... and having entered it, he performed an ablution with water, took a water bath, and performed a water-sprinkling consecration. Having done so, having rinsed his mouth, clean and thoroughly purified, having accomplished his duties to the deities and ancestors, with darbha grass and a pitcher in hand, he emerged from the great river Ganges. Having emerged, he went to his hut. Having arrived, he prepared the altar-mound with darbha, kuśa, and sand. Having prepared it, he churned the fire-drill with an arrow-shaft, and having churned it, produced fire. Having produced it, he rekindled the fire. Having rekindled it, he threw in twigs of sacred firewood. Having thrown them in, he ignited the fire. Having ignited it, on the right side of the fire, he placed the seven items, [namely: —

Bark cloth with the tale [recited], place, bedding-equipment, and water pot,
staff, wood, and likewise one's own self: these [seven] he placed below.
With honey, ghee, and rice grains he made an offering to the fire; having offered, he prepared the boiled oblations; having prepared [them], he performed the Vaiśvadeva offering; having performed [it], he rendered homage to the guests; having done so, he then consumed nourishment himself.

Then the royal sage Śiva took up and lived practicing a second two-day fast.
Then, on the occasion of breaking the second two-day fast, the royal sage Śiva stepped down from the place of heat-endurance; having stepped down, wearing garments of bark cloth, he approached his own hut. Having approached, he took the basket and carrying-sling; having taken them, he sprinkled the southern direction, saying: ‘In the southern direction, may the great king Yama protect the royal sage Śiva who has set out on his course!’ The rest is as before, up to: thereafter, he himself took nourishment.
Then the royal sage Śiva took up and lived practicing a third two-day fast.
Then, on the occasion of breaking the third two-day fast, the royal sage Śiva stepped down from the place of heat-endurance; having stepped down, wearing garments of bark cloth, he approached his own hut. Having approached, he took the basket and carrying-sling; having taken them, he sprinkled the western direction, saying: ‘In the western direction, may the great king Varuṇa protect the royal sage Śiva who has set out on his course!’ The rest is as before, up to: thereafter, he himself took nourishment.
Then the royal sage Śiva took up and lived practicing a fourth two-day fast.
Then, on the occasion of breaking the fourth two-day fast, the royal sage Śiva stepped down from the place of heat-endurance; having stepped down, wearing garments of bark cloth, he approached his own hut. Having approached, he took the basket and carrying-sling; having taken them, he sprinkled the northern direction, saying: ‘In the northern direction, may the great king Vaiśramaṇa protect the royal sage Śiva who has set out on his course!’ The rest is as before, up to: thereafter, he himself took nourishment.
Then, as the royal sage Śiva was carrying out uninterrupted two-day fasts with the ascetic practice of the cycle of directions, raising his arms upward, facing the sun, exposing himself to heat on the place of heat-endurance, because of his natural goodness, natural calmness, natural attenuation of anger, pride, deceit, and greed, endowed with gentleness and humility, self-contained, and disciplined—one day, through the destruction-cum-suppression of the obscuring karmas, as he was engaging in reflection, deliberation, searching, and investigation, the clairvoyant cognition termed vibhaṅga arose in him. Through that arisen vibhaṅga cognition, he saw seven continents and seven oceans in this world; beyond that, he neither knew nor saw.
Then to the royal sage Śiva this internal, reflected, desired, mental thought arose: ‘An exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease.’ Having contemplated thus, he stepped down from the place of heat-endurance. Having stepped down, wearing garments of bark cloth, he approached his own hut. Having approached, he took numerous iron pans, iron cauldrons, ladles, copper pots, ascetic vessels, and the basket and carrying-sling; having taken them, he went to the city of Hastināpura, to the ascetics' hermitage. Having gone there, he deposited his gear; having done so, at the cross-roads, three-way junctions, squares, quadrangles, intersections, high roads, and thoroughfares in the city of Hastināpura, he declared up to set forth to the multitude of people: ‘O beloved of the gods! An exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease.’
Then, having heard and understood this matter from the royal sage Śiva, the multitude of people at the cross-roads, three-way junctions, squares, quadrangles, intersections, high roads, and thoroughfares in the city of Hastināpura declared and expounded to one another: ‘Indeed, beloved of the gods, the royal sage Śiva declares and expounds thus: “O beloved of the gods, an exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease.” How can this be believed to be so?’
At that time, at that period, the Master arrived; the assembly went out; the Dharma was preached; the assembly departed.
At that time, at that period, the senior disciple of the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra, the homeless ascetic named Indrabhūti—as related in the second śataka, in the Nirgrantha Uddeśaka, up to wandering on his alms-round collecting food from house to house—heard the voice of the multitude of people; the multitude of people were declaring and expounding to one another: ‘Indeed, beloved of the gods, the royal sage Śiva declares and expounds thus: “O beloved of the gods, an exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease.” How can this be believed to be so?’
Then the venerable Gautama, having heard and grasped this matter from the multitude of people, filled with faith, up to paid homage and reverenced the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra, and having paid homage and reverenced him, spoke thus: ‘Indeed, Venerable Sir, with your permission, as I was wandering for alms among high, low, and middle-class households in the city of Hastināpura, I heard the voice of the multitude of people: “Indeed, beloved of the gods, the royal sage Śiva declares and expounds thus: ‘O beloved of the gods, an exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease.’” How is this so, Venerable Sir?’
Addressing him, ‘O Gautama!’, the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra said to the venerable Gautama: ‘Gautama, as to what—namely, to that royal sage Śiva, through uninterrupted two-day fasts with the ascetic practice of the cycle of directions, raising his arms upward, facing the sun, exposing himself to heat on the place of heat-endurance, because of his natural goodness, natural calmness, natural attenuation of anger, pride, deceit, and greed, endowed with gentleness and humility, self-contained, and disciplined—one day, through the destruction-cum-suppression of the obscuring karmas, as he was engaging in reflection, deliberation, searching, and investigation, the clairvoyant cognition termed vibhaṅga arose in him; all that is to be recited as before, up to: he deposited his gear; having done so, at the cross-roads, three-way junctions, squares, intersections, high roads, and thoroughfares in the city of Hastināpura, he declared up to set forth to the multitude of people: “O beloved of the gods! An exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease.”
Then, having heard and understood this matter from the royal sage Śiva, the multitude of people at the cross-roads, three-way junctions, squares, quadrangles, intersections, high roads, and thoroughfares in the city of Hastināpura declared and expounded to one another: “Indeed, beloved of the gods, the royal sage Śiva declares and expounds thus: ‘O beloved of the gods! An exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease.’” That is false! But I, O Gautama, declare and expound thus: namely, the continents beginning with Jambūdvīpa and the oceans beginning with Lavaṇa are of one single configuration in shape, but manifold in extent, as expounded in the Jīvājīvābhigama up to ending with the Svayambhūramaṇa ocean; in this horizontal world, countless continents and oceans have been declared, O long-lived ascetics!’
‘Are there, Venerable Sir, substances in the continent of Jambūdvīpa—both with colour and without colour, with smell and without smell, with taste and without taste, with touch and without touch—bound to one another, touched by one another, bound and touched by one another, existing in the state of mutually unified aggregates?’
‘Yes, Gautama, there are.’
‘Are there, Venerable Sir, substances in the Lavaṇa ocean—both with colour and without colour, with smell and without smell, with taste and without taste, with touch and without touch—bound to one another, touched by one another, bound and touched by one another, existing in the state of mutually unified aggregates?’
‘Yes, Gautama, there are.’
‘Are there, Venerable Sir, substances in the Dhātakīkhaṇḍa continent—both with colour and without colour, with smell and without smell, with taste and without taste, with touch and without touch—bound to one another, touched by one another, bound and touched by one another, existing in the state of mutually unified aggregates?’
‘Yes, Gautama, there are.’ And so on, up to:
‘Are there, Venerable Sir, substances in the Svayambhūramaṇa ocean—both with colour and without colour, with smell and without smell, with taste and without taste, with touch and without touch—bound to one another, touched by one another, bound and touched by one another, existing in the state of mutually unified aggregates?’
‘Yes, Gautama, there are.’
Then that great and immense assembly, having heard and understood this matter in the presence of the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra, gladdened and delighted, paid homage and reverenced the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra, and having paid homage and reverenced him, returned in the very direction from which they had come.
Then, at the cross-roads, three-way junctions, squares, quadrangles, intersections, high roads, and thoroughfares in the city of Hastināpura, the multitude of people declared and expounded to one another: ‘As to what the royal sage Śiva declares and expounds, beloved of the gods, saying: “O beloved of the gods, an exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease”—that meaning is not correct. The ascetic Lord Mahāvīra declares and expounds thus: “To this royal sage Śiva, through continuous two-day fasts...” all that as before, up to he deposited his gear; having done so, at the cross-roads, three-way junctions, squares, quadrangles, intersections, high roads, and thoroughfares in the city of Hastināpura, he declared up to set forth to the multitude of people: “O beloved of the gods, an exceptional knowledge and vision has arisen in me: namely, that in this world there are only seven continents and seven oceans; beyond that, continents and oceans cease.” Having heard and grasped this matter from the royal sage Śiva, up to: “beyond that, continents and oceans cease,” that is false! The ascetic Lord Mahāvīra declares thus: “Indeed, the continents beginning with Jambūdvīpa and the oceans beginning with Lavaṇa...” all that as before, up to “countless continents and oceans have been declared, O long-lived ascetics!”’
Then the royal sage Śiva, having heard and understood this matter from the multitude of people, became doubtful, uncertain, skeptical, divided in mind, and troubled. Then, as the royal sage Śiva became doubtful, uncertain, skeptical, divided in mind, and troubled, that vibhaṅga cognition quickly fell away from him.
Then to the royal sage Śiva this internal, reflected, desired, mental thought arose: ‘Indeed, the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra is a tīrthaṅkara, a founder, up to omniscient, all-seeing, who, accompanied by the wheel moving through the air, up to having taken up appropriate residence in the Sahasrāmravana park, lives purifying himself through self-restraint and austerity. Great fruit indeed comes from merely hearing the name and lineage of such arhats and Lords, how much more so from approaching, paying homage, reverencing, inquiring, and attending upon them? Great fruit comes from hearing even a single noble, pious, excellent word, how much more so from comprehending the vast meaning? Therefore, I will go to the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra, pay homage up to attend upon him; this will be for my welfare, happiness, forbearance, ultimate bliss, and future benefit in this world and the next.’ Having reflected thus, he approached the ascetics' hermitage. Having approached, he entered the hermitage. Having entered, he took numerous iron pans, iron cauldrons, ladles, copper pots, ascetic vessels, and the basket and carrying-sling; having taken them, he departed from the hermitage. Having departed, devoid of vibhaṅga cognition, he passed through the middle of the city of Hastināpura. Having passed through, he approached the Sahasrāmravana park, where the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra was. Having approached, he circumambulated the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra three times, paid homage, and reverenced him; having paid homage and reverenced him, neither too close nor too far, listening attentively, revering, facing him, he attended upon him with modesty and folded hands.
Then the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra expounded the Dharma to the royal sage Śiva and to that great assembly, up to he became an observer of his commands.
Then the royal sage Śiva, having heard and grasped the Dharma from the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra, as in the case of Skandaka, up to withdrew to the north-eastern direction; having withdrawn, he discarded the numerous iron pans, iron cauldrons, ladles, copper pots, ascetic vessels, and the basket and carrying-sling in a secluded spot; having discarded them, he personally pulled out his hair in five handfuls; having done so, he circumambulated the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra three times from left to right; having done so, he paid homage and reverenced him; having paid homage and reverenced him, he renounced the world just like Ṛṣabhadatta, studied the eleven Aṅgas just like him, and everything as before, up to he was rid of all suffering.