Viyahapannatti 3.1: Uddeśaka 1: camara vikurvaṇā

1. What sort of transformation, 2. Camara, 3. Activity, 4–5. Vehicle and woman, 6. City, 7. Guardians,
8. Sovereign, 9. Senses, 10. Assembly: these are the ten chapters in the third Śataka.

At that time, in that period, there was a city named Moyā—[its] description [is to be supplied].
Outside that city Moyā, in the northeastern direction, there was a caitya named Nandana—[its] description [is to be supplied].
At that time, in that period, the Lord arrived. The assembly went out; the assembly returned.
At that time, in that period, the second disciple of the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, the homeless ascetic named Agnibhūti of the Gautama gotra, seven cubits tall, up to while reverently waiting upon [him], spoke thus:
"Venerable Sir, how great is the supernatural power of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras? How great is his splendor? How great is his strength? How great is his fame? How great is his happiness? How great is his majesty? And how much is he able to transform [his form]?"
"Gautama, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, has great supernatural power, great splendor, great strength, great fame, great happiness, and great majesty. He lives there exercising lordship, primacy, mastery, overlordship, and authority as ruler and commander over thirty-four hundred thousand mansion-abodes, sixty-four thousand sāmānika deities, thirty-three trāyastriṃśa deities, four Lokapālas, five chief queens along with their retinues, sixty-four thousand bodyguard gods, and many other gods and goddesses residing in the capital Camara-cañcā; protecting and experiencing celestial pleasures to the sound of loud, struck, danced, sung, and played instruments—strings, hand-clapping, cymbals, beaten drums, and deep mṛdaṅgas.
He has such great supernatural power, such great splendor, such great strength, such great fame, such great happiness, such great majesty. And he is able to transform [his form] this much: just as a young man might clasp hands with a young woman, or as the hub of a wheel is fitted with spokes, even so, Gautama, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, engages in transformational samugghāta. Having engaged in samugghāta, he projects a staff measuring a numerable number of yojanas, namely of gems, diamonds, cat's-eyes, rubies, masāragalla stones, haṃsagarbha gems, pulaka gems, saughandhika gems, jyotīrasa gems, añjana gems, añjanapulaka gems, jewels, gold, aṅka stones, crystals, and riṣṭa gems; he sloughs off the grosser pudgalas, and having sloughed off the grosser pudgalas, he takes up the subtler pudgalas; having taken up the subtler pudgalas, he engages a second time in transformational samugghāta.
Gautama, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, is able to make the entire Jambūdvīpa continent filled, interspersed, overspread, carpeted, touched, and deeply permeated with many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses.
And further, Gautama, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, is able to make innumerable continents and oceans across [the Middle World] filled, interspersed, overspread, carpeted, touched, and deeply permeated with many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses.
Gautama, such is the domain, merely the potential scope, described for Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras; but in actual attainment they have not transformed, do not transform, and will not transform."
"Venerable Sir, if Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, has such great supernatural power up to is able to transform this much, then, Venerable Sir, how great is the supernatural power of the sāmānika deities of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras? Up to how much are they able to transform?"
"Gautama, the sāmānika deities of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, have great supernatural power, great splendor, great strength, great fame, great happiness, and great majesty. There they live experiencing celestial pleasures over their respective mansions, their respective sāmānikas, their respective chief queens, up to [such pleasures]. They have such great supernatural power up to they are able to transform this much: just as a young man might clasp hands with a young woman, or as the hub of a wheel is fitted with spokes, even so, Gautama, each individual sāmānika deity of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, engages in transformational samugghāta, up to engages a second time in transformational samugghāta.
Gautama, each individual sāmānika deity of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, is able to make the entire Jambūdvīpa continent filled, interspersed, overspread, carpeted, touched, and deeply permeated with many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses.
And further, Gautama, each individual sāmānika deity of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, is able to make innumerable continents and oceans across [the Middle World] filled, interspersed, overspread, carpeted, touched, and deeply permeated with many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses.
Gautama, such is the domain, merely the potential scope, described for each individual sāmānika deity of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras; but in actual attainment they have not transformed, do not transform, and will not transform."

“If, Venerable Sir, the sāmānika gods of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, have such great supernatural power up to are capable of transforming thus much, how great is the supernatural power of the trāyastriṃśa gods of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras?”
“The trāyastriṃśa gods are to be understood as being like the sāmānikas. The lokapālas likewise; with the only difference that enumerable continents and oceans should be stated.”
“If, Venerable Sir, the lokapāla gods of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, have such great supernatural power up to are capable of transforming thus much, how great is the supernatural power up to how much are they capable of transforming of the chief queens, the goddesses of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras?”
“Gautama! The chief queens, the goddesses of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, have great supernatural power up to great majesty. There, they possess their respective abodes, their respective thousands of sāmānikas, their respective senior female attendants, and their respective assemblies up to they possess such great supernatural power. The rest without exception is just like that of the lokapālas.”
“So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!”

The second Gautama [Agnibhūti] venerates and bows down to the ascetic, the Lord Mahāvīra. Having venerated and bowed down, he approaches where the third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti, is. Having approached, he speaks thus to the third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti: “Indeed, Gautama, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, has such great supernatural power...” and all this should be understood without omission as an unasked exposition up to the end of the statement regarding the chief queens.
Then that third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti, does not believe, does not trust, does not accept this matter as spoken, stated, made known, and expounded by the second Gautama, the homeless ascetic Agnibhūti. Not believing, not trusting, and not accepting this matter, he rises from his seat. Having risen, he approaches where the ascetic, the Lord Mahāvīra, is up to attending upon him, speaks thus:
“Indeed, Venerable Sir, the second Gautama, the homeless ascetic Agnibhūti, spoke, stated, made known, and expounded to me thus: ‘Indeed, Gautama, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, has great supernatural power up to great majesty. There, he [rules over] thirty-four hundred thousand abodes...’ and all this is to be stated without omission up to the end of the statement regarding the chief queens.
How is this so, Venerable Sir?”
“Gautama!” the ascetic, the Lord Mahāvīra, said thus to the third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti: “That which the second Gautama, the homeless ascetic Agnibhūti, spoke, stated, made known, and expounded to you—‘Indeed, Gautama, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, has great supernatural power...’ all that up to the chief queens—that matter is true indeed. I too, Gautama, speak, state, make known, and expound thus: ‘Indeed, Gautama, Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, the king of the Asuras, has great supernatural power...’ all that up to the chief queens. That matter is true indeed.”
“So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!”
The third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti, venerates and bows down to the ascetic, the Lord Mahāvīra. Having venerated and bowed down, he approaches where the second Gautama, the homeless ascetic Agnibhūti, is. Having approached, he venerates and bows down to the second Gautama, the homeless ascetic Agnibhūti. Having venerated and bowed down, he acknowledges that matter properly and with humility asks his forgiveness again and again.

Then the third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti, together with the second Gautama, the homeless ascetic Agnibhūti, approached the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and attending upon him spoke thus: “If, Venerable Sir, Camara, Indra of the Asuras, King of the Asuras, has such great supernatural power [and so forth] up to: and is able to magically transform so much; then Bali, Venerable Sir, Indra of the Vairocanas, King of the Vairocanas, of what kind is his great supernatural power? Up to: and how much is he able to magically transform?”
“Gautama! Bali, Indra of the Vairocanas, King of the Vairocanas, has great supernatural power, up to: is of great majesty. Just as for Camara, so also it should be known for Bali; with the only distinction that one must say ‘the whole of Jambūdvīpa island with something more’; the rest should be understood completely the same, with the only distinction that a difference is to be known regarding the abodes and the sāmānika gods.”
“So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!”—saying this, the third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti, venerated and paid homage to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having venerated and paid homage, neither too close nor too far, desiring to listen, bowing down, facing [him], with palms joined in reverence, he attended upon [him].
Then the second Gautama, the homeless ascetic Agnibhūti, venerated and paid homage to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having venerated and paid homage, spoke thus: “If, Venerable Sir, Bali, Indra of the Vairocanas, King of the Vairocanas, has such great supernatural power, up to: and is able to magically transform so much; then Dharaṇa, Venerable Sir, Indra of the Nāgakumāras, King of the Nāgakumāras, of what kind is his great supernatural power? Up to: and how much is he able to magically transform?”
“Gautama! Dharaṇa, Indra of the Nāgakumāras, King of the Nāgakumāras, has great supernatural power, up to: is of great majesty. He dwells there [ruling] over forty-four hundred thousand mansion-residences, six thousand sāmānika gods, thirty-three trāyastriṃśa gods, four lokapālas, six chief queens with their retinues, three assemblies, seven armies, seven army commanders, twenty-four thousand bodyguard gods, and others, up to: dwells [enjoying heavenly pleasures].
And so much is he able to magically transform: namely, as a young man [takes] a young woman by the hand, up to: he is able to magically transform the whole of Jambūdvīpa island, up to: across countably many islands and oceans with many Nāgakumāra female [and male gods], up to: or will magically transform.
The sāmānika gods, the trāyastriṃśa gods, the lokapālas, and the chief queens are just as in the case of Camara; with the only distinction that ‘countably many islands and oceans’ is to be stated.
In this manner, up to the Stanitakumāras, the Vāṇamantaras, and also the Jyotiṣkas; with the only distinction that Agnibhūti asks all about the southern [Indras], and Vāyubhūti asks all about the northern [Indras].”
Saying “Venerable Sir!”, the second Gautama, the homeless ascetic Agnibhūti, venerated and paid homage to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having venerated and paid homage, spoke thus: “If, Venerable Sir, the Jyotiṣkendra, the Jyotiṣka king, has such great supernatural power, up to: and is able to magically transform so much; then Śakra, Venerable Sir, Indra of the gods, King of the gods, of what kind is his great supernatural power? Up to: and how much is he able to magically transform?”
“Gautama! Śakra, Indra of the gods, King of the gods, has great supernatural power, up to: is of great majesty. He dwells [ruling] over thirty-two hundred thousand celestial abodes, eighty-four thousand sāmānika gods, thirty-three trāyastriṃśa gods, four lokapālas, eight chief queens with their retinues, three assemblies, seven armies, seven army commanders, four times eighty-four thousand bodyguard gods, and others, up to: dwells [enjoying heavenly pleasures]. He has such great supernatural power, up to: and is able to magically transform so much; in this way it is to be stated just as for Camara; with the only distinction that ‘two whole Jambūdvīpa islands’; the rest is the very same.
This, Gautama, is stated as the scope, the mere capacity of Śakra, Indra of the gods, King of the gods; but in actuality they have not magically transformed, nor do they magically transform, nor will they magically transform.”

"If, Venerable Sir, Śakra, the king of gods, the ruler of gods, possesses such great supernatural power up to and is able to transform this much—surely, [your] pupil named the homeless ascetic Tīṣyaka, Beloved of the Gods, was gentle by nature, tranquil by nature, with anger, pride, deceit, and greed naturally attenuated, endowed with mildness and softness, restrained, humble, cultivating himself through unbroken ascetic practices of continuous two-day fasts, having maintained the ascetic course for a full eight years, emaciating himself with a one-month saṃlekhanā, terminating sixty meals through fasting, having confessed and repented, having attained spiritual composure, dying at his appointed time, was reborn in Saudharma Kalpa in his own celestial abode, in the assembly hall of rebirth, on a divine couch, covered by a divine cloth, with a bodily stature measuring an innumerable fraction of an aṅgula, as a sāmānika god of Śakra, the king of gods, the ruler of gods.

Then, as soon as that god Tīṣyaka was newly reborn, he attained the state of completion through the fivefold completion, namely: completion of nourishment, completion of body, completion of sense organs, completion of respiration, and completion of speech and mind.

Then, when that god Tīṣyaka had attained the state of completion through the fivefold completion, the gods of the sāmānika assembly, joining their palms, clasping their ten nails together, raising them in a reverent gesture above their head and making an añjali upon their crown, congratulated him with shouts of victory and triumph. Having congratulated him, they spoke thus:

'O Beloved of the Gods! Divine godly splendour, divine godly brilliance, and divine godly power have been attained, reached, and acquired by you. Just as divine godly splendour, divine godly brilliance, and divine godly power have been attained, reached, and acquired by you, Beloved of the Gods, so too have divine godly splendour up to been acquired even by Śakra, the king of gods, the ruler of gods. Just as divine godly splendour up to has been acquired by Śakra, the king of gods, the ruler of gods, so too divine godly splendour up to has been acquired by you, Beloved of the Gods.'

How great, Venerable Sir, is the supernatural power of that god Tīṣyaka up to and how much is he able to transform?"

"Gautama, he is of great supernatural power up to great majesty. There he dwells, presiding over his own celestial abode, four thousand sāmānika gods, four chief queens along with their retinues, three assemblies, seven armies, seven commanders of the armies, sixteen thousand guardian gods, and many other Vaimānika gods and goddesses.

He possesses such great supernatural power up to and is able to transform this much: just as a young man might seize a young woman by the hand—just as with Śakra, exactly so up to. But this, Gautama, is stated only as the scope and full capacity of the god Tīṣyaka; never in actuality have they transformed, do they transform, or will they transform [to that full extent]."

"If, Venerable Sir, the god Tīṣyaka has such great supernatural power up to and is able to transform this much, Venerable Sir, how great is the supernatural power of the remaining sāmānika gods of Śakra, the king of gods, the ruler of gods?"

"Everything is exactly the same up to: Gautama, this is stated only as the scope and full capacity of each and every sāmānika god of Śakra, the king of gods, the ruler of gods; never in actuality have they transformed, do they transform, or will they transform [to that full extent].

Concerning the trāyastriṃśa gods, the Lokapālas, and the chief queens, it is to be understood just as with Camara, with the difference that: two entire Jambūdvīpa continents [can be encompassed], and all the rest is just the same."

"It is so, Venerable Sir! It is so, Venerable Sir!" So saying, the second Gautama [Agnibhūti] up to dwells.

"Venerable Sir!" Saying so, the Venerable third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti, venerated and bowed down to the ascetic, the Lord Mahāvīra. Having venerated and bowed down, he spoke thus:

"If, Venerable Sir, Śakra, the king of gods, the ruler of gods, is of such great supernatural power up to and is able to transform this much, how great, Venerable Sir, is the supernatural power of Īśāna, the king of gods, the ruler of gods?"

"It is exactly the same, with the difference that: slightly more than two entire Jambūdvīpa continents; the rest is just the same."

"If, Venerable Sir, Īśāna, the king of gods, the ruler of gods, possesses such great supernatural power up to and is able to transform this much—surely, [your] pupil named the homeless ascetic Kurudattaputra, Beloved of the Gods, gentle by nature up to humble, cultivating himself through unbroken ascetic practices of continuous three-day fasts, taking āyambila on breaking fast, raising his arms aloft towards the sun, performing heat mortification on the heat-mortification ground, having maintained the ascetic course for a full six months, emaciating himself with a half-month saṃlekhanā, terminating thirty meals through fasting, having confessed and repented, having attained spiritual composure, dying at his appointed time, was reborn in Īśāna Kalpa in his own celestial abode, in the assembly hall of rebirth, on a divine couch, covered by a divine cloth, with a bodily stature measuring an innumerable fraction of an aṅgula, as a sāmānika god of Īśāna, the king of gods, the ruler of gods. Whatever was said regarding Tīṣyaka, all of that without remainder applies to Kurudattaputra as well, with the difference that: slightly more than two entire Jambūdvīpa continents; the rest is just the same.

Thus for the sāmānika gods, trāyastriṃśa gods, Lokapālas, and chief queens up to: this, Gautama, is stated only as the scope and full capacity of each and every chief queen goddess of Īśāna, the king of gods, the ruler of gods; never in actuality have they transformed, do they transform, or will they transform [to that full extent]."

Likewise also for Sanatkumāra, with this difference: four complete Jambūdvīpa continents, and furthermore innumerably across horizontally.
Likewise also for Lāntaka, with this difference: a little more than eight complete [Jambūdvīpas]; in Mahāśukra sixteen complete [Jambūdvīpas]; in Sahasrāra a little more than sixteen;
likewise also in Prāṇata, with this difference: thirty-two complete [Jambūdvīpas];
likewise also in Acyuta, with this difference: a little more than thirty-two complete Jambūdvīpa continents; the rest is just the same.
"So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!" Saying this, the third Gautama, the homeless ascetic Vāyubhūti, venerated and paid obeisance to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and up to dwelt [there].
Then the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, on another occasion departed from the Nandana shrine in the city of Mokā, and having departed, wandered outside on his tour of the countryside.

At that time, in that period, there was a city named Rājagṛha—the description [as in the Aupapātika Sūtra] up to the assembly attends upon him.
At that time, in that period, Īśāna, the Indra of gods, king of gods, in the Īśāna heaven, in the Īśānāvataṃsaka celestial abode, just as related in the Rājapraśnīya Sūtra, having displayed his divine celestial splendour, divine celestial brilliance, divine celestial majesty, [and] the divine thirty-two-fold theatrical performance, up to returned to the very same direction from which he had appeared.
Venerable Sir! Lord Gautama paid homage and made obeisance to the ascetic Lord Mahāvīra. Having paid homage and made obeisance, he spoke thus: "Oh, Venerable Sir! Īśāna, the Indra of gods, king of gods, has great splendour up to great majesty. Venerable Sir, where did that divine celestial splendour, divine celestial brilliance, [and] divine celestial majesty of Īśāna go? Where did it enter?"
"Gautama, it went into his body; it entered his body."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said: 'It went into his body; it entered his body'?"
"Gautama! It is just like a gabled hall that might be plastered on both sides, secure, with secure doors, sheltered from the wind, [and] deep within the shelter from the wind. In the vicinity of that gabled hall, a large crowd of people sees a great cloudburst, or a rainstorm, or a great gale approaching; having seen it, they enter within that gabled hall and stay there. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: 'It went into his body; it entered his body.'"
"Venerable Sir, by what means was that divine celestial splendour, divine celestial brilliance, [and] divine celestial majesty acquired, attained, [and] fully achieved by Īśāna, the Indra of gods, king of gods? Who was he in his previous existence? What was his name? What was his clan? In which village, town, up to settlement [did he live]? What did he give? What did he consume? What did he do? What did he practice? Or from which suitable śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa, having heard and grasped even a single noble, religious, good word, did Īśāna, the Indra of gods, king of gods, acquire, attain, [and] fully achieve that divine celestial splendour, divine celestial brilliance, [and] divine celestial majesty?"
"Thus indeed, Gautama! At that time, in that period, here in the continent of Jambūdvīpa, in the realm of Bhārata, there was a city named Tāmraliptī—the description [is to be supplied].
There in the city of Tāmraliptī, there was a householder named Tāmalī, a son of the Mauryas—rich, prosperous, up to not disregarded by many people.
Then, once upon a time, during the late hours of the night, while keeping watch over his household affairs, such an inward, thoughtful, earnest wish and intention arose in that householder Tāmalī, son of the Mauryas:
'There is indeed for me a particular fruition of auspicious results from good deeds, well-performed, well-exerted, auspicious, and beneficial, performed in previous times, by which I increase in silver, I increase in gold, I increase in wealth, I increase in grain, I increase in sons, I increase in cattle, and I exceedingly increase in vast riches of money, gold, jewels, gems, pearls, conches, crystals, coral, red gems, and essential property. Why, then, should I not dwell looking exclusively toward the exhaustion of those deeds well-performed, well-exerted, auspicious, and beneficial, performed in previous times?
Therefore, so long as I increase in silver up to exceedingly increase, and so long as my friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants respect me, understand me, honour me, esteem me, and attend upon me with reverence as a blessing, an auspicious presence, a deity, and a shrine, so long is it better for me, tomorrow when the night has brightened into dawn up to when the sun, the day-maker of a thousand rays, has risen blazing with heat, to fashion a wooden alms-bowl myself, have abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries prepared, invite my friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants, honour and esteem those friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants with abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries, and with garments, perfumes, garlands, and ornaments; to install my eldest son over the household in the presence of those very friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants; and, having taken leave of those friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants and of my eldest son, to take up the wooden alms-bowl myself, be tonsured, and enter into the prāṇāmā initiation.
And having renounced, I shall undertake such a vow: "It is proper for me for the rest of my life to dwell enduring penance through uninterrupted sixth-meal fasts, repeatedly raising my arms upward facing the sun, exposing myself to the sun's heat on the sun-exposure ground; and at the breaking of the sixth-meal fast, having descended from the sun-exposure ground, taking up the wooden alms-bowl myself, wandering for the collection of alms through high, low, and middle families of the city of Tāmraliptī, receiving pure boiled rice, washing it twenty-one times with water, only then to take food."' Having reflected thus, tomorrow when the night had brightened into dawn up to when the sun, the day-maker of a thousand rays, had risen blazing with heat, he fashioned a wooden alms-bowl himself, had abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries prepared; after that, bathed, having performed offerings, with protective, auspicious, and expiatory rites completed, clad in excellent, auspicious garments fit for entering gatherings, his body adorned with a few highly precious ornaments, at mealtime, in the dining pavilion, seated on an excellent, comfortable seat, he dwelt relishing, tasting, sharing, and enjoying that abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries together with those friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants.
Having eaten his meal and rinsed his mouth, cleansed and become exceedingly pure, he honoured and esteemed those friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants with abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries, and with garments, perfumes, garlands, and ornaments. In the presence of those very friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants, he installed his eldest son over the household; having done so, he took leave of those friends, kinsmen, relations, relatives, connections, and attendants and of his eldest son, was tonsured, and renounced in the prāṇāmā initiation. And having renounced, he undertook such a vow: 'It is proper for me for the rest of my life through sixth-meal fasts up to to take food.' Having undertaken such a vow, he dwelt for the rest of his life enduring uninterrupted penance of sixth-meal fasts, repeatedly raising his arms upward facing the sun, exposing himself to the heat on the sun-exposure ground.
And at the breaking of the sixth-meal fast, he descended from the sun-exposure ground, took up the wooden alms-bowl himself, wandered for the collection of alms through high, low, and middle families in the city of Tāmraliptī, received pure boiled rice, washed it twenty-one times with water, and only then took food."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it called the prāṇāmā initiation?"
"Gautama! One who has renounced in the prāṇāmā initiation, whatever he sees wherever—whether Indra, or Skanda, or Rudra, or Śiva, or Vaiśramaṇa, or the noble Koṭṭakriyā, or a king, or a lord, or a talavara, or a mādambika, or a head of household, or an ibhya, or a seṭṭhi, or an army chief, or a caravan leader, or a crow, or a dog, or a degraded being—seeing high, he makes a high bow; seeing low, he makes a low bow; however he sees, he makes a bow to it in that manner. For that reason, Gautama, it is called the prāṇāmā initiation."
Then that Tāmalī, son of the Mauryas, by that arduous, extensive, earnest, and strictly observed ignorant asceticism, became dry, emaciated, fleshless, skin-and-bone, frail, thin, and covered with veins.
Then, once upon a time, during the late hours of the night, while keeping watch over the impermanence [of life], such an inward, thoughtful, earnest wish and intention arose in that ignorant ascetic Tāmalī:
'Indeed, by this arduous, extensive, earnest, strictly observed, auspicious, benign, blessed, prosperous, radiant, elevated, noble, excellent, and majestic practice of penance, I have become dry, emaciated, up to covered with veins. Therefore, so long as there is in me energy, exertion, strength, vigour, and manly endurance, so long is it better for me, tomorrow when the night has brightened into dawn up to when the sun, the day-maker of a thousand rays, has risen blazing with heat, to take leave of those seen and met, heretics, householders, old acquaintances, and later acquaintances in the city of Tāmraliptī, depart right through the middle of the city of Tāmraliptī, discard the wooden alms-bowl and equipment such as wooden shoes and water-pitcher in a secluded spot, trace an abstention circle in the north-eastern direction of the city of Tāmraliptī, and dwell emaciated by the emaciation of saṃlekhanā, having renounced food and drink, having undertaken fasting unto death, not awaiting the hour of death.' Having reflected thus, tomorrow when the night brightened into dawn up to when the sun, the day-maker of a thousand rays, rose blazing with heat, he took leave of those seen and met, heretics, householders, old acquaintances, and later acquaintances in the city of Tāmraliptī, departed right through the middle of the city of Tāmraliptī, discarded the equipment such as wooden shoes and water-pitcher and the wooden alms-bowl in a secluded spot, traced an abstention circle in the north-eastern direction of the city of Tāmraliptī, and, emaciated by the emaciation of saṃlekhanā, having renounced food and drink, lay down in fasting unto death.