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Viyahapannatti 3

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Contents

3.1.151

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.

3.1.152

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."

3.1.153

“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!”

3.1.154

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.

3.1.155

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.”

3.1.156

"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.

3.1.157

"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."

3.1.158

"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]."

3.1.159

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.

3.1.160

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.

3.1.161

At that time and in that period, the royal capital Balicañcā was without an Indra and without a priest.
Then many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the royal capital Balicañcā perceived the foolish ascetic Tāmali with [their] clairvoyant knowledge. Having perceived [him], they called to one another and spoke thus:
"Indeed, beloved of the gods! The royal capital Balicañcā is without an Indra and without a priest, and we, beloved of the gods, are dependent on an Indra, governed by an Indra, and have our tasks subordinate to an Indra. Moreover, beloved of the gods, this foolish ascetic Tāmali, outside the city of Tāmalittī in the northeastern quarter, having drawn a bounded circle of restriction, emaciated by the mortification of sallekhanā, having renounced food and water, has laid down to die by fasting like a felled tree. Therefore, beloved of the gods, it is indeed best for us to cause the foolish ascetic Tāmali to make a resolve of status for the royal capital Balicañcā."
Having said this, they agreed among one another upon this matter. Having agreed, they went out through the midst of the royal capital Balicañcā. Having gone out, they approached the Ruyagida Uppāta mountain. Having approached, they underwent the transformational manifestation. Having transformed, [they proceeded] up to creating ulterior transformed forms. Having created [them], by that superior, quick, swift, violent, victorious, adept, lion-like, rapid, aloft, divine celestial motion, traversing through the midst of countless continents and oceans diagonally, they went to Jambūdvīpa, to the Bharata region, to the city of Tāmalittī, where Tāmali Moriyaputta was. Having approached, standing directly opposite above the foolish ascetic Tāmali, they displayed [their] divine celestial power, divine celestial splendour, divine celestial majesty, and the thirty-two-fold divine dance performance. Having displayed [this], they circumambulated the foolish ascetic Tāmali three times from left to right. Having done so, they paid homage and bowed down. Having paid homage and bowed down, they spoke thus:
"Indeed, beloved of the gods! We, many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the royal capital Balicañcā, pay homage, bow down, honour, respect, and wait upon the beloved of the gods as auspicious, fortunate, a deity, and an object of veneration. Beloved of the gods, our royal capital Balicañcā is without an Indra and without a priest, and we, beloved of the gods, are dependent on an Indra, governed by an Indra, and have our tasks subordinate to an Indra. Therefore, beloved of the gods, take regard of the royal capital Balicañcā, acknowledge [it], remember [it], bind an intent [for it], make a resolution, make a resolve of status! Then, when your time has come, passing away, you will be reborn in the royal capital Balicañcā. Then you will become our Indra. Then, together with us, you will dwell enjoying divine pleasures."
Then, when spoken to thus by those many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the royal capital Balicañcā, that foolish ascetic Tāmali did not regard this matter, did not acknowledge [it], [and] remained silent.
Then those many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the royal capital Balicañcā circumambulated Tāmali Moriyaputta a second time and a third time from left to right, [saying] up to: "And our royal capital Balicañcā, beloved of the gods, is without an Indra and without a priest, and we, beloved of the gods, are dependent on an Indra, governed by an Indra, and have our tasks subordinate to an Indra. Therefore, beloved of the gods, take regard of the royal capital Balicañcā, acknowledge [it], remember [it], bind an intent [for it], make a resolution, make a resolve of status!" up to, when spoken to thus a second time and a third time, he did not regard this matter, did not acknowledge [it], [and] remained silent.
Then those many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the royal capital Balicañcā, being disregarded and unacknowledged by the foolish ascetic Tāmali, departed in the very direction from which they had appeared.

3.1.162

At that time, in that period, the Īśāna heaven was also without an Indra and without a purohita.
Then that ignorant ascetic Tāmali, having completed an ascetic career of fully sixty thousand years, having emaciated himself through a two-month saṃlekhanā, and having cut off one hundred and twenty meals through fasting, met his death in due course of time and was reborn as Īśāna, the Indra of gods, in the Īśānāvataṃsaka vimāna in the Īśāna heaven, in the assembly hall of rebirth, on the divine bed, covered with divine cloth, with a bodily measure of an innumerableth part of an aṅgula, at the time when the post of Īśāna, Indra of gods, was vacant.
Then that Īśāna, Indra of gods and king of gods, having newly been reborn, attained full capacity through the fivefold completion, [namely: the completion of nourishment up to the completion of speech and mind].
Then those numerous Asurakumāra gods and goddesses inhabiting the royal city of Balicañcā, knowing that the ignorant ascetic Tāmali had passed away and seeing that he had been reborn as Indra of gods in the Īśāna heaven, became furious, enraged, wrathful, inflamed, and fuming. They went out through the middle of the royal city of Balicañcā, and having gone out with supreme [speed], up to where the continent of Bhārata was, where the city of Tāmalittī was, and where the body of the ignorant ascetic Tāmali was, they approached. They bound his left foot with a cord, spat three times in his face, dragged him to and fro through the triangular places, junctions of three roads, crossroads, squares, four-way intersections, highways, and streets of the city of Tāmalittī, and loudly proclaiming again and again, spoke thus:
“Who indeed, Sirs, was that ignorant ascetic Tāmali, who took the ascetic emblem by himself and went forth in the asceticism of bowing? And who is this Īśāna, Indra of gods and king of gods in the Īśāna heaven?” Saying so, they derided, blamed, censured, reproached, despised, threatened, struck, maltreated, abused, and dragged his body to and fro. Having derided, blamed, censured, reproached, despised, threatened, struck, maltreated, abused, and dragged [it] to and fro, they threw it in a secluded spot, and having thrown it away, departed back to the very direction from which they had appeared.

3.1.163

Then those many Vaimānika gods and goddesses residing in Īśāna-kalpa saw the body of the ignorant ascetic Tāmali being insulted, condemned, scoffed at, reproached, despised, threatened, beaten, dragged around, and torn apart—being pulled this way and that—by the many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the Balicañcā capital. Having seen [this], they became enraged, up to burning with wrath, and approached Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods. Having approached, they folded their hands upon their heads in an añjali, joining their ten fingernails like a crest-wreath, hailed him with cries of ‘victory!’ and ‘triumph!’, and spoke thus:
‘Indeed, Beloved of the Gods! Knowing that you, Beloved of the Gods, had passed away and had been born in Īśāna-kalpa as Indra, the many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the Balicañcā capital became enraged, up to throwing [your former body] aside in a secluded spot, and having discarded it, they departed back in the very direction from which they had appeared.’
Then Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, having heard and understood this matter from those many Vaimānika gods and goddesses residing in Īśāna-kalpa, became enraged, up to burning with wrath. Remaining right there upon his excellent divine couch, he knit a three-ridged frown upon his brow and gazed downward, directly ahead and face to face, upon the Balicañcā capital.
Then, when the Balicañcā capital was gazed upon directly ahead and face to face from above by Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, by that divine power it became like glowing coals, like burning embers, like ash, like a heated earthen vessel, blazing hot, and like a uniform mass of fire.
Then those many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the Balicañcā capital saw that Balicañcā capital turned into glowing coals, up to a uniform mass of fire. Having seen it, frightened, terrified, agitated, overcome with fear, and seized with dread, they ran hither and thither in all directions, and having run hither and thither, they stood crowding closely against one another's bodies.
Then those many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the Balicañcā capital, knowing that Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, was exceedingly furious, and unable to endure the divine majesty, divine brilliance, divine potency, and divine te悍leśyā of Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, gathered directly opposite [him], folded their hands upon their heads in an añjali, joining their ten fingernails like a crest-wreath, hailed him with cries of ‘victory!’ and ‘triumph!’, and spoke thus:
‘Ah, divine majesty, divine brilliance, and divine potency have indeed been obtained, reached, and acquired by the Beloved of the Gods! The divine majesty, divine brilliance, and divine potency obtained, reached, and acquired by the Beloved of the Gods have been seen! Therefore, Beloved of the Gods, we beg your forgiveness! May the Beloved of the Gods forgive us! The Beloved of the Gods ought to forgive us! We shall never do such a thing again.’ Having spoken thus, they properly and with deference repeatedly asked for forgiveness for this matter.
Then Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, having been properly and deferentially asked for forgiveness repeatedly for this matter by those many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the Balicañcā capital, withdrew that divine majesty, up to his te悍leśyā.
From that time forward, Gautama, those many Asurakumāra gods and goddesses residing in the Balicañcā capital esteem, acknowledge, honor, and respect Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, and deferentially attend upon him as auspicious, blessed, and divine, like a caitya, and they remain obedient to the command, service, word, and direction of Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods.
Thus indeed, Gautama, was that divine majesty, divine brilliance, and divine potency obtained, reached, and acquired by Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods.
‘Venerable Sir! How long has the lifespan duration of Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, been proclaimed to be?’
‘Gautama! A lifespan duration of a little more than two sāgaropamas has been proclaimed.’
‘Venerable Sir! When Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, falls from that realm of the gods upon the exhaustion of his lifespan, the exhaustion of his food, and the exhaustion of his duration, where will he go immediately thereafter? Where will he be reborn?’
‘Gautama! In the Mahāvideha realm he will be perfected, enlightened, liberated, and make an end to all suffering.’

3.1.164

‘Venerable Sir! Compared to the celestial abodes of Śakra, the Indra and King of Gods, are the celestial abodes of Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, slightly higher and slightly more elevated? Or, compared to the celestial abodes of Īśāna, the Indra and King of Gods, are the celestial abodes of Śakra, the Indra and King of Gods, slightly lower and slightly more sunken?’
‘Yes, Gautama, the entire matter regarding Śakra is to be understood in the very same way.’
‘Venerable Sir, for what reason is it said thus?’
‘Gautama, just as the palm of a hand might be high in one place, elevated in one place, low in one place, and sunken in one place; for that reason, Gautama, [the celestial abodes] of Śakra, the Indra and King of Gods, up to are slightly more sunken.’

3.1.165

"Is Śakra, the Indra and king of the gods, Venerable Sir, able to appear in the presence of Īśāna, the Indra and king of the gods?"
"Yes, he is able."
"Venerable Sir, is he able while showing respect, [or] is he able while not showing respect?"
"Gautama! He is able while showing respect; he is not able while not showing respect."
"Is Īśāna, the Indra and king of the gods, Venerable Sir, able to appear in the presence of Śakra, the Indra and king of the gods?"
"Yes, he is able."
"Venerable Sir, is he able while showing respect, [or] is he able while not showing respect?"
"Gautama! He is able while showing respect, and he is also able while not showing respect."
"Is Śakra, the Indra and king of the gods, Venerable Sir, able to look directly at Īśāna, the Indra and king of the gods, face-to-face in the opposite direction?"
"Yes, he is able."
"Venerable Sir, is he able while showing respect, [or] is he able while not showing respect?"
"Gautama! He is able while showing respect; he is not able while not showing respect."
"Is Īśāna, the Indra and king of the gods, Venerable Sir, able to look directly at Śakra, the Indra and king of the gods, face-to-face in the opposite direction?"
"Yes, he is able."
"Venerable Sir, is he able while showing respect, [or] is he able while not showing respect?"
"Gautama! He is able while showing respect, and he is also able while not showing respect."
"Is Śakra, the Indra and king of the gods, Venerable Sir, able to engage in conversation or discourse with Īśāna, the Indra and king of the gods?"
"Yes, he is able."
"Venerable Sir, is he able while showing respect, [or] is he able while not showing respect?"
"Gautama! He is able while showing respect; he is not able while not showing respect."
"Is Īśāna, the Indra and king of the gods, Venerable Sir, able to engage in conversation or discourse with Śakra, the Indra and king of the gods?"
"Yes, he is able."
"Venerable Sir, is he able while showing respect, [or] is he able while not showing respect?"
"Gautama! He is able while showing respect, and he is also able while not showing respect."

3.1.166

"Do duties and tasks arise, Venerable Sir, for those Indras and kings of the gods, Śakra and Īśāna?"
"Yes, they do."
"How do they proceed in that case?"
"Gautama! At that very time, Śakra, the Indra and king of the gods, appears in the presence of Īśāna, the Indra and king of the gods; or Īśāna, the Indra and king of the gods, appears in the presence of Śakra, the Indra and king of the gods, saying, 'O Śakra! Indra! King of the gods! Sovereign of the southern half of the universe!' or 'O Īśāna! Indra! King of the gods! Sovereign of the northern half of the universe!' Calling 'O sir! O sir!', they dwell mutually carrying out their duties and tasks."
"Do disputes arise, Venerable Sir, between those Indras and kings of the gods, Śakra and Īśāna?"
"Yes, they do."
"Then how do they proceed in that case?"
"Gautama! At that very time, those Indras and kings of the gods, Śakra and Īśāna, direct their minds to Sanatkumāra, the Indra and king of the gods. Then Sanatkumāra, the Indra and king of the gods, being called to mind by those Indras and kings of the gods, Śakra and Īśāna, quickly appears in the presence of the Indras and kings of the gods, Śakra and Īśāna. Whatever he says, they abide by his order, compliance, word, and direction."

3.1.167

"Is Sanatkumāra, Venerable Sir, the Indra and king of the gods, capable of liberation (bhavasiddhika) or incapable of liberation (abhavasiddhika)? Of right view or of wrong view? Of limited worldly existence (parittasaṃsārika) or of infinite worldly existence? One to whom enlightenment is easily attained or difficultly attained? An attainer [of liberation] or a non-attainer? In his final birth or not in his final birth?"
"Gautama! Sanatkumāra, the Indra and king of the gods, is capable of liberation, not incapable of liberation. He is of right view, not of wrong view. He is of limited worldly existence, not of infinite worldly existence. Enlightenment is easily attained for him, not difficultly attained. He is an attainer, not a non-attainer. He is in his final birth, not non-final."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, [is it said so]?"
"Gautama! Sanatkumāra, the Indra and king of the gods, wishes for the welfare, wishes for the happiness, wishes for the wholesome good, is compassionate toward, wishes for the ultimate good, and wishes for the welfare, happiness, and ultimate good of many monks, many nuns, many laymen, and many laywomen. For that reason, Gautama, Sanatkumāra, the Indra and king of the gods, is capable of liberation, not incapable of liberation; of right view, not of wrong view; of limited worldly existence, not of infinite worldly existence; one to whom enlightenment is easily attained, not difficultly attained; an attainer, not a non-attainer; in his final birth, not non-final."
"What duration of lifespan, Venerable Sir, is ordained for Sanatkumāra, the Indra and king of the gods?"
"Gautama! A lifespan duration of seven sāgaropamas is ordained."
"Venerable Sir, upon departing immediately from that celestial realm at the exhaustion of his lifespan, the exhaustion of his state of existence, and the exhaustion of his lifespan duration, where will he go? Where will he be reborn?"
"Gautama! In the region of Mahāvideha he will become perfected, awakened, liberated, fully extinguished, and put an end to all suffering."
"So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!"

3.1.168

Fast of the sixth [meal], fast of the eighth [meal]; one month, half a month; eight years, six months
Were the austerity, renunciation of food, and ascetic duration of Tisyaka and Kurudatta.

3.1.169

The height of the celestial abodes, appearance, looking directly, and conversation;
Duty, the arising of dispute, and Sanatkumāra's capability of liberation.

3.2.170

At that time and in that period, there was a city named Rājagṛha [… up to] the assembly paid homage.
At that time and in that period, Camara, king of the asuras and lord of the asuras, in his capital Camaracañcā, in the assembly hall Sudharmā, upon the lion-throne named Camara, accompanied by sixty-four thousand equal gods [… up to] having displayed a performance of dramatic dance, returned to that very direction from which he had appeared.
"Venerable Sir!" Saying thus, the venerable Gautama worshipped and bowed to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having worshipped and bowed, spoke thus:
"Do the Asurakumāra gods, Venerable Sir, dwell below this Ratnaprabhā earth?"
"Gautama, this meaning is not tenable."
"Thus [up to] below the seventh-nether earth, below the Saudharma heavenly realm [up to] do the Asurakumāra gods, Venerable Sir, dwell below the Īṣatprāgbhārā earth?"
"This meaning is not tenable."
"Where then, Venerable Sir, are the Asurakumāra gods known to dwell?"
"Gautama, in this Ratnaprabhā earth, which has a thickness of one hundred and eighty thousand yojanas—thus the entire discourse on the Asurakumāra gods [is to be stated], up to—they reside enjoying divine pleasures."
"Venerable Sir, is there a range of downward motion for the Asurakumāra gods?"
"Yes, there is."
"How far, Venerable Sir, has the range of downward motion of the Asurakumāra gods been declared?"
"Gautama, up to the seventh-nether earth; however, they have gone, and will go, as far as the third earth."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, have the Asurakumāra gods gone, and will go, to the third earth?"
"Gautama, either to prematurely activate the suffering of a former enemy, or to alleviate the suffering of a former friend—indeed for this reason, the Asurakumāra gods have gone, and will go, to the third earth."
"Is there, Venerable Sir, a range of transverse motion declared for the Asurakumāra gods?"
"Yes, there is."
"How far, Venerable Sir, has the range of transverse motion of the Asurakumāra gods been declared?"
"Gautama, up to innumerable continents and oceans; however, they have gone, and will go, as far as the excellent Nandīśvara continent."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, have the Asurakumāra gods gone, and will go, to the Nandīśvara continent?"
"Gautama, these Arhats, Lords—at their birth festivals, or at their renunciation festivals, or at the celebrations of the arising of their knowledge, or at the celebrations of their final nirvāṇa—indeed for this reason, the Asurakumāra gods have gone, and will go, to the Nandīśvara continent."
"Is there, Venerable Sir, a range of upward motion for the Asurakumāra gods?"
"Yes, there is."
"How far, Venerable Sir, is the range of upward motion of the Asurakumāra gods?"
"Gautama, up to the Acyuta realm; however, they have gone, and will go, as far as the Saudharma realm."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, have the Asurakumāra gods gone, and will go, to the Saudharma realm?"
"Gautama, those gods have a continuity of hostility arising from their state of existence. Those gods, transforming their forms or seeking enjoyment, frighten the guardian deities, take very light jewels, and withdraw into solitude."
"Do those gods, Venerable Sir, possess very light jewels?"
"Yes, they do."
"Then how do they act now?"
"Then afterward they afflict their bodies."
"Are the Asurakumāra gods capable, Venerable Sir, having gone there, of residing enjoying divine pleasures together with those apsarases?"
"This meaning is not tenable. They return from there; having returned from there, they come back here.
If those apsarases pay attention to them and acknowledge them, then those Asurakumāra gods are capable of residing enjoying divine pleasures together with those apsarases. But if those apsarases do not pay attention to them and do not acknowledge them, then those Asurakumāra gods are not capable of residing enjoying divine pleasures together with those apsarases. Thus indeed, Gautama, the Asurakumāra gods have gone, and will go, to the Saudharma realm."

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