Viyahapannatti 3.2.170

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."