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Viyahapannatti 14.6

English (machine translation) 14.6

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English

14.6.615

At Rājagṛha, [and so forth], he spoke thus: "Venerable Sir! What nourishment, what transformation, what origin, and what lifespan duration are the inhabitants of hell stated to have?"
"Gautama! The inhabitants of hell have pudgala as nourishment, pudgala as transformation, pudgala as origin, and pudgala as lifespan duration; they are subject to karma, conditioned by karma, endure according to karma, and undergo changes solely through karma. In this manner, up to the celestial beings (vaimānikas)."

14.6.616

"Venerable Sir! Do the inhabitants of hell nourish themselves on discontinuous matters (vīcī-dravya) or on continuous matters (avīcī-dravya)?"
"Gautama! The inhabitants of hell nourish themselves on discontinuous matters as well, and on continuous matters as well."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said: 'The inhabitants of hell nourish themselves on discontinuous matters as well, and on continuous matters as well'?"
"Gautama! Those inhabitants of hell who nourish themselves on matters deficient even by a single space-point (pradeśa), those inhabitants of hell nourish themselves on discontinuous matters; those inhabitants of hell who nourish themselves on complete matters, those inhabitants of hell nourish themselves on continuous matters.
For that reason, Gautama, it is said: 'The inhabitants of hell nourish themselves on discontinuous matters as well, and on continuous matters as well.' In this manner, up to the celestial beings."

14.6.617

"When, Venerable Sir, Śakra, the chief of the gods, the king of the gods, desires to enjoy divine pleasures, how does he proceed?"
"Gautama! At that very moment, Śakra, the chief of the gods, the king of the gods, creates through transformation a large wheel-rim-like structure—one hundred thousand yojanas in length and breadth, and three hundred thousand yojanas [and so forth] plus a fraction over half an aṅgula in circumference. On top of that wheel-rim-like structure, a surface of ground is stated to be exceedingly even and delightful, [and so forth], pleasant to touch like jewels.
In the very center of that wheel-rim-like structure, he transforms a large crest-shaped palace—five hundred yojanas in height, two hundred and fifty yojanas in width, towering, loftily erected, as if laughing, [and so forth, with full description] up to suitable. The ceiling of that crest-shaped palace is painted with patterns of lotus creepers, [and so forth] up to suitable.
Inside that crest-shaped palace, there is an exceedingly even and delightful surface of ground, [and so forth], pleasant to touch like jewels, with a jeweled dais of eight yojanas, as with the celestial beings.
Upon that jeweled dais, he creates through transformation a large divine couch, with the description of the couch, [and so forth] up to suitable.
There, Śakra, the chief of the gods, the king of the gods, together with eight principal queens and their retinues, and with two divisions of troops—the dramatic troop and the Gandharva troop—lives enjoying divine pleasures amidst the loud, struck sounds of dance, song, instruments, lute, rhythmic clapping, cymbals, beaten drums, and resonant percussion.
When Īśāna, the chief of the gods, the king of the gods, desires to enjoy divine pleasures, how does he proceed?"
"Just as for Śakra, so also for Īśāna, completely without omission. Likewise for Sanatkumāra; with the difference that the crest-shaped palace is six hundred yojanas in height, three hundred yojanas in width, and the jeweled dais is likewise of eight yojanas. Upon that jeweled dais, he creates through transformation a large throne; it should be stated together with its retinue.
There, Sanatkumāra, the chief of the gods, the king of the gods, surrounded by seventy-two thousand equals (sāmānikas), [and so forth], up to four times seventy-two thousand guardian gods, and by many celestial gods and goddesses dwelling in the Sanatkumāra realm, lives amidst the loud, struck dance, [and so forth].
In this manner, just as for Sanatkumāra, so up to Prāṇata and Acyuta; with the difference that whatever is one's retinue, that should be stated for him. As for the height of the palace—it is the height of the celestial abodes in their respective realms, and half that in width, up to Acyuta's being nine hundred yojanas in height and four hundred and fifty yojanas in width. There, Acyuta, the chief of the gods, the king of the gods, lives with ten thousand equals, [and so forth]; the rest is the same."
"So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!"

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