Viyahapannatti 3.2.172

3.2.172

"Venerable Sir, by what [cause] was that divine celestial fortune, divine celestial splendor, [and] divine celestial power obtained, reached, and attained by Camara, the Indra of Asuras, the king of Asuras?"
"Thus indeed, Gautama: At that time, in that period, right here in the continent of Jambūdvīpa, in the realm of Bharata, at the foot of the Vindhya mountains, there was a settlement named Bebhela—[described in full].
There in the settlement of Bebhela lived a householder named Pūraṇa—wealthy, illustrious, [and so forth], never overcome by ordinary people.
Then once, at the time between midnight and dawn, while he was keeping vigil over his household affairs, such an internal, reflected, desired, mental thought occurred to that householder Pūraṇa: 'Indeed, I have a special manifestation of the auspicious fruits of deeds done formerly, ancient, well-practiced, well-exerted, auspicious, and blessed, by which I prosper in bullion, prosper in gold, prosper in money, prosper in grain, prosper in sons, prosper in cattle, and excessively, highly prosper in property consisting of abundant wealth, gold, jewels, gems, pearls, conch-shells, rocks, corals, red jewels, and essential possessions. Why then should I not dwell intent entirely upon the exhaustion of those deeds done formerly, ancient, well-practiced, [and so on]?
Therefore, as long as I prosper in bullion, [and so forth], excessively, highly prosper, and as long as my circle of friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, and dependents regards me, knows me, honors me, respects me, and attends upon me with deference as an auspicious, fortunate, divine deity, so long it is better for me, tomorrow when the night has turned into dawn, up to when the thousand-rayed sun, maker of the day, has risen, blazing with splendor, that I myself make a four-compartment wooden bowl, have abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savories prepared, invite my circle of friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, and dependents, entertain and honor that circle of friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, and dependents with the abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savories, and with clothes, scents, garlands, and ornaments, establish my eldest son over the family in the presence of that very circle of friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, and dependents, take leave of that circle of friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, and dependents and of my eldest son, myself take the four-compartment wooden bowl, become tonsured, and renounce the world in the mendicancy of giving. And having renounced, I shall undertake such a vow:
"It is fitting for me, for the rest of my life, through an unbroken course of penance of two-day fastings (chaṭṭha), repeatedly raising my arms upward, facing the sun, to dwell practicing heat-austerity on the heat-exertion ground. And at the breaking of each two-day fast, having descended from the heat-exertion ground, having myself taken the four-compartment wooden bowl, and having wandered in the settlement of Bebhela through high, low, and middle families on the begging-round of gathered households, whatever falls into my first compartment, it is fitting for me to give it to travelers on the road; whatever falls into my second compartment, it is fitting for me to give it to crows and dogs; whatever falls into my third compartment, it is fitting for me to give it to fish and turtles; whatever falls into my fourth compartment, it is fitting for me to consume it myself as nourishment."'—having thus considered, having considered thus, tomorrow when the night had turned into dawn, all that without omission [he performed], up to: whatever fell into his fourth compartment, that he himself consumed as nourishment.
Then that ignorant ascetic Pūraṇa, by that severe, vast, intensive, sustained ignorant course of penance, became dried up, withered, fleshless, bound only by skin and bone, emaciated, shriveled, and covered with veins.
Then once, at the time between midnight and dawn, while keeping a vigil on the impermanence [of life], such an internal, reflected, desired, mental thought occurred to that ignorant ascetic Pūraṇa:
'Indeed, through this severe, vast, intensive, sustained, auspicious, benign, fortunate, blessed, glorious, exalted, noble, supreme, exceedingly powerful course of penance, I have become dried up, withered, [and so on], covered with veins. So while I still have initiative, action, strength, energy, and manly exertion, it is better for me, tomorrow when the night has turned into dawn, up to when the thousand-rayed sun, maker of the day, has risen, blazing with splendor, having taken leave of the acquaintances, wandering sectarians, householders, former companions, and monastic companions in the settlement of Bebhela, having gone forth through the midst of the settlement of Bebhela, having cast aside in a solitary place the gear consisting of sandals, water-pot, and the like, and the four-compartment wooden bowl, having traced an ardhanivartanika circle in the southeastern direction of the settlement of Bebhela, being emaciated by the mortification of sallekhanā, having renounced food and drink, entered upon the mortal fast (pādopagamana), to dwell disregarding [the time of] death.' Having thus considered, having considered thus, tomorrow when the night had turned into dawn, up to when the thousand-rayed sun, maker of the day, had risen, blazing with splendor, he took leave of the acquaintances, wandering sectarians, householders, former companions, and monastic companions in the settlement of Bebhela; having taken leave, he went forth through the midst of the settlement of Bebhela; having gone forth, he cast aside in a solitary place the gear consisting of sandals, water-pot, and the like, and the wooden bowl; having cast [them] aside, he traced an ardhanivartanika circle in the southeastern direction of the settlement of Bebhela, emaciated by the mortification of sallekhanā, renounced food and drink, and lay down in the mortal fast.
At that time, in that period, Gautama, I, in my state as an un-omniscient ascetic (chadmastha), with an eleven-year monastic standing, cultivating my soul with self-restraint and austerity through an unbroken course of penance of two-day fastings, wandering continuously, traveling from village to village, approached where the city of Suṃsumārapura was, where the Aśoka-cluster garden was, where the great Aśoka tree was, where the slab of stone was; having approached, underneath the great Aśoka tree, upon the slab of stone, I undertook a three-day fast (aṭṭhamabhakta), withdrew both feet, hung down my hands, fixed my gaze on a single physical object (pudgala), without blinking my eyes, with my body slightly bent forward, with limbs properly held, protected in all senses, and dwelt having entered upon the one-night great meditation practice.
At that time, in that period, the capital city of Camaracañcā was without an Indra and without a domestic priest.
Then that ignorant ascetic Pūraṇa, having completed a full twelve years of monastic life, having mortified himself with a one-month sallekhanā, having eliminated sixty meals by fasting, having died at the time of death, was reborn in the capital city of Camaracañcā, in the hall of rebirth, up to being reborn as an Indra.
Then that Camara, the Indra of Asuras, the king of Asuras, being newly reborn, attained the state of completion through the fivefold completions, [namely: through the completion of nourishment up to the completion of speech and mind].
Then that Camara, the Indra of Asuras, the king of Asuras, having attained the state of completion through the fivefold completions, spontaneously directed his clairvoyance upward up to the Saudharma kalpa, and there he saw:
Śakra, the Indra of gods, king of gods, Maghavan, the subduer of Pāka, / performer of a hundred sacrifices, thousand-eyed, thunderbolt in hand, sacker of cities,
sovereign of the southern half of the world, sovereign over thirty-two hundred thousand celestial abodes, having the Airāvaṇa elephant as his mount, Indra of the gods, wearing dustless celestial garments, with an undulating garland and crown, cheeks scraped by fresh-gold lovely ornate dangling earrings, with a radiant body and a hanging woodland garland, illuminating and shining the ten directions with divine complexion, [and so forth], in the Saudharma kalpa, in the Saudharmāvataṃsaka celestial abode, in the Sudharmā assembly hall, upon the Śakra lion-throne, up to enjoying divine sensual pleasures. Having seen [him], such an internal, reflected, desired, mental thought occurred [to Camara]: 'Who is this one wishing for the un-wished, of disastrous and marginal auspicious marks, bereft of shame and fortune, born on an unmeritorious fourteenth day, who, when such divine celestial fortune, divine celestial splendor, divine celestial power of mine has been obtained, reached, and attained, dwells above [me], enjoying divine sensual pleasures free from anxiety?'
Having reflected thus, having reflected thus, he summoned the gods born in his council of equal rank (sāmānika), and having summoned them, spoke thus: 'Who is this, O beloved of the gods, wishing for the un-wished, [and so forth], that dwells enjoying divine sensual pleasures?'
Then those gods born in the council of equal rank, addressed thus by Camara, the Indra of Asuras, the king of Asuras, being glad, satisfied, rejoicing in heart, pleased, delighted in mind, exceedingly joyful, their hearts overflowing with thrill, placed their ten fingernails together in their cupped hands, held them to their head in salutation, congratulated him with shouts of victory and triumph, and having congratulated, spoke thus: 'O beloved of the gods, this is Śakra, the Indra of gods, king of gods, [and so forth], who dwells enjoying divine sensual pleasures.'
Then that Camara, the Indra of Asuras, the king of Asuras, having heard and understood this matter from those gods born in the council of equal rank, became enraged, angered, infuriated, ferocious, burning with rage, and spoke thus to those gods born in the council of equal rank: 'Different indeed, sirs, is that Śakra, Indra of gods, king of gods! Different indeed, sirs, is this Camara, Indra of Asuras, king of Asuras! Śakra, Indra of gods, king of gods, is indeed possessed of great fortune, sirs! Camara, Indra of Asuras, king of Asuras, is possessed of small fortune, sirs! Therefore, O beloved of the gods, I wish myself to humiliate Śakra, the Indra of gods, the king of gods!' Saying so, he became hot, thoroughly heated.
Then that Camara, the Indra of Asuras, the king of Asuras, applied clairvoyance; having applied it, he perceived me with clairvoyance; having perceived, such an internal, reflected, desired, mental thought occurred [to him]:
'Indeed, the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, in the continent of Jambūdvīpa, in the realm of Bharata, in the city of Suṃsumārapura, in the Aśoka-cluster garden, underneath the great Aśoka tree, upon the slab of stone, having undertaken a three-day fast, dwells having entered upon the one-night great meditation practice. Therefore, it is indeed better for me, relying upon the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, myself to humiliate Śakra, the Indra of gods, king of gods.' Having reflected thus, having reflected thus, he arose from his bed; having arisen, he put on celestial garments; having put them on, he went to where the Sudharmā assembly hall was, where the armory was; having gone, he touched the iron-club jewel; alone, without a second, holding the iron-club jewel, bearing great intolerance, he went forth through the midst of the capital city of Camaracañcā; having gone forth, he went to where Mount Tigiñchikūṭa, the mountain of leap, was; ...
...having approached, he engaged in transformational transmutation (vaikriya-samudghāta); having engaged [in it], up to transforming an extraordinary transformed body (uttara-vaikriya), through that highest, swift, fleeting, fierce, winning, skilful, rapid, quick, haughty divine motion of the gods, passing across the midst of innumerable continents and oceans transversely, he approached where the continent of Jambūdvīpa was, where the realm of Bharata was, where the city of Suṃsumārapura was, where the Aśoka-cluster garden was, where the great Aśoka tree was, where the slab of stone was, where my presence was; having approached, he made circumambulations around me three times from left to right; having done so, he revered and bowed; having revered and bowed, he spoke thus:
'Venerable Sir, relying upon you, I wish myself to humiliate Śakra, the Indra of gods, king of gods.' Saying so, he moved away toward the northeastern direction; having moved away, he engaged in transformational transmutation; having engaged [in it], up to engaging in transformational transmutation a second time, he created a single, vast, terrifying, terrifyingly shaped, formidable, formidably shaped, blazing, frightening, deep, dreadful great body, resembling a heap of black split-beans at midnight, one hundred thousand yojanas [in size]; having created it, he clapped his hands, jumped, roared, neighed like a horse, trumpeted like an elephant, rumbled like a chariot, stamped his feet, slapped the ground, roared a lion's roar, leapt up, leapt down, severed three paces, raised his left arm, distorted his face sideways with the forefinger and thumb-nail of his right hand, made a clamorous din with very loud shouts, and alone, without a second, holding the iron-club jewel, flew up into the sky—as if shaking the netherworld, as if trembling the earth's surface, as if dragging the transverse world, as if splitting the celestial sphere, thundering here, flashing like lightning there, raining rain here, making a shower of dust there, creating pitch darkness there, repeatedly terrifying the Vāṇamantāra gods, as if cleaving the Jyotiṣka gods in two, putting the guardian gods to flight, whirling the iron-club jewel in the expanse of the sky, shining it forth, through that highest, swift, fleeting, fierce, winning, skilful, rapid, quick, haughty divine motion of the gods, passing across the midst of innumerable continents and oceans transversely, he approached where the Saudharma kalpa was, where the Saudharmāvataṃsaka celestial abode was, where the Sudharmā assembly hall was; he placed one foot on the lotus-railing (padmavara-vedikā) and one foot in the Sudharmā assembly hall; with the iron-club jewel, with very loud shouts, he struck the Indra-pillar three times, and having struck it, spoke thus:
'Where indeed, sirs, is Śakra, the Indra of gods, king of gods? Where are those eighty-four thousand gods of equal rank? Where are those thirty-three gods of the Trayastriṃśa? Where are those four World-Protectors? Where are those eight chief queens with their retinue? Where are those three assemblies? Where are those seven armies? Where are those seven army-commanders? Where are those four times eighty-four thousand guardian gods? Where are those multiple tens of millions of apsarases? Today I strike, today I crush, today I kill! Today let those apsarases who are not subject to me come under my power!' Saying so, he uttered that undesirable, unlovely, unpleasing, inauspicious, disagreeable, unpleasant, harsh speech.
Then that Śakra, the Indra of gods, king of gods, having heard and understood that undesirable, unlovely, unpleasing, inauspicious, disagreeable, unpleasant, never-before-heard, harsh speech, became enraged, angered, infuriated, ferocious, burning with rage, contracted a three-furrowed frown on his forehead, and spoke thus to Camara, the Indra of Asuras, king of Asuras: 'Hey, you Camara! Indra of Asuras! King of Asuras! Wishing for the un-wished! Of disastrous and marginal auspicious marks! Bereft of shame and fortune! Born on an unmeritorious fourteenth day! Today you shall not exist, you will have no well-being!' Saying so, right there from his excellent lion-throne, he touched his thunderbolt; having touched it, he released the thunderbolt to kill Camara, the Indra of Asuras, the king of Asuras—blazing, bursting, crackling, discharging thousands of meteors, emitting thousands of flames, scattering thousands of burning coals, obstructing vision by blinding the eyes with thousands of wreaths of sparks and flames, glowing with energy surpassing fire, of winning velocity, resembling the blossoming kiṃśuka flower, exceedingly terrifying, and dreadful.
Then that Camara, the Indra of Asuras, the king of Asuras, saw that blazing, [and so forth], dreadful thunderbolt coming toward him; having seen it, he was startled and horrified, horrified and startled; having been startled and horrified, his crest-ornament broken, his wrist-ornaments dangling, his feet upward and head downward, profusely dripping sweat as if from his armpits, through that highest [and so forth] divine motion of the gods, passing across the midst of innumerable continents and oceans transversely, he approached where the continent of Jambūdvīpa was, up to where the great Aśoka tree was, where my presence was; having approached, terrified, with a voice trembling with fear, crying: 'Lord, be my refuge!', he fell down swiftly with speed between both of my feet."