407. Wallis 1887: 65-66.
408. Dhp 4:1—yamalokañcāti catubbidhaṃ apāyalokañca.
409. MN 130. The same passage occurs at AN 3:36.
410. AN-a 3:36. For vemānikapetas see § 3:3,5.
411. The others are held by Sakka, Āḷavaka and Vessavaṇa.
412. For kumbhaṇḍas see § 3:4,5. It may be that here the word is used loosely in the sense of “demonic being” and refers to the nirayapālas but this is speculative.
413. Jāt 541. Commentarial additions in parentheses.
414. Jāt 541. Commentarial addition in parentheses.
415. See Jāt 530, AN 10: 89 and MN 130 for three quite different lists.
416. See for instance Sn 3,10, Jāt 530.
417. MN 130, condensed and adapted from Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation, MLDB pp. 1032-33.
418. Additional details from Jāt 522.
419. Additional details from Jāt 530 and 536. This grove is not to be confused with the Simbalivana on the slopes of Mt Sineru, abode of the supaṇṇas. The tree called simbali in Pali is identified by the P.E.D. as the Indian Silk Cotton Tree, bombax heptaphyllum, which does indeed have a thorny bark.
420. Additional detail from Sn-a 3:10.
421. Khāra means “lye, potash or any alkaline substance” according to the PED. The Khārodakā River is identified by the commentary to this passage with the Vetaraṇī which we shall consider below.
422. All this mostly from MN 130, with additional details from the commentaries as noted.
423. Bhikkhu Bodhi, NDB, 253-54.
424. Jāt 530. Also, the verse passage in MN 130 quoted above can be taken to mean it is only one hundred yojanas across.
425. For example DN-a 1, MN-a 92, SN-a 6:2m among many others.
426. AK 3:5, p. 456. Malalasekera cites a tradition that Avīci is seven hundred miles directly beneath the Bodhi Seat. See entry for Avīci in DPPN.
427. For example MN-a 115, referring to the chance that a sotapanna would follow an heretical teacher.
428. See definition in PED.
429. AK 3:5, p.457. The spellings here are Sanskrit.
430. Besides Dhp-a 5:1 and Jāt 314 already cited, see SN-a 3:9 and Pv 4:15.
431. One gāvuta equals one fourth of a yojana.
432. Buddhavaṃsa Nidānakathā.
433. See § 3:3,5 for a discussion of vemānikapetas.
434. See Alain Daniélou, The Gods of India, chap. 10.
435. See the story of Sakka in § 3:5,16.
436. For details see § 3:3:23.
437. Although the commentary to the Māhasamaya Sutta, DN 20, does call the asuras “ocean-dwellers”, mahāsamuddavāsino.
438. Jarasakko—“old Sakka”, an odd phrase considering that Sakka and his companions represented a newer generation of devas.
439. AK 4:3 p.668. See also Poussin's note 405, p. 745.
440. AN-a 3:37. No details of this game are given, but it seems to require a large retinue of accharas, see the commentary to the Suvīra Sutta, SN-a 11:1.
441. Assuming a probable derivation of vepa- from vipāṭeti, “to tear asunder.” However, the equivalent asura in the Vedas is called Vipracitti, “The Sagacious,” see Daniélou, Gods of India, p. 315.
442. SN 11:7. some details added from the commentary.
443. Strictly speaking, Rāhu is not a “planet” but is one of nine grahā in the Vedic astrological system; together with the classical seven planets, they included two eclipse nodes; Rāhu and Ketu, being the two halves of the primordial demon slain by Vishnu. See “Nine Planets: Nava Grahas?' Devasthanam, Accessed at http://sanskrit.org/nine-planets-nava-grahas on 15.3.2018..
444. Daniélou, p. 315-316. Cf. the similar conception in Sumerian-Babylonian astronomy, Nibiru.
445. AN-a 4: 15. There are similar descriptions in DN-a 4 and SN-a 2:10 with some differences in detail.
446. SN-ṭ 2:10. See Bhikkhu Bodhi, CDB, footnote 158, page 388.
447. SN 2:9 & 2:10. Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation. CDB, p. 145-146.
448. AN 5: 197. Malalasekera in the DPPN says Rāhu uses the water to cool his body.
449. There are several variant spellings of this word—kālakañcā kālakañcikā kālakañjakā kālakañjikā are all found.
450. DN-a 22. AN-a 7:44. SN-a 46:51.
451. Daniélou, Gods of India, p. 307-308.
452. See DPPN under Danu and dānava. See also Horner's translation of the Milindapañha, vol. 1, p. 215, note 3, and Rouse's translation of the Jātakas, Jāt 436, where “asura” is used several times in the English text but not found in the Pali which uses dānava or dānavarakkhasa throughout.
453. For example, Sakka is referred to as “that yakkha” by Moggallāna in MN 37.
454. We shall examine this complex character in the section on the Cātumahārājika devas in § 3:5,6.
455. DN 32, Maurice Walshe's translation, LDB, p. 471
456. Ud 4: 4. A paṃsupisācaka is a small demonic being of the woodlands, translated by John Ireland as a “mud-sprite."
457. SN 10:4. His name means “Lucky Jewel."
458. See for example the introduction to Jāt 469
459. Sn 1: 10. The Āḷavakasutta Sutta.
460. For the other Great Weapons, see the section on Vessavaṇa in § 3:5,7. The other Great Shouts were; that uttered by Puṇṇaka the Yakkha when he defeated King Koravya at dice, “I have won!” (Jāt. 546, eng. 545), that of Vissakamma when he assumed the form of a monstrous dog to chastise the back-sliding bhikkhus at the time when Kassapa Buddha's dispensation was waning, “I shall devour all, monk or nun or layman or laywomen, who perform evil deeds or speak against the Dhamma!” (Jāt 469 has Mātali doing this) and the shout of King Kusa when he confronted the seven kings who had come to contest the hand of his beloved, the princess Pabhāvatī, “I am the Great Lion-Roaring King Kusa!” ( Jāt.531). All these shouts were said to be heard over the whole of the continent of Jambudīpa. Sn-a 1: 10.
461. Jāt 546 (Eng. 545), the Vidhurapaṇḍita Jātaka.
462. DN 32, the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta.
463. Dāsa originally referred to the non-Aryan inhabitants of India. See PED.
464. For example, Jāt 432 has instances of both kinds of birth.
465. SN 10:7 and commentary.
466. SN-a 10:1 where this is said of the yakkha Indaka who lived on Mt Inda. There was also a Yugandhara listed among the great yakkhas of DN 32.
467. The southern island-continent, in the context of this story it may be taken as equivalent to India.
468. See also Dhp-a 1:4, Dhp-a 21:2, Jāt 513.
469. Jāt 542, (Eng. 546) the Mahāummagga Jātaka.
470. Jāt 378—the eight kinds of madness are; the madness of sensuality, of anger, of wrong views, of ignorance, possession by petas, possession by yakkhas, the madness caused by drink and that caused by despair.
471. The word used is uppaccati which implies burning in niraya.
472. Vin Mv 3, Vin Cv 5 & Sn-a 2:13.
473. MN-a 29, MN-a 79, Ud 4:4.
474. Ud-a 1:7 lists yakkhas, rakkhasas, pisācas, lions and tigers among the beings who eat humans. See also AN-a 5:55.
475. MN-a 79 where a female paṃsupisācaka is seen eating some after-birth.
476. The earliest reference is probably Rig Veda 10:87.
477. See Jāt 347 where the commentator explains that a yakkha is to be “reckoned as” a rakkhasa.
478. Jāt 519, discussed in more detail in the chapter on Sakka in § 3:5,16.
479. Dhp-a 10:8, Jāt 20, Jāt 58.
480. Dhp-a 4:5, Jāt 78 and Jāt 147 where the simile is used to indicate something well guarded.
481. Jāt 6. The same story is told at Dhp-a 10:8.
482. Jāt 6. Somewhat abridged.
483. DN-a 32 “their secret parts are as large as water-pots, thus they are called kumbhaṇḍa”.
484. Jāt 31. This particular passage is omitted from the English translation.
485. Jāt 281
. This story will be discussed in the section on King Vessavaṇa in § 3:5,7.
486. The Great King of the South whose special retinue is composed of kumbhaṇḍas. It is more likely that he should be considered a deva. See the chapter on the Cātumahārājika Devas in § 3:5,6.
487. Jāt 547 where the songs and dances of the kinnara are listed among the wonders of the Himavā.
488. For example the kinnari statues common in Thailand, which have the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a bird.
489. Jāt 536. The Pali for the last type is sakuṇakaṇṇapāvuraṇādibhedā kinnarā.
490. Jāt 234, 485 and 542 (eng. 546).
491. Candā = a feminine form of the noun canda, “the moon.”.
492. Used as a deferential mode of address.
493. See PED for yasa.
494. DN-a 33. This point will be discussed further in the section on Paranimmitavasavatti devas, § 3:5,32.
495. See AN 5: 166 where the devas of the kāmabhūmi are called kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkha devas to distinguish them from the brahmās who are called manomaya (“mind-made”) devas. Also, SN 1:43, “Both humans and devas delight in food”.
496. This is found in the commentaries only. See for example DN-a 19 and SN-a 1:11. A gāvuta is one fourth of a yojana.
497. In DN 21, when Sakka comes with his retinue to visit the Buddha, the villagers see only a brilliant light and are terrified.
498. SN-a 2:1. However, devaputtā and devadhitā are sometimes used simply to indicate the gender of the being, without a parental reference implied.
499. PED for deva.
500. A feminine noun which does not presuppose the gender of the being referred to.
501. Thus the brahmās are called manomaya devas at AN 5: 166.
502. SN 56:101 f. (eng. 56:108 f.). It is a general rule that it is easier to be born down rather than up.
503. AN 8:35 and see Vv-a passim.
504. Vin. Pāc. 11. There is a slightly different version of this story at Dhp-a 17:2 where the deva is clearly not to be identified with the tree.
505. vimānapariyantikameva kho pana mayhaṃ jīvitaṃ.
506. SN 9:1 f. – the Vanasaṃyutta.
507. SN 9:14. Verses as translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi, CDB, p. 303-4.
508. The Pali devatā is a feminine noun and is so modified and inflected, but we cannot be sure of the gender of the deva here as the word is also used to refer to male devas.
509. See § 3:3,3.
510. In Jātaka 155 we see a tamed yakkha employed as a tax-collector.
511. Bhikkhu Bodhi, CDB, p. 1102, footnote 293.
512. See DN 32, the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta.
513. The English designation “bishop” is a simple mistranslation. The King and Queen were originally the rājā and the purohita vizier or first minister.
514. Playing cards derived from the Tarot, which was brought to Europe by the Gypsies, who are probably of Indian origin.
515. GGB, p. 302.
516. AN 3: 37 text & commentary. Note: the uposatha is the holy day of Buddhism, which falls on the quarters of the moon. Devout Buddhists will then keep the eight precepts and do a meditation vigil through the night. For the wars of the devas and asuras see the chapter on Asuras in § 3:3,23.
517. Jāt 181. A second arrow went all the way to Tāvatiṃsa and did not return, because there it was caught by a deva.
518. AN 8: 42. The DPPN says 90,000 years, but this must be a miscalculation.
519. See the next section for a story involving the five daughters of King Vessavaṇa.
520. AN-a 7:53. A sotāpanna is a “stream-enterer”, first of the four stages of awakening.
521. DN 32, Ātānātiya Sutta.
522. Jāt 547, Vessantara Jātaka.
523. Vimāna—a dwelling place of the devas, to be described later.
524. DN-a 32, the commentary to the Ātānātiya Sutta. This must have been during the period when human life-spans were longer.
525. See for instance Vv-a 84 & Jāt 546 (eng. 545).
526. Devaputta, lit. “deva son”, in this context implying young male devas.
527. A form of applause.
528. The main source for these devas is the commentary to the Brahmajāla Sutta, DN 1. It has been translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi under the title “The All-Embracing Net of Views,” referred to in following notes as “Net.” Quotes are from Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation unless indicated otherwise. Bodhi's use of the word “god” has been changed to “deva” throughout.
529. mohassa anudahanatāya, DN-a 33.
530. Bodhi, Net p. 160. Buddhaghosa says in DN-a 1 that “some say that only the Nimmānarati and Parnimmaitvassavatti devas are meant. ”See also AN-a 4:171 which lists several places where these devas go for their sport. All of these elsewhere are identified as being located in Tāvatiṃsa.
531. dosassa anudahanatāya, DN-a 33.
532. DN 1, Bhikkhu Bodhi trans. Net p. 67-68.
533. Bodhi, Net p. 161, quoted from the sub-commentary.
534. AK 3:5, p. 465. This doctrine was known to the Pali commentators, but rejected see DN-a 33 and the section on the Paranimittavasavatti Devas § 3:5,32 for a discussion.
535. DN-a 27, commentary to the Agañña Sutta.
536. SN 2:9 & SN 2:10 and commentary. See also Bhikkhu Bodhi, CDB, note 158 on p. 388.
537. There are four stages of awakening, often called phalā (“fruits”).
538. The fourth and final stage of awakening.
539. Bhikkhus and sāmeṇeras must finish their meals before solar noon.
540. DN-a 20. “Came thundering” = thanayanto āgato.
541. PED. The regular form is tettiṃsa.
542. Jāt 31—Kūlavaka Jātaka.
543. There is a stock phrase used to indicate someone being reborn in this realm, tigāvuto attabhāvo nibbatti, see the Devatāsaṃyuttaṃ of the Saṃyutta Nikāya, passim. There are four gāvutas in a yojana.
544. Sālāya nissandena Dhp-a 2.7.
545. Sattaratana, i.e. gold, silver, pearls, rubies, lapis-lazuli, coral and diamond, ref. PED.
546. Identified by the PED with the Coral Tree, Erythmia Indica.
547. acchāra. Commonly translated as “celestial nymph”, these are the wondrously beautiful dancing girls who entertain the devas, see § 3:5,11.
548. Vv, 38.I.B. Horner trans.
549. See for ex. Jāt 525 and 542 (eng. 546).
550. Jātaka Nidānakathā.
551. See “Book of the Discipline”, Horner, note 6 on p. 339.
552. The latter is the definition given in the PED. Perhaps a place for romantic trysts?
553. Described in the section on the Great Trees in § 1:14.
554. A being from a much higher realm, see § 3:6,7.
555. DN-a18—so devānaṃ cakkhussa āpāthe sambhavanīyo pattabbo na hoti.
556. See the section on Gandhabbas § 3:5,22.
557. Vism 13.72. See also the story previously cited from Udāna 4: 4, where Moggallāna is able to see a yakkha but Sāriputta cannot.
558. Abhikkantavaṇṇā. This phrase is common for instance in the Devasaṃyutta of the SN. It is translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi as, “of stunning beauty ”.
559. See Vv-a passim, ex. 1. 3. 2.
560. Devaccharāpa ṭibhāgā see for example Jāt 132, 152, 327, 387 among many others.
561. See for instance Jāt 523 quoted below. This star is likely Venus or possibly Sirius.
562. It is also possible that these images have simply been misidentified and were supposed to be kinnara.
563. Jāt 523. The translation does not convey some of the complex word-play in the original which requires the aid of the commentary to decipher. For instance, the reference to her tongue is to “the place of the fourth consciousness” (catutthamanasannibhā). The commentary also helpfully informs us that besides being round, Alambusā's buttocks were vast (visālā)!
564. The Theragatha, Udāna, Dhammapāda, and Jātaka
s all have versions of it.
565. SN 1:46. The story is from the commentary, the verse is Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation of the Saṃyutta, CDB, p.122.
566. SN-a 1:11.Commentary to the Nandana Sutta.
567. Jāt 535. But this may be a poetic trope.
568. Horner's translation, Minor Anthologies IV, p. 67.
569. Vv-a passim. The first chapter in the collection is typical in this regard.
570. Vv-a 11—the commentary explains this means that she has devadhītus and devaputtas as servants.
571. MN 50, Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation, MLDB, p. 436.
572. See for one example Jāt 535.
573. Vv-a 18. It is even unclear whether the names are meant to represent musical instruments or musicians, although the commentary prefers the former explanation.
574. The dwelling places of other beings such as yakkhas and even petas are also sometimes referred to as vimānas, but we are here concerned only with those of the devas of Tāvatiṃsa.
575. Veḷuriya, which might also mean beryl.
576. All these details are found in multiple places in the Vv-a.
577. See Vv-a 51, for a notable example.
578. DN-a 33 discusses variant doctrines about the sexuality of the devas and comes to the tentative conclusion that the devas of all the saggas do engage in sexual intercourse. This passage will be discussed more fully in the section on the Paranimmitavassavatti devas.
579. Jāt 489, W.H.D. Rouse trans. p. 201
580. As for example, did Sakka in DN 21
581. Because it involves the impossibility of using the powers from two incompatible jhānas, the fire and water kasinas.
582. The architect of the devas, to be discussed below.
583. It is the preferred form in the Suttanipāta, for instance.
584. Jāt 521—“sakkoti indo,” perhaps more literally, “Inda is called Sakka".
585. Nicolás, Meditations Through the Ṛg Veda, p. 119f.
586. We are told this specifically about Vessavaṇa and can safely assume it applies to the other three as well.
587. Nicolás p. 143 and see DPPN under Inda.
588. See Nicolás p. 120-121
589. For these epithets, see SN 11:12 and Bodhi, CDB, p. 386, note 146.
590. Jāt 78 and 488 respectively. These three were all arahant bhikkhus in the Buddha's time.
591. A demonic being, either a yakkha or an asura.
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