Viyahapannatti 10.4.487

10.4.487

At that time, in that period, there was the city named Vāṇiyaggāma—[to be described as in] the description—and the Dūtipalāsa caitya. The Lord arrived […], up to the assembly departed.
At that time, in that period, the śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra’s senior disciple, the homeless ascetic named Indrabhūti […], sat with knees raised and head lowered, entered into the chamber of meditation, and dwelt disciplining his soul with self-restraint and austerity.
At that time, in that period, the śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra’s disciple, the homeless ascetic named Śyāmahastin, noble by nature, calm by nature, having anger, pride, deceit, and greed slender by nature, endowed with gentle modesty, restrained, and well-disciplined, sat not far from the śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, with knees raised and head lowered, entered into the chamber of meditation, and dwelt disciplining his soul with self-restraint and austerity.
Then that homeless ascetic Śyāmahastin, having conceived faith […], arose from his seat, and having arisen, approached the venerable Gautama. Having approached, he circumambulated the venerable Gautama three times […], and venerating him, spoke thus:
"Is it so, Venerable Sir, that Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras, has the thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods?"
"Yes, he does."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said: 'Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras, has thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods'?"
"Indeed, Śyāmahastin, at that time, in that period, right here in the continent of Jambūdvīpa, in the realm of Bhārata, there was a city named Kāyandī—[to be described as in] the description. There, in that city of Kāyandī, lived thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas—wealthy […], unvanquished by the common people, who understood the living and non-living, had comprehended merit and sin […], and dwelt disciplining their souls with the austerities they had undertaken.
Then those thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas, having formerly been fierce and living fiercely, impassioned and living impassionately, later became lax and living laxly, negligent and living negligently, of bad conduct and living with bad conduct, self-willed and living self-willed lives. Having spent many years in the state of lay worshippers of the śramaṇas, having emaciated themselves by a half-month's mortification, having given up thirty meals through fasting, they died in their final hour without having confessed or repented of that lapse, and were reborn among the thirty-three gods of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras.
Ever since, Venerable Sir, those thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas from Kāyandī, were reborn as the thirty-three gods of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras, is it from that time onwards, Venerable Sir, that it is said: 'Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras, has thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods'?"
Then the venerable Gautama, addressed thus by the homeless ascetic Śyāmahastin, became doubtful, questioning, and perplexed. He arose from his seat, and having arisen, went together with the homeless ascetic Śyāmahastin to where the śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, was. Having approached, he bowed down to and reverenced the śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having bowed down and reverenced him, spoke thus:
"Is it so, Venerable Sir, that Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras, has the thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods?"
"Yes, he does."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said..."—everything is to be spoken in the very same way up to—"Ever since, Venerable Sir, those thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas from Kāyandī, were reborn as the thirty-three gods of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras, is it from that time onwards, Venerable Sir, that it is said: 'Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras, has thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods'?"
"This meaning is not correct. Gautama, the designation of the thirty-three gods of Camara, the Indra of the Asuras, king of the Asurakumāras, is declared to be eternal—which never was not, never is not, and never will not be; they have been, they are, and they will be: constant, fixed, eternal, imperishable, unchanging, stable, and permanent; from the standpoint of uninterrupted continuity, some fall away and others are reborn."
"Is it so, Venerable Sir, that Bali, the Indra of the Vairocanas, king of the Vairocanas, has the thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods?"
"Yes, he does."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said: 'Bali, the Indra of the Vairocanas, king of the Vairocanas, has thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods'?"
"Indeed, Gautama, at that time, in that period, right here in the continent of Jambūdvīpa, in the realm of Bhārata, there was a settlement named Bebhela—[to be described as in] the description.
There, in that settlement of Bebhela, lived thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas—just as for Camara, up to—were reborn as the thirty-three gods.
Ever since, Venerable Sir, those thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas from Bebhela, were reborn as the thirty-three gods of Bali, the Indra of the Vairocanas, king of the Vairocanas... the rest is the very same, up to—permanent; from the standpoint of uninterrupted continuity, some fall away and others are reborn."
"Is it so, Venerable Sir, that Dharaṇa, the Indra of the Nāgakumāras, king of the Nāgakumāras, has the thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods?"
"Yes, he does."
"For what reason, [Venerable Sir, is it said] […] up to: 'thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods'?"
"Gautama, the designation of the thirty-three gods of Dharaṇa, the Indra of the Nāgakumāras, king of the Nāgakumāras, is declared to be eternal—which never was not […] up to: some fall away and others are reborn. Likewise also for Bhūtānanda, and so on up to Mahāghoṣa."
"Is it so, Venerable Sir, that Śakra, the Indra of the gods, king of the gods, has the thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods?" "Yes, he does."
"For what reason, [Venerable Sir, is it said] […] up to: 'thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods'?"
"Indeed, Gautama, at that time, in that period, right here in the continent of Jambūdvīpa, in the realm of Bhārata, there was a settlement named Pālaya—[to be described as in] the description. There, in that settlement of Pālaya, thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas, lived as described for Camara, up to—dwelt.
Then those thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas, having been formerly and also later fierce and living fiercely, impassioned and living impassionately, having spent many years in the state of lay worshippers of the śramaṇas, having emaciated themselves by a month's mortification, having given up sixty meals through fasting, having confessed and repented, having attained spiritual tranquility, died in their final hour and were reborn as the thirty-three gods of Śakra, the Indra of the gods, king of the gods.
Ever since, Venerable Sir, those thirty-three companion householders, lay worshippers of the śramaṇas from Pālaya... the rest is just as for Camara, up to: others are reborn."
"Is it so, Venerable Sir, that Īśāna, the Indra of the gods, king of the gods, has the thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods?"
"In the same manner as Śakra, with the only difference being: in the city of Campā […] up to: were reborn. 'Ever since, Venerable Sir, those thirty-three companion [householders] from Campā...'—the rest is the very same, up to: others are reborn."
"Is it so, Venerable Sir, that Sanatkumāra, the Indra of the gods, king of the gods, has the thirty-three gods, the Tāyattīsa gods?"
"Yes, he does."
"For what reason?"
"Just as in the case of Dharaṇa, exactly so; and in this way up to Prāṇata, and so for Acyuta, up to: others are reborn."
"That is so, Venerable Sir! That is so, Venerable Sir!"