Chapter 17: The Citadel of Vaiśravaṇa

毘沙門城品第十七

[0192c19] 北由乾陀山有二頂。中間有國。名毘沙門。周圍一千由旬。金城圍繞。高一由旬。埤堄高半由旬。城門高二由旬。門樓一由旬半。十十由旬。有一一門。九十九門。復一小門。足一百門。是諸門者。眾寶所成。摩尼妙寶之所莊嚴。譬如妙好氍毺種種雕鏤。是門又有四軍防衛。

Between the two peaks on the Northern Mt. Yugandhara is a Kingdom called, Vaiśravaṇa, with a circumference of one-thousand yojanas. It is encircled by a suvarṇa wall with a height of one yojana. The battlements are half a yojana in height. The gates of the citadel are two yojanas in height. The toraṇas are one yojana and a half. Every ten yojanas there is a gate, with ninety-nine gates, plus one small gate, making up one-hundred gates in total.

These various gates are composed of many jewels. Each are adorned with maṇis and sublime jewels, and are intricately carved like exquisitely embroided cloths. Each gate is guarded by four divisions of the military, together with descriptions explained previously.

外有七重寶柵。七重多羅樹之所圍繞。其林中間。有諸寶池。相去百弓。種種莊嚴。五種寶花。及四寶船。池岸五種寶樹。乃至四寶堂殿。諸男女天之所住處。並如上說。

Outside of them are seven jewelled vedikās, as explained previously. Encircled by jewelled tāla tree groves, as explained previously. Between each of the trees are various jewelled puṣkariṇīs spaced one-hundred dhanus apart, with each variously adorned, also as explained previously. With five kinds of jewelled kusumas, as explained previously. Up to the four kinds of jewelled boats, as explained previously. On the banks of the puṣkariṇīs are five kinds of jewelled trees, also as explained previously. Up to the four jewelled kūṭāgāras which are the bhavanas of the various male and female devatās.

其城外邊。有三重寶塹。其一一塹。廣二由旬。深一由旬半。形如壺口。下廣上狹。天水盈滿。並如上說。是塹間地。有諸婇女堂殿羅列。三重塹外。七寶樹林之所圍繞。皆如上說。是時外林。一切諸花。開敷鮮榮。諸女天等奏諸音樂。時諸天子從大城出。觀聽音樂。諸女天等從大城出。亦聽音樂。以是因緣。受諸戲樂。

Outside of the citadel are three layers of jewelled moats, with the rest as explained above. Each and every moat has a width of two yojanas, and a depth of one yojana and a half, shaped like the mouth of a pot, and are wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, filled to the brim with divine water, all together as explained previously. Between these moats is ground with various prāsādas of courtesans, arranged in rows.

Outside of these three moats it is encircled with seven jewelled groves of trees, also as explained above. When all of the various kusumas within those outer groves bloom and spread with brilliant flourish, the various apsaras together sing and play music.

When the various devaputras exit the Great Citadel, they observe and listen to that music. And when the various devaduhitās exit the Great Citadel, they too observe and listen to that music. Due to these causes and conditions, they participate in their enjoyment of various musical performances.

城西南角。是毘沙門天王之所住處。周圍二百五十由旬。金城圍繞。高一由旬。埤堄高半由旬。城門高二由旬。門樓一由旬半。十十由旬。有一一門。二十四大門。復一小門。足二十五門。是諸門者。眾寶所成。摩尼妙寶之所莊嚴。譬如妙好氍毺種種雕鏤。是門又有四軍防衛。

On the south-western corner of the citadel Virūḍhaka, is the bhavana of Virūḍhaka Mahārāja. It has a circumference of two-hundred and fifty yojanas, and encircled with a wall of suvarṇa, one yojana in height. The battlements are half a yojana in height. The gates of the citadel are two yojanas in height. The toraṇas are one yojana in height. Each gate is spaced ten yojanas apart, with twenty-four large gates and one small gate, making twenty-five gates in total.
These various gates are composed of many jewels. Each are adorned with maṇis and sublime jewels, and are like intricately carved like exquisitely embroided cloths. Each gate is guarded by four divisions of the military, together with descriptions explained previously.

外有七重寶柵。七重寶多羅樹林之所圍繞。其林中間。有諸寶池。相去百弓。種種莊嚴。五種寶花。及四寶船。池岸五種寶樹。四寶堂殿。諸男女天之所住處。皆如上說。其城外有三重寶塹。其一一塹。廣二由旬。深一由旬半。天水盈滿。並如上說。是塹間地。有諸婇女堂殿羅列。三重塹外。七寶樹林之所圍繞。皆如上說。時外林中一切諸花。開敷鮮榮。諸女天等奏諸音樂。時諸天子從城中出。并諸女天並共觀聽。以是因緣。受諸戲樂。

是大城內四邊住處。衢巷市鄽。並皆調直。是諸天城。或有住處。四相應舍。或有重層尖屋。或有多層高樓。或有臺觀雲聳。或有四周却敵。隨其福德業。眾寶所成。平正端直。是天城路。其數五十。四陌相通。行列分明。皆如基道。四門通達。東西相見。巷巷市鄽。寶貨盈滿。一穀米市。二衣服市。三眾香市。四飲食市。五花鬘市。六工巧市。七婬女市。處處並有市官。

Within the Great Citadel, along its four sides, are bhavanas with streets, lanes, markets, and shops, established all around. Among the divine citadels there are some bhavanas with four connecting sections, some multistoried bhavanas with pointed roofs, some bhavanas that are lofty multi-storied towers, some bhavanas that are niryūhagavākṣas which rise up to the clouds, some bhavanas that are fortified and defended on all four sides, and according to their merit, are composed of many jewels.
Level, agreeable, and perfectly straight, the roads within the divine citadels are fifty in number, crossing each other at four-way intersections, ordered and distinct. In this way the roads are all established such that passing through any of the four gates, the east and west are visible.
Each road and market have precious goods filled to the brim: the first is a rice market, the second is a clothing market, the third is a market of various fragrances, the fourth is food and drink market, the fifth is a kusumamālā market, the sixth is a craftsman’s market, the seventh is a courtesans’ market. Every section altogether has an officer for those markets.

是諸市中。天子天女。往來貿易。商量貴賤。求索增減。稱量料數。具市鄽法。雖作此事。以為戲樂。無取無與。無我所心。脫欲所須。便可提去。若業相應。隨意而取。業不相應。便作是言。此物奇貴。非我所須。

Within these various markets are devaputras and devaduhitās coming and going, in trade. They discuss prices, debate on value or cheapness, bargain over price increases of decreases, weigh and measure quantities, and fully carry out the customs of the marketplace.

Though they engage in such matters, they only do so for play and amusement, without grasping, without abiding, without a mind attached to the self, will release any desire when necessary, and can leave behind any possessiveness.

If it accords with one’s karma, one can obtain anything according to one’s will. If it does not accord with one’s karma, one will say: “this item is far too valuable and is not something I require.”

當四衢道。象馬車兵之所莊嚴。及諸天子止住此處。或為守護戲樂莊嚴。市中間路。一切琉璃。軟滑可愛。眾寶莊嚴。亦如北地妙好氍毺。龍獸花草。皆如上說。燒香散華。懸諸天衣。亦復如是。復於處處。竪立幡幢。天大城內。如是等聲。恒無斷絕。所謂象馬車螺等聲。波那婆聲。鼓聲。牟澄伽聲。笳聲。音樂聲。又有聲言。善來善來。願飲願食。我今供養。是毘沙門大城。是天子住處。復有天洲天郡天縣天村。周匝遍布此大城中。毘沙門天王之所住處。王領所極。從由乾陀北。至鐵圍邊一切夜叉神。是王所領。是毘沙門城最饒多佉陀尼蒲闍尼飲食。是故亦名阿羅珂漫陀。如是義者。佛世尊說。如是我聞。

The four crossroads are adorned with elephants, horses, chariots, and soldiers. There also various devaputras who stop by there. Some of them are engaged guard duty, some of them are engaged in play and amusement, and some of them engage in adornments.

The roads run between the markets, are all composed of vaiḍūrya, soft, smooth, agreeable, adorned with many jewels, and are also like the exquisite cloths of the northern kāśi region. The nāgas, animals, kusumas, and grass are all as explained previously. Up to and including the burning incense, the scattering of flowers, and hanging with divine garments, also as explained previously. Furthermore, in each place there are erected ketus and dhvajas.
Within the Great Citadel, such sounds as these are ever-present and uninterrupted, that is to say: the sounds of elephants, the sounds of horses, the sounds of chariots, the sounds of conches, the sounds of paṇavas, the sounds of drums, the sounds of mṛdaṅgas, the sounds of reed pipes, and the sounds of music.

There are also voices saying:

“Welcome! Welcome! Come and eat! Come and drink! I now make offerings to you!”

This is the great citadel of Virūḍhaka, the bhavana of devaputras. Furthermore, there are divine provinces, divine districts, divine counties, and divine villages established everywhere throughout the Great Citadel. Virūḍhaka Mahārāja is supported by that bhavana. His rule extends from Northern Mt. Yugandhara all the way to Mt. Cakravāḍa, and over all the Yakṣadevatās. This is the extent of his rule.

Indeed, citadel Vaiśravaṇa has many of the rarest khādanīya and bhojanīya drinks and food. It is for this reason that it is also called Aḷakāmandā.

Thus has it been explained by the Buddha. Thus have I heard.