When the Lord was staying at Savatthi, in Anathapindika^
Resort2 in Jeta's Grove, at the time when king3 Pasenadi of
Kosala had inaugurated an unparalleled almsgiving, lasting seven
days, to the order of monks with the Buddha at its head, when
the great wealthy merchant Anathapindika, in conformity with
this, (had inaugurated one) lasting three days and when the great
female layfollower Visakha4 had likewise given a great almsgiving, news of (such) unparalleled almsgiving became well
known throughout this entire Jambudipa5.
Here and there
people6 began to talk7 amongst themselves wondering whether it
were due solely to generosity with lofty means like that that alms
would be of especially great fruition or whether it were due to
generosity that was in accordance with one's own means8.
When
the monks heard such talk as this they informed the Lord.
The
Lord said, "It is not due, monks, solely to the excellence of the
merit-offering that alms will be of especially great fruition but
also to the successful attainment of a heart of devotion9 and to
the successful attainment of the field. Therefore even a mere
fistful of rice-bran, a mere rag, a mere spread10 of grass or leaves,
or even a mere gall nut11 in the putrid urine of cattle12 will, when
established with a devout heart in a person worthy of donations,
be of especially great fruition13, of great brightness and of great
pervasivenessi4n.
As was said, for instance, by Sakka, Lord of
Devas:
"When the heart is devoted there is no donation with
respect to the Tathagata, the Fully Enlightened One, or to
his savaka, that could be called triflingnI5.
Moreover, this talk itself became widespread throughout this
entire Jambudipa.
People gave alms, in accordance with their
means, to recluses and brahmins, indigents, tramps, paupers and
beggars16, [6] provided17 drinking water in the space in front of
their houses and put out18 seats in the gateways.
Now at that time a certain elder who was wandering about in
search of alms19, wandering about in search of alms in a manner inspiring devotion, whether moving forwards or backwards,
looking ahead or aside, or whether bending or stretching (his
arm), and with downcast eyes, possessed of (perfect) deportment20, reached a certain house when it was almost (meal-) time.
A daughter of good family there, who had faith and devotion21,
saw the elder and, filled with reverence and veneration, gave rise
to lofty joy and happiness, had him enter the house, saluted him
with the fivefold prostration22, appointed her divan, spread a
freshly laundered yellow cloth over it and gave it to him.
Then
when the elder was seated there she, her heart devoted at the
thought, “This utmost merit-field23 has presented itself to me”， waited upon him with food in accordance with her means and
then took a fan and fanned him.
When the elder had finished his
meal he talked Dhamma-talk24 connected with her gift of a seat
and her gift of food and so on and then departed25.
As that
woman reflected upon that gift of hers and upon that Dhammatalk, her body26 became entirely permeated with joy and she gave
the elder that divan too whereupon,
come into contact some time
later with some disease she died and came into being in a twelveyojana golden vimana in the realm of the Thirty-three.
And a
retinue of a thousand nymphs was hers. And through the majesty
of the gift of a divan there came into being for her a yojana-long
golden couch that would move swiftly through the air and which
was on top in the form of a pinnacled house, due to which it is
called a €divan-vimana,.
Since this was given after spreading it
with a golden-coloured cloth this (couch) was made of gold,
demonstrating the correspondence of a deed (with its resultant
fruit), being swift due to the strength of the impulse of joy (with
which it was given), whilst since this was given in accordance with
the heart's desire of one worthy of donations, this (couch) would
go (at will) in accordance with her desire27, [7] being, due to the
loftiness28 of her successful attainment of (a heart of) devotion29,
bright29 and furnished with excessive splendour throughout30.
Then on a day of festivity when the devatas were going, each
in her own heavenly majesty,.to the Nandana Grove31 in order to
sport in the park, that devata, dressed in heavenly clothes,
embellished with heavenly decorations and surrounded by her
retinue of a thousand nymphs, came out of her own realm32,
mounted her divan-vimana and through her great iddhi of a deva
went to the park, lighting up with her great lustre and gracefulness all about her as might the sun and the moon.
And at
that time the venerable Mahamoggallana, who was conducting a
deva-tour in the same manner given above, being gone up to the
realm of the Thirty-three, revealed himself not far from that
devata.
When that devata saw him she hastily dismounted from
her couch, powerful33 devotion and reverence having arisen
(within her), approached the elder, saluted him with the fivefold
prostration and then remained bowing, holding up an anjali
salute that blazed forth with the combination of her ten fingernails.
Although the elder could see at first hand the skilled and
unskilled deeds actually accumulated by her, and by other beings,
by means of the majesty of his own knowledge as to the
experiences (of beings) in accordance with their deeds 一 the
strength of his insight being of a type such as to be like (looking
at) a myrobalan placed in the palm of the hand34 一 nevertheless,
since when, immediately they arise, devatas wonder, “Now after
falling from where am I arisen35 here? Now after doing what
skilled deed do I acquire36 this excellence?”，and since for the
most part, as a rule, knowledge specifying the past existence and
the deed actually accumulated37 arises to them in accordance with
the way things are, that is, they arrive at the correct conclusion,
he therefore, desiring to set the fruition of deeds at first hand to
the world with its devas, had that devata talk of the deed she had
done and said38:
- “Your divan, made of gold, lofty, goes at will with the speed of thought; [8]
O adorned one, wearing garlands and beautifully
clothed, you shine like lightning on the crest of a thunder-cloud.
- Due to what is such complexion yours? Due to what is this accomplished for you here
and that there should arise whatever
pleasures your heart holds dear?
- I ask you, dcvl of great majesty,
what meritorious deed you
did when you were human?
Due to what are you of such shining
majesty
and your complexion radiates in all directions?”
- That devata, her heart delighted at being questioned by Moggallana,
explained the question as asked, of what deed this
was the fruit:
- "When I was human, amongst men, I gave a small seat to a caller; 1
greeted him, made the anjali salute and gave such ahn^
as were accordant.
- Due to that is such complexion mine. Due to that is this accomplished for me here
and that there should arise whatever
pleasures my heart holds dear.
- I proclaim to you, monk of great majesty, what meritorious deed I did when I was human.
Due to that am I of such shining
majesty and my complexion radiates in all directions”.
Herein:
- Anything such as a piece of wood, a shop (display-board)39, an altar (pithani) for making food-offerings40, a cane-seat and also any seat made of wood and so on with a special name such as a masaraka41 and so forth is spoken of as a pitha.
For instance: *a
foot-stool {padapitham)y a foot-rest,a 42 一 here it is the first of
these pithas, the piece of wood43 that is a contrivance for placing
one's foot upon that is spoken of;'a pitha-crawler,44 一 here (the
piece of wood) that is a contrivance for grasping with the hand;
moreover,
*a plthika,45 is in provincial dialectal use in some
districts a shop (display-board)46;
a bhutaplthika, a devakulapithika47 一 here it is an altar (pitham) that is the place for
making food-offerings to devatas;
'a stately pitha,b 48 一here it is a
seat that is woven at the top with cane-creepers and so on, with
reference to which "He presented a stately pithan was said;
[9]
and in 4a well-prepared bed-pitha，
c, when a (new) bed or pitha is
being made" and so on it is a seat made of wood and so on of a
type such as the masaraka and so forth.
But here it is to be
understood as a yojana-sized golden vimana composed in the
form of a couch that has come into being through the majesty of
the meritorious deeds of that devata.
Your (te): the word te is
handed down (in the texts) as the nominative plural of the stem
ta 49 as in "They (te) who cannot see the Nandana Grove do not
know happiness'" and so on;
as dative of the stem tumha. as in
“Praise be to you (te), the thoroughbred of men; praise be to you
Qe), the utmost of men"
and "O Buddha! O Hero! Praise be to
you «e)!"g and so on, meaning tuyham (alternative grammatical
form);
as instrumental (of the stem tumhd), as in uWhat was seen
by you (te), how was it seen by you (re)?50,,h
and “The basis
requiring further rebirth has been transcended by you (te), the
asavas have been torn apart by you (fe)'" and so on;
in the sense
of the genitive, as in "What was your (te) ritual act, now what
(your) Brahmacariya?,,j and so forth -
here too it is to be
regarded as being in the sense of the genitive,
meaning tava51 (alternative grammatical form).
Made of gold (sovannamayam):
in this connection the word suvanna is handed down with respect
to excellence of skin, as in "Of good complexion (suvanne) and
of bad complexion, well-going and ill-going”* and "Beauty of
complexion (suvannata), beauty of voice" and so on;
with
reference to the garula, as in "The suvannas52 surrounded the
crow”111 and so on;
with respect to the metal gold, as in "He is of
a golden (suvanna-) colour, his skin53 resembling shining gold,,n
and so forth 一
here too it is to be regarded as simply with respect
to the metal gold.
For this is spoken of as golden (suvannam) in
that being of a colour that is similar to that of the Buddhas it has
a shining (sobhano) colour (yanno), [10]
sovannam being simply
suvannarn54^ as with vekatam and vesamam55.
And the word
tnaya is handed down in the sense of asmad56, as in "We
(mayam) are 一 both of us57 一 recognised as the three-Veda men
we claim to beno and so on;
with respect to a designation, as in
the case of MMayam nissaya58 hemaya jat^mando59 dari subha,,p;
in the sense of a production, as in “Mind made (manomaya),
feeding on joy, self-radiant"。60 and so on, these being said to be
mind-made since they are produced through mind alone without
external cause;
in the sense of an alteration (of state), as in
"Suppose that I myself should knead mire61 and make a hut made
entirely from mud {sabbamattikdmayarn)''T and so on;
and merely
with the purpose of filling out a word, as in uConsisting in
almsgiving {dananiayatn), consisting in morality (silamayam)^
and so forth 一
here too it is to be regarded either as in the sense
of an alteration (of state) or as merely with the purpose of filling
out the word.
For when sovannamayair^2 means produced from
gold, then the word maya is to be regarded as being in the sense
of an alteration (of state), since to be made of gold (sovannamayani) (entails) an alteration (of state) of the gold;
it would also
be quite correct to say that (such usage) were in the sense of a
production. But when sovannam (itself) means produced from
gold63, then the word maya (if suffixed) is to be regarded as
merely with the purpose of filling out the word, since sovannamayarn is simply suvannam (golden).
Lofty (uldratn)\ both
excellent and best and also great64.
For the word ulara is handed
down with respect to what is excellent, as in uThey gradually
reach lofty {ularatn) distinction'" and so on;
with respect to what is best, as in "Undoubtedly it is with lofty (ularayd) praise that
the revered Vacchayana65 praises the recluse Gotamanu and so
on;
and with respect to what is great, as in "From lofty (ulara^)
possessions, from lofty {uldra-) fame, comes the gross
(plarikam)uy, [11] and so forth.
Now that vimana is both
excellent, in the sense that, on account of its pleasant nature,
there is no satiation of those enjoying it, and best, due to the fact
that it is praised66 by way of its being charming throughout and so
on, and also great, on account of its greatness of size and its great
costliness. It is said to be lofty since it is lofty in each of these
three senses.
With the speed of thought (manojavam): in this
connection mano (thought) is a thought-process (cittani).
Even
though the word mano is a general expression for all skilled,
unskilled and kammically neutral thought-processes {-cUtanarn)^
nonetheless since manojavam is said it is to be understood as a
functional thought-process (^cittassd) reacting against any senseobject wheresoever for the working of the mind.
Therefore, since
its67 speed (javo) is that of thought (manaso)63, it is with the
speed of thought (manojavam), meaning extremely quickmoving, as if camel-mouthed69.
For thought, due to its rapid
changeability70, bends down even upon a far distant sphere in
just an instant. For this reason the Lord said,
"I, monks, do not
perceive any other single thing that changes so rapidly, monks, as
does thought,,w and “(Those who will control thought) that is fartravelling, wandering alone"'.
Goes (gacchati): goes through the
air from the vimana in which that devata resides towards the park.
At will (yenakamani): in this connection the word kama is handed
down with respect to the pleasurable sphere of (sense-)objects
(such as those) of sight and so on, as in "Divers, sweet, delightful
sense-pleasures (kama) in various ways disturb the mind"，and so
on;
with respect to excitement and lust, as in “Excitement is desire
(kamo), lust is desire (kamd)uz and so on;
with respect to all greed,
as in "That desire (kamo) considered a defilement71 is the grasping
after (sense-)desire {kamupadanani)^ and so on;
with respect to
sexual matters, as in "How can (this venerable Udayin) speak in
praise of ministering to sense-pleasures for self (attakama-) (in
the presence of womenfolk)?”* 72 and so on;
with respect to
yearning for well-being, as in "There are three young men of
good family staying here desiring Self (attakama-)13^ and so on;
with respect to being independent, as in “His own master, with
no other as his master, a free man, able to go about at will
(yenakamani)^ [12] and so forth 一
here too it is to be regarded
simply with respect to being independent. Therefore at will
(yenakamam): in accordance with one*s desire, meaning in
conformity with the wish of that devata.
O adorned one
(alankate): O one whose members are adorned, meaning O one
whose body is decorated with heavenly ornaments, to the extent
of sixty cartloads, of the kind that go on the hand and that go on
the foot and so on and that flash forth a variety of jewels that
blaze forth in a network of various kinds of rays.
And this is the
vocative singular.
Wearing garlands (malyadhare): bearing
garlands in that you are beautifully embellished of hair and arm
and so on with heavenly blooms that gleam with a multitude of
effulgence, flashing forth and pervading74 all about you, their
petals and hairy filaments being made of very pure camikaragold75 and divers jewels, (such blooms) having as their origin the
Wish-granting Tree, the Coral Tree and the Santanaka-creeper76.
Beautifully clothed (suvatthe): beautifully clothed (sundaravatthe,
alternative grammatical form) by way of heavenly clothes 一
clothing and so on77 of lowcr-garmcnts and upper-garments that
are perfectly pure, bright and radiant and distinctively dyed a
variety of colours and the product of the wish-granting creeper.
You shine (obhasasi)*. you flash forth78.
Like lightning (vijjur1
iva): like a streak of lightning.
On the crest of a thunder-cloud
(abbhakutam)'. on the peak of a dark cloud,
for this is the
accusative case in the sense of the locative.
Or alternatively
obhasasi is an expression with an implied causal sense, meaning
obhasesi (you light up).
In this faction abbhakutatn (the crest of a
thunder-cloud) is to be regarded as the accusative case in that
same accusative sense.
For this is the meaning here: just as an
emerging streak of lightning, flashing forth on all sides,
distinctively lights up the peak of a dark red cloud, tinted with
the radiance of eventide and itself by nature shining, even so in
that same way do you, decorated with all your ornaments and
irradiating all about you with the radiance from your own body
and with the light from your clothes and decorations, distinctively
light up79 this vimana, made of perfectly pure glowing-gold,
blazing forth with various jewels and by nature bright.
For in this case80 pitham (divan) is the expression to be illustrated, [13]
abbhakutam (the crest of a thunder-cloud) the illustrative
expression.
Likewise te (your) is the expression to be illustrated,
for although this is given in the genitive case out of consideration
of this pithamy it transforms, out of consideration of the words
alankate malyadhare suvatthe obhasasi (O adorned one, wearing
garlands and beautifully clothed, you light up), into the
nominative case 一 therefore tvam (you) is what is said.
Vijjur, iva
(like lightning) is an illustrative expression.
Obhasasi (you light
up): this shows the connection between the two81, the first and
second parts of the comparison.
For this obhasasi (you light up)
is given in the second person out of consideration of the word
tvam (you); out of consideration of this pitham (divan),
(however,) it transforms into the the third person.
And here the
word ca (and) is to be regarded as designated elided:
it goes at
will, it lights up82 and it is like a thunder-cloud that has been lit
up by a streak of lightning; and this accusative case transforms
into the nominative.
In this way this pitham (divan) is the
expression to be qualified, te sovannamayam ularam (your, made
of gold, lofty) and so on its qualification.
And is it not that,
having said 'made of gold*, one should not say 'lofty' since gold
(suvannassd) is the chief of metals, is best, and since it is here
with reference to that which is heavenly?
No, since it is not
something altogether truly distinct83.
For just as of the various
sorts of gold in human use84 artificial gold is best, is very pure,
then after this that originating in a mine, and after this whatever
(gold) is heavenly better still, so also as regards heavenly gold is
there (first) camikara-gold85, then after camikara-gold
satakumbha-gold, after satakumbha-gold jambunada-gold and
after jambunada-gold sifigi-gold,
for this is the best of all.
For
this reason Sakka, Lord of Devas, said:
"The freed with the freed, the well-freed with the wellfreed86;
the Lord, his complexion (bright) as a ring of siftgigold87, entered Rajagaha with the former matted-hair
ascetics*.
Therefore lofty' is said although88 'made of gold* has already
been said.
Or alternatively this 'loftv' is not said with reference to its being simply best and excellent, for the meaning was,
moreover, said (to include) its being great too, [14]
And in this
connection ’divan' and so on indicates the correspondence of a
deed with its fruit.
In that connection too, by means of this 'made
of gold* the blessing of the foundation for that vimana is
indicated, by means of this lofty' the blessing of excessive
splendour, by means of this 'with the speed of thought* the
blessing of motion,
whilst by means of this 'goes at will' the
blessing of the state of excellence of this divan on account of its
swiftness is indicated.
Or alternatively by means of this ' made of
gold* its excellent state is indicated, by means of this lofty' its
greatness and abundance,
by means of this 'with the speed of
thought* the greatness of its majesty,
whilst by means of this
cgoes at will, the state of ease of mobility89 is indicated.
Or again,
by means of this 'made of gold' its enhanced beauty and its
utmost beauty of appearance are indicated, by means of this
'lofty' the fact that it is fair to behold and charming is indicated,
by means of this 'with the speed of thought* its blessing of
quickness, by means of this 'goes at will1 its unobstructed
journeying to any place whatever is indicated.
Or yet again the
vimana is made of gold due to its being the outcome90 of an
absence of greed in the meritorious deed of which (the vimana) is
the resulting90 fruit, lofty due to its being the outcome of an
absence of hatred, whilst it goes at will with the speed of thought
due to its being the outcome of an absence of delusion.
Similarly
it is made of gold through being the outcome of faith (present) in
the deed, lofty through being the outcome of insight, with the
speed of thought through being the outcome of energy, whilst it
goes at will through being the outcome of concentration.
Or
again it is made of gold through being the outcome of faith and
concentration, lofty through being the outcome of concentration
and insight, with the speed of thought through being the outcome
of concentration and energy, whilst it goes at will through being
the outcome of concentration and mindfulness -
this is how it is
to be understood. Herein just as \livaif and so on, by way of
indicating the excellence of her vimana, mentions the excellence
of means that is the fruit of the meritorious deed of that devata,
so also does O adorned one and so forth, by way of indicating
the excellence of her existence, mention the excellence of means
that is the fruit of her meritorious deed.
For just as a glittering golden ornament, put together by a well trained master of his
craft even, and itself inlaid with gems and jewels that blaze forth
in a network of divers rays, shines, but not exclusively, even so
does this individual personality, shining to its four corners, itself
adorned and arrayed and perfect in all its parts, shine, but not
exclusively.
For this reason he indicates by means of this *0
adorned one' and so on the distinctive splendour of hers that is
adventitious91, whilst by means of this 'you shine' [IS] that which
is natural91.
Similarly by means of the former he indicates the
excessive splendour92 that is produced by a current cause, by
means of the latter one that is produced by a past cause;
or
alternatively by means of the former he indicates the blessing that
is the foundation of that which she enjoys, by means of the latter
the blessing that is the foundation of the one who enjoys.
Here it
may be asked whether this vimana is yoked with a steed93 or
whether it is not yoked with a steed?
Even though in the
devaloka chariot-vimanas are also yoked with steeds94 一 as in the
expression “A chariot yoked with a thousand thoroughbreds95,,ff
and so on 一 these are, however, simply devaputtas who reveal
themselves in the form of steeds at the time of carrying out their
duties, just as did the devaputta Eravana96 in the form of an
elephant at the time of sporting.
But this (vimana) and others
like it are to be regarded as not yoked with steeds.
If so, then is
the wind-element that is the particular cause as regards its
movement internal or external to the vimana?
It is to be taken as
being internal.
For just as, when the sun-vimana and the moonvimana and so on are going to other regions, a great and
extremely rapid whirlwind 一 which comes into being through the
deeds of beings in general who are dependent upon them for
their livelihood -sets them in motion propelling them, even so is
there no external97 wind-element setting this (vimana) in motion
propelling it;
and just as, moreover, the wheel-gem98 proceeds by
way of the wind-element that arises within it,
for it has, like the
moon-vimana and so on, no external97 wind-element setting it in
motion" propelling it, since it proceeds simply at the thought of a
wheel-turning king immediately the words "May the honourable
wheel-gem proceed,，8g and so on (come to mind), even so does
(this vimana) go by means of the wind-element based on its own
(power)100 at the thought of that devata alone -this is how it is to
be understood.
For this reason 'goes at will with the speed of thought* was said.
Having thus, with the first verse, mentioned
the excellence that is the fruit of the meritorious deeds of that
devata, the pair of verses101 beginning “Due to what is such
complexion yours” is then said to clarify the blessing of the
meritorious deed that was the reason for this.
Herein: 2. [16] Due to what (kena): the word kirn is handed down with
respect to reproof, as in "What (kini)\ Is this the king who does
not protect his people? Now what (kini) indeed do you102 think
you could say to me?nhh and so on;
with respect to that which is
indefinite, as in "Whatever (kinci) is material shape, past, future
or present"” and so on;
with respect to an enquiry, as in "What
(kini su) here is the best possession a man can have?,,jj and so
forth 一
here too it is to be regarded as simply with respect to an
enquiry.
And kena (due to what) is the instrumental case in the
sense of a cause, meaning due to what cause.
Yours : te—tava
(alternative grammatical form).
Such : etddisol03=ediso
(alternative grammatical form), meaning such as is now visible104.
Complexion (vanno)\ the word vanna is handed down with respect
to a good quality, as in “But when were these qualities (vanna) of
the recluse Gotama collected105 by you, householder?’’* and so
on;
with respect to praise, as in "(But young Brahmadatta) spoke
in praise (yannani) of the Buddha, spoke in praise (yannarri) of
the Dhamma, spoke in praise (yannani) of the Sahgha, in many
ways”" and so on;
with respect to a reason, as in “Now by what
token {vannena) am I called a thief of smclls?nmm 106 and so on;
with respect to size, as in “Three grades (yanna) of bowlnnn and
so on;
with respect to birth107, as in “There are these four
vannas, Gotaman°° and so on;
with respect to appearance, as in
u(Mara . . .), having assumed the appearance {-vannairi) of a
great king of elephantsnpp and so on;
and with respect to the
colour of the skin, as in “You have a golden complexion (-vanna}
and you are the Lord; your teeth are very white and you are full
of cncrgy’wq and so forth -
here too it is to be regarded simply
with respect to the colour of the skin.
For this is the meaning
here: due to what, due to what sort of108, especially meritorious
deed as its cause, is, is generated, such, such a kind of, bodily
complexion, its radiance pervading109 for twelve yojanas, yours,
devata?
Due to what is this accomplished for you here (kena te
idha-m-ijjhati)\ due to what excessively meritorious deed is this
lofty fruit of good conduct that is now being received by you accomplished, produced110, for you here, at this place.
There
should arise (uppajjanti): there should come into being, meaning
there should occur over and over again without interruption. [17]
Pleasures (bhoga): especial possessions and means such as clothes
and ornaments and so on that have acquired the name
'pleasures* (bhoga) in the sense that they are fit to be enjoyed
(paribhunjitabbatthend)111.
Ye (what) is an indefinite pronoun in
general; keci (ever) is an indefinite pronoun stipulating the
distinction of mode -
and with both together (ye keci, whatever)
he includes, embracing them without remainder, such pleasures
when such distinctions as excellent and even more excellent and
so on112 are found there, for this is a pronoun embracing
(everything) without remainder, just as with ye keci sankhara
(whatever things conditioned).
Your heart holds dear (manaso
piya): endearable to your heart, meaning are dear to your heart.
And here by means of this *such complexion，is indicated the
blessing of complexion belonging to that devatE's existence of
which the distinction has been already spoken of above;
by
means of this 'pleasures' the blessing of the kinds of strands of
sense-desire that are heavenly sights, sounds, odours, tastes and
sensations of touch, these being the basis of enjoyments great
and small;
by means of this 'your heart holds dear* the agreeable,
pleasant and endearing quality of these sights and so on;
whilst
by means of this *is accomplished here' is indicated113 the blessing of heavenly life-span, complexion, fame, happiness and
sovereignty114.
And by means of this whatever your heart holds
dear115 is indicated the inclusion without remainder here of these
ten states handed down in the Suttas thus: "He surpasses the
other devas in ten states: in heavenly life-span, heavenly
complexion, heavenly happiness, heavenly fame, heavenly
sovereignty, heavenly sights, heavenly sounds, heavenly116
odours, heavenly116 tastes and heavenly116 sensations of touch”
-this is how it is to be understood.
- I ask (pucchami): I put the question, meaning I wish to know.
And by the very inclusion of the word kim (what), due to
the absence of any other meaning, it is understood that these
three verses117: "Due to what is such complexion yours? Due to
what is this accomplished for you here? What meritorious deed
you did? Due to what are you of such shining majesty?” were
spontaneously118 spoken by way of a question;
moreover,，I ask1 is said with the aim of communicating the fact that it is a distinct
question. For this question is not even an illumination of that
which is unseen since a matter such as this is not unseen by that
great elder.
Nor even is it a severing of perplexity since his doubt
has in all respects been completely abolished.
Nor is it even a
question seeking an opinion since it does not proceed119 in the
manner of securing an opinion, as does “Now what do you think,
chieftain?,,ss and so on. [18] Nor is it even a question aimed at
dragging one into conversation since it was not asked by the elder
by way of aiming at dragging that devata into conversation.
Rather it is to be understood as being particularly an application
of what he had seen,
this aim being exactly as explained above in
the account of the matter arising from 'Although the elder (could
see at first hand), onwards.
You : tam—tvam (alternative
grammatical form);
this is to be regarded as referring (both) to
the former and to the latter 一 as accusative singular when with
reference to the former but as nominative singular when with
reference to the latter.
Devi (devi): in this connection the word
deva is handed down by way of one who is a deva through
convention, as in uYours are these eighty-four thousand cities,
foremost of which is the royal city of Kusavati, your majesty
(deva); create a yearning for these, your majesty (deva), have a
regard for life”" and so on;
by way of one who is a deva through
purity120, as in “The Teaching of the Ultra-deva of Devas, of the
All-Seeing One,,uu 121 and so on;
for when the fact of the Lord's
ultra-devahood of those who are devas through purity is spoken
of, (deva) alone is said of the rest;
and by way of one who is a
deva through arising, as in "The devas belonging to (the realm
of) the Four Great Kings are of long life-span122, possess a
(lovely) complexion and are abundantly happy”" and so forth
here too it is to be understood as being simply by way of one who is a deva through arising.
As to the meaning of the word,
however, she is a devi since she amuses herself (dibbmi), she
sports, she dallies123, with the iddhi stemming from her
meritorious deeds, she delights in the five strands of sense-desire;
or alternatively since she, in the manner stated above, produces
light, shines and goes through the air124 in a vimana.
You devi
(tvatn devi)"5： and this is vocative singular.
Of great majesty
(mahanubhave): of lofty dignity, this majesty of hers being
moreover the same as that indicated by the two verses above.
When you were human (manussabhuta): in this connection those
who are human (manussa) are so on account of the mind's
(manassd) preponderance (ussannataya) 9 being with minds of
extensive good qualities, with minds developed by way of the
good qualities of mindfulness, valour and fitness in the
Brahmacariya and so on.
But who are they126?
一 the category of
beings who are residents of Jambudipa.
For this reason the Lord
said
"In three ways, monks, do the humans of the Jambudipa
surpass the humans of Uttarakuru127 and the devas of the Thirtythree.
In what three?
They are valiant, possess mindfulness and
live the Brahmacariya there,,ww 128.
Therefore it is only here that
the Lord Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, chiefsavakas, great savakas,
wheel-turning kings and other beings of great majesty arise. [19]
Some think, however, that those also residing on the other great
continents129, together with those residing on the lesser islands130,
were simply taken for human through being of the same
appearance and so on131 as them.
Still others proclaim that they
are human on account of the preponderance of a mind
accompanied by greed132 and so on and by the absence of greed
and so forth.
For it is especially amongst those beings of human
descent that greed and so on and the absence of greed and so
forth are preponderant133. Through the preponderance134 of
greed and so on they fulfil the path to the states of loss135 whilst
through the preponderance134 of the absence of greed and so
forth the path to the happy destiny and the path leading to
nibbana136. Therefore the category of beings who are residents of
the four great continents, together with those who are residents
of the lesser islands, are called 'human' on account of the
preponderance134 of a mind accompanied by greed and so on and
by the absence of greed and so forth.
The mundane, however,
say that they are humans (manussa) because they are the
offspring of Manu137,
Manu being the name for the one
belonging to the first aeon who, after taking control of the world,
occupied the position of father of beings, being the initial
provider of what is and what is not to their well-being and
who138, in the Teaching, is called Mahasammata139.
Beings
established in the instruction contained in his exhortation, both at
first hand and of the lineage, are called human (manussd) since
they are similar to being his sons140.
For it is due to this alone
that brahmin youths (manava) are styled141 Manu's breed (Manujā)142.
When you were human (manussabhiitd): when you were,
when you were born, amongst humans, or alternatively when you
had reached the human state.
What meritorious deed you did
(kim akasi punnam): what, amongst those comprising of giving
and morality and so on, what sort of skilled deed of good conduct
that has acquired the name of a 'meritorious deed* (punnam)
since its fruit comes into being in a condition worthy of worship
(pujja )i43 and since it purifies in that it cleanses (pundti) the lifecontinuum wherein one is oneself arisen, you did, you heaped
up, meaning you brought into being.
Of shining majesty
(jalitanubhava): of iddhi, stemming from your meritorious deeds,
that is flashing forth144 all about you.
But why is 'what
meritorious deed you did when you were human* said here?
What, are there no meritorious deeds in the other destinies145?
No, not at all. [20]
For although the occurrence of skilled
thoughts associated with the sphere of sense-desire might just be
possible even in hell, so how much more so elsewhere, yet did we
not say146 that it was a question that was an application of what
he had seen?
Therefore the great elder, having seen her arisen
after having performed meritorious deeds147 following her having
become stationed in the human state, said "What meritorious
deed you did when human", questioning her by way of what
actually occurred.
Or alternatively, in the other destinies, due to
the exclusive happiness, the exclusive dukkha, and the
abundance of dukkha148, the opportunity for the performance of
meritorious deeds is not easily obtained, it being extremely
difficult to obtain a combination of conditions such as those of
the sappurisa149 as decisive-support150 and so on,
and even at
such times as it does arise it is, for the aforementioned reason,
neither lofty nor abundant151; whereas in the human destiny, due
to the abundance of happiness, the opportunity for the
performance of meritorious deeds is easily obtained, it being
easy, for the most part, to obtain a combination of conditions
such as those of the sappurisa as decisive-support and so forth;
whilst since dukkha arises there, this particularly forms a
decisive-support for the performance of meritorious deeds,
for
faith152 has dukkha as its basis.
For just as, when a knife is being
produced153 from solid iron154, categorically its heating in the fire
or its moistening with water155 is not the efficient cause of its
ability to perform the act of cutting, yet moistening with water to the correct extent after it has been heated is the efficient cause of
this, even so is neither the provision of that which is exclusively
dukkha, nor an abundance of dukkha, nor the provision of that
which is exclusively happy, in the life-continuum of a living being
the efficient cause of the performance of meritorious deeds,
yet
when there is burning with dukkha and an increase in
happiness156 to the correct extent there arises the performance of
meritorious deeds with its decisive-support acquired - and as it
arises it is of great brightness, of great pervasiveness and capable
of cutting away opposition157.Therefore the human state is the
efficient cause of the performance of meritorious deeds. [21]
For
this reason "What meritorious deed you did when you were
human" was said.
The rest is quite easily understood.
- Now the devata, questioned thus by the elder, answered his question.
To indicate this fact the verse (beginning:) "That
devata, her heart delighted" was said.
But by whom was this
verse said?
By those making the recension of the Dhamma.
Herein: that (sa): the one to whom formerly "I ask you, devi of
great majesty158n was said.
Devatd (devata)\ devaputtas, Brahmas
and also devadhitas159 are called (this),
for a devaputta is spoken
of as a devata, taking a devata simply as a deva, as in "Then
when the night was far spent a certain devata of surpassing
complexionnxx and so on;
likewise Brahmas, as in “Those seven
hundred devatas emerged from that lofty Brahma-vimana,,yy and
so on;
and a devadhita, as in “You who stand with surpassing
complexion, devata,
lighting up all directions like the Healing
Starl60nzz and so forth
一 here too it is to be regarded simply as a
devadhita.
Her heart delighted (attamana): her heart satisfied, her
heart seized with joy and happiness,
for a heart accompanied by
joy and happiness is as though seized thereby making it their
own161 since there is no opportunity for dejection.
Or alternatively
attamana (in her own mind): in her right mind162,
for a mind
associated with faultless joy and happiness gets to be spoken of as
tight' since it brings well-being and happiness to the one
provided therewith both now and in the future; it is not
otherwise.
By Moggalldna (Moggallanena): the great eider
known by way of his gotra163 as Moggallana since he was the son
of a wealthy brahmin of the Moggallana-gotra 一 by this [22]
Moggallana.
At being questioned (pucchita)164: at being questioned
by way of an application of what he had seen, the devata, her heart delighted, explained the question 一 this is how it should be
construed.
And her delight of heart had arisen for two reasons:
she experiences continual happiness dependent upon the fruition
of her meritorious deeds, formerly165 at the thought “Even that
deed, though limited, was indeed the reason for such great
heavenly excellence", and now at the thought “Even the
service166 done to a certain elder is indeed thus of lofty fruit;
moreover this chief savaka of the Buddhas, of lofty good qualities
and of great majesty 一 him too I get to see and to pay obeisance,
(in that) he puts a question solely connected with the fruit of my
meritorious deeds".
She, thus filled with powerful joy and
happiness, respectfully complying with the elder's word, explained
the question as asked.
The question (panharn): she explained, she
talked on, she answered, the point he wished to know.
But how
did she explain this?
As asked (puttha)167: as to the manner
asked, meaning in the same manner in which she had been
questioned.
For here, after saying ‘at being questioned*, that the
expression 'as asked' is again (said) is to be regarded as
determining the limitation of its meaning.
For when this is
accomplished a start has been made at communicating the
limitation of its meaning.
But what is this168 limitation of its
meaning?
The conformity of an explanation with a question.
For since, after indicating the fruit of a deed, the deed being the
cause of this is asked about, this makes clear the state of
conformity, one with the other, of both of these,
and since there
is conformity of the explanation with the question, this being of
the manner in which the question proceeded - both as to its
practical import and shades of meaning169 - the answer proceeds
in that very same way.
Thus after saying at being questioned, as
asked is again said with the aim of communicating its limitation.
Or alternatively at being questioned (pucchita) mentions the
reason for that170 devata's being asked by way of an epithet and
for the explanation of the question.
This is what is said:
the
question171 is that which she is asked by the elder by means of
this "Due to what is such complexion yours?” and so on - [23]
the deed done by that171 devata; the172 devata is said173 to be
'questioned' since she is the one who caused that question to be
put or since she is the one who gives information (thereon).
Since
the one questioned is the one who did174 the deed being asked
about, therefore the question is as asked,
and since the one questioned is the one to give information about the deed being
asked about, she therefore explained the question.
Of what deed
this was the fruit (yassa kammass9 idam phalam)x this is an
indication of the form taken by the subject-matter spoken of
thus: 'the question*.
And this is the meaning here: she explained
the meritorious deed that is spoken of as *the question, since this
is what he wished to know, of what deed this was the
meritorious-fruit175, as spoken of immediately previously, that
was at first hand both to the one asking and to the one being
questioned.
"When I (was human), amongst men” and so on176 is
the manner of explanation of the question.
Herein:
5. Z (aharn): the devata refers to herself.
Having said 'amongst
men', the expression 'when I was human* is again said with the
aim of showing the fact177 that the good qualities of the human
were present in herself at that time.
For he who, being of human
descent, being one who deserves punishment after doing what is
not to be done such as destroying living beings, here and there
undergoes great dukkha when meeting with the imposition of the
sentence, by the king and so on, that his hands be cut off and so
forth178 - this is the human hell-sufferer;
another who, being of
human descent, on account of a deed done formerly does not get
even fodder and coverings and, overcome with hunger and thirst
and with dukkha in abundance, roams about not getting any
support anywhere - this is the human peta;
another who, being
similarly of human descent, lives dependent upon others,
carrying loads for others or who, overstepping the mark, indulges
in what should not be indulged in and then roams about
threatened by others, frightened with the fear of death,
inhabiting jungle-thickets and with dukkha in abundance, not
knowing what is and what is not to his well-being and being
solely devoted to such things as assuaging the dukkha of
drowsiness and the desire to eat179 and so on 一 this is the human
animal;
whereas he who, knowing what is and what is not to his
own well-being and believing in the fruition of deeds, being
endowed with modesty and the fear of reproach, merciful and full
of agitation as regards all beings, [24] and who, avoiding the path
of unskilled deeds and conducting himself along the path of
skilled deeds180, fulfils the bases of the performance of meritorious
deeds181 - established in the humans* Dhamma182 he is indeed
human in the highest sense;
she too was of such a kind183.
For this reason “When I was human, amongst men" was said,
meaning when I had reached the human state in the human class
of beings and remained (therein) without abandoning the
humans' Dhamma.
To a caller : abbhagatdnam=abhi-agatdnamlM
(resolution of compound), meaning to an encountered visitor.
For visitors are of two kinds: the guest and the caller.
Of these
the guest is the visitor with whom one is acquainted, the caller
one with whom one is not acquainted;
or alternatively whether or
not one with whom one is acquainted, the guest is one to come in
advance,the caller one to come during the proceedings185,
appearing186 at the time of eating;
or again the guest is one who
is invited for a meal, the caller one who is uninvited.
Moreover
this one is one with whom she was not acquainted, one who was
uninvited and who had come during the proceedings187 一 she said
'caller' with respect to him, whilst out of respect the plural is
given here.
Since one sits (asati), is seated, here, it is a seat
(asanani)y whatever is suitable for being seated upon;
here,
however, a divan is meant and she says *a small seat, (asanakarn)
on account of its insignificance and lack of loftiness. 1
gave
(adasini): I gave it for the use of that elder, believing in the deed
and in the fruition of deeds, being filled with happiness at the
thought that that which had been given by me to that elder would
be of great fruit, of great advantage, meaning I gave it away
without consideration of the cost.
I greeted him (abhivadayim)\ I
performed188 to him a greeting, meaning I saluted the person
worthy of donations with the fivefold prostration.
Indeed, as she
salutes him she causes the one being saluted through her very act
of salutation to speak189, fully meaning it, a benediction190 by
way of "May you be happy! May you be healthy!n and so on.
Made the anjali salute (anjalikam akasuti) means that holding up
at my head an anjali salute that blazed forth with the
combination of ten finger-nails I paid reverence to the one preeminent in good qualities. [25]
Such as were accordant
(yathanubhavam): such as were within my power, meaning such
as were in conformity with my existing means at that time.
Gave
alms (adasi danam)\ feeding one worthy of donations by giving
away merit-offerings of food and drink and so on, pursued
meritorious deeds consisting in giving191.
And here I (aham): this
indicates the connection existing between the deed and its fruit
by indicating that they fall within a single continuity; when I was human, amongst men (manussesu manussabhuta): this indicates
the particular life-continuum that was the support-foundation for
the performance of that meritorious deed of hers; to a caller
(abbhagatanam): this both indicates the successful attainment of
a (devoted) heart and also indicates the successful attainment of
the field, since it elucidates the fact that it was bestowed192
without any consideration as to what was the gift and as to who
was accepting it193;
I gave a small seat. . . and gave such alms as
were accordant (asanakam adasim ・・・ yathanubhavan ca adasi
danarn): this indicates the gift that was essentially one to be made
use of; I greeted him, made the anjali salute (abhivadayitn
anjalikam akasim)\ this indicates the gift that was essentially
physical.
- Due to that (tena): due to that aforementioned meritorious deed that was its cause.
Mine (me)', this word me is handed down
in the instrumental, as in "This was attained by me (me) with
difficulty 一 why should I now make it visible?'"” and so on,
meaning maya (alternative grammatical form);
in the dative, as in
“It were well194 for me (me), Lord, if the Lord would teach
Dhamma in brief,,ac and so on, meaning mayhani (alternative
grammatical form);
and it is handed down in the genitive, as in
"Monks, before195 my (me) enlightenment, whilst I was still the
Bodhisatta, not fully enlightened,,ad and so forth 一 here too it is
in this same sense of the genitive, meaning mama (alternative
grammatical form).
This word me (mine) is to be connected, in
both places, thus: 'due to that meritorious deed of mine (me)*196
and €(due to that) is such (complexion) mine
The rest is exactly the same as already given197.
When the question had been thus explained by that devata,
the venerable Mahamoggallana taught Dhamma in detail.
That
teaching was of benefit to that devata together with her retinue.
The elder returned from there to the world of men and informed
the Lord of that whole incident. [26]
The Lord took it as a matter
arising and taught Dhamma to the company assembled there.
But
only the verses were included in the recension198.
The Exposition of the First Divan Vimana is concluded199.