A Buddhist Magical Mystery Tour
The Mahasamaya Sutta
by Eric Van Horn
“Shall I tell you a story?”
- [Peter and the Wolf]
“It is known to me to be the case, Bhāradvāja, that there are gods.”
- [MN 100.42]
Many years ago when my son was into Dungeons and Dragons and the Lord of the Rings and things like that, I said to him, “Buddhists don’t read a lot of fiction because the Buddhist literature is full of stuff that is better than anything you could make up.”
You never know what will send you off on a journey. This journey started when I listened to a Dhamma talk by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. It is one of his short evening talks. It starts with this:
“There was a monk back in the early part of the 20th century, Kruba Srivichai, who was well-known all-over northern Thailand. He sponsored many construction projects and was responsible for getting lots of temples built. Bridges were built, even the road up to Doi Suthep was built by volunteer labor under his direction. Someone once asked him why all the projects he set his mind to succeeded. He answered that it was because he chanted the Mahasamaya Sutta three times every day. The devas liked hearing it and so gave him their behind-the-scenes help with his projects.
“During my early years in Thailand, I happened to hear that story. I mentioned it to Ajaan Fuang. We were about to build a chedi at the monastery, and so he asked me to chant the Mahasamaya every day, and he chanted it every day. Even though at that point he was into his 60’s, he was able to memorize it. And it became the basic chant at the monastery, the theory being that the devas would offer their help to the project because they liked to hear that their names were still remembered.
“That’s what the Mahasamaya is: a list of all the devas who came to hear the Buddha one night. He said that almost all the devas in the universe were present. Nothing much happened, except that at one point the garudas came and saw the kumbhaṇḍas there. They were about to swoop down on the kumbhaṇḍas, but the Buddha forged a truce between the kumbhaṇḍas and the garudas. So the kumbhaṇḍas like to hear this sutta as well.”
- [Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Dhamma Talk, 28-Sep-2009]
And so I got curious about the Mahasamaya Sutta.
I had read this sutta many years ago when I read the Digha Nikāya but it did not leave an impression on me. But that is why immersing yourself in the Dhamma is so fruitful. If you read enough and practice enough and keep digging and listen to enough Dhamma talks, inevitably you will run into a gold mine where you thought nothing existed.
The Mahasamaya Sutta is a veritable inventory of the Buddhist cosmology as well as a list of many of the prominent beings in it. One thing to keep in mind about Buddhist gods is that being, say, Brahmā, is a job. All these beings, gods included, are born, live, and die, and when they die someone else takes their place. Thus there is always a Brahmā, but it is not always the same being.
The Buddhist cosmology, as passed down in the Theravāda tradition, looks like this:
Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz. But I present it here at the beginning because we are about to take a jaunt through the Mahasayama Sutta, and as we walk through the sutta you will see most of what is on this diagram. You can refer to it as we go through each section.
The sutta starts like this:
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Great Wood, together with a large Sangha of approximately five hundred bhikkhus, all of them arahants. And most of the devatas from ten world-systems had gathered in order to see the Blessed One and the Bhikkhu Sangha. Then the thought occurred to four devatas of the ranks from the Pure Abodes: ‘The Blessed One is dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Great Wood, together with a large Sangha of about five hundred bhikkhus, all of them arahants. And most of the devatas from ten world-systems have gathered in order to see the Blessed One and the Bhikkhu Sangha. Let us also approach the Blessed One and, on arrival, let us each speak a verse in his presence.’
Here we see the setting for the sutta. The Buddha is at Kapilavatthu (Kapilavastu: Sanskrit). This is the capital city of Sakya and where the Buddha grew up. It was destroyed during the Buddha’s life by King Viḍūḍabha (Virūḍhaka: Sanskrit) in a story that is told in the Vinaya (the monastic code).
We see that the “devatas” (devas/gods) from “ten world-systems” have come to see the members of the Saṇgha and the Buddha. You find the term “world-system” throughout the Pāli Canon. The idea is that beings belong to a world-system. Our world-system would include the Earth. It is an interesting notion. It means that at the time of the Buddha there was the understanding that throughout the universe there are other worlds with sentient beings. There is also the idea that each world-system has a Brahmā – a chief god – but then there are even greater Brahmās above the world-system Brahmās. It is a universe of infinite spaces and infinite time. In this case, devas from ten different world systems. They have come from vast distances to Kapilavatthu to hear the Buddha teach.
If you refer to the cosmology chart you will see that devas come from the six realms above the human realm. These are heavenly realms. These are auspicious places in which to be reborn. Beings are reborn there because of the ripening of good karma when they die.
This is what happens next:
Then, just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, those devatas disappeared from among the devas of the Pure Abodes and reappeared before the Blessed One. Having paid homage to the Blessed One, they stood to one side. As they were standing there, one devata recited this verse in the Blessed One's presence:
A great meeting in the woods:
The deva hosts have assembled.
We have come to this Dhamma meeting
To see the invincible Sangha.
Then another devata recited this verse in the Blessed One's presence:
The bhikkhus there are concentrated,
Have straightened their own minds.
Like a charioteer holding the reins,
The wise ones guard their faculties.
Then another devata recited this verse in the Blessed One's presence:
Having cut through barrenness, cut the cross-bar,
Having uprooted Indra's pillar, unstirred,
They wander about pure, unstained,
Young kumbhaṇḍas well tamed by the One with Vision.
Then another devata recited this verse in the Blessed One's presence:
Those who have gone to the Buddha for refuge
Will not go to the plane of woe.
On discarding the human body,
They will fill the hosts of the devas.
An important part of this passage is that the devas are from the “Pure Abodes.” The “Pure Abodes” are the five realms of the “non-returners.”
According to the Buddha’s teaching, there are four stages to awakening:
- Stream-entry
- Once returner
- Non-returner
- Arahant
Thus the Pure Abodes are the realms into which non-returners are born when they die. They are oh-so-close to freeing themselves from the rounds of rebirth. They are highly evolved beings who have overcome all but the final defilements, impediments to a full awakening. And here these great beings have descended from the Pure Abodes to pay homage to the Buddha. It’s pretty heady stuff.
As long as we are on this subject, some Buddhist traditions say that the human realm is the only one in which you can awaken. But clearly that is not the case. Non-returners will awaken in one of the Pure Abodes. There are also many stories of beings practicing in the deva realms. In fact, the Buddha was born into the Tusita Heaven (contented in the chart) before being born into the human realm. And deva realms have advantages like no nuclear weapons, rape, torture, or other ghastly forms of suffering.
The first verse refers to the “invincible Saṇgha.” The word “saṇgha” literally means community. In very recent times it has come to mean anyone who is a member of the Buddhist community. But at the time of the Buddha – and well into the 20th century - the word “Saṇgha” had two contexts. One was the monastic Saṇgha, the community of ordained monks and nuns. The other was the Noble Saṇgha. This is the community of people who have attained at least the first stage of awakening, stream-entry. Because the verse refers to the invincible Saṇgha, presumably this means the Noble Saṇgha. They are invincible because their awakening has already happened or it is assured in the future.
In any event you can see the devas paying homage to the Buddha and his Saṇgha in their poems.
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks, most of the devatas from ten world-systems have gathered in order to see the Tathagata and the Bhikkhu Sangha. Those who, in the past, were Pure Ones, Rightly Self-awakened, at most had their devata-gathering like mine at the present. Those who, in the future, will be Pure Ones, Rightly Self-awakened, will at most have their devata-gathering like mine at the present. I will detail for you the names of the deva hosts. I will describe to you the names of the deva hosts. I will teach you the names of the deva hosts. Listen and pay close attention. I will speak.”
Now the Buddha is telling us that he is going to tell us about all the beings who are present. This is for the benefit of those who cannot see them all. Bhikkhu Bodhi tells a story with a similar theme. He says that when he was in Sri Lanka, there was a monastery there where there were many devas who lived in a valley next to it, and that some of the monks could see them. So here we have a similar case where some of the monks can see some or all those who are present, and some cannot.
“As you say, lord,” the monks replied. The Blessed One said:
I recite a verse of tribute.
Those who live where spirits dwell,
who live in mountain caves,
resolute, concentrated,
many, like hidden lions,
who have overcome horripilation,
white-hearted, pure,
serene, and undisturbed:
Knowing that more than 500 of them
had come to the forest of Kapilavatthu,
the Teacher then said to them,
disciples delighting in his instruction,
‘The deva hosts have approached.
Detect them, monks!’
Listening to the Awakened One's instruction,
they made an ardent effort.
Knowledge appeared to them,
vision of non-human beings.
Some saw 100, some 1,000, some 70,000,
some had vision of 100,000 non-human beings.
Some gained vision of innumerable devas
filling every direction.
Realizing all this,
the One-with-Vision felt moved to speak.
The Teacher then said to them,
disciples delighting in his instruction,
‘The deva hosts have approached.
Detect them, monks,
as I describe their glories, one by one.
The Buddha here is encouraging the monks to see the devas if they can. But in any event, the Buddha is about to describe all who are present. This is a veritable Who’s-Who in the Buddhist world.
7,000 yakkhas inhabiting the land of Kapilavatthu,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
Yakkhas are the first wondrous beings that we encounter. Let’s back up for a moment and see where they fit into the Buddhist landscape.
Referring back to the cosmology diagram, you will see that the first heaven in the deva realm is the realm of the Four Great Kings. Each King has jurisdiction over one of the directions: north, south, east, and west. And each of these realms has beings that live in that realm.
Yakkhas belong to the northern realm. This is from Wikipedia (mostly):
“They are a broad class of nature-spirits. They are usually benevolent, but sometimes they are mischievous or capricious. They are connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. The yakkha has a dual personality. On the one hand, a yakkha may be an inoffensive nature fairy (sprite) associated with woods and mountains, But there is also a darker version of the yakkha which is a kind of ghost that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travelers.”
Figure: A Thai Yakkha
So we start with 7,000 of these beasties.
But wait! There’s more!
6,000 yakkhas from the Himalayas,
of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
From Mount Sata 3,000 yakkhas
of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monk’s forest meeting.
These 16,000 yakkhas of varied hue
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
500 yakkhas from Vessamitta, of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
Kumbhira from Rajagaha,
who dwells on Mount Vepulla,
attended to by more than 100,000 yakkhas —
Kumbhira from Rajagaha:
He, too, has come to the forest meeting.
Kumbhira is a yakkha. Rajagaha was the capital of the kingdom of Magadha during the Buddha’s lifetime, and Kumbhira lived there on Mount Vepulla. Vepilla is the largest of the five mountains that surround Rajagaha. Rajagaha literally means “home of the king.” Today it is called “Rajgir.” It is a rather modest place these days:
Figure: Rush Hour in Modern Rajgir
Notice that some of the yakkhas are blue, as is the one in the picture. Other yakkhas are “of varied hue.” The yakkha world is a carousel of color, apparently.
So that takes care of the yakkhas. Next up is the King of the East and our next magical beings, the gandhabbas:
And Dhatarattha, who rules
as King of the Eastern Direction,
as lord of the gandhabbas:
A glorious, great king is he,
and many are his sons
named Indra, of great strength.
Powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, they have approached
the monk’s forest meeting.
Dhatarattha (Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Sanskrit) is – as the text says – the King of the Eastern Direction. His followers are the gandhabbas. He is the god of music. His symbolic weapon is the pipa (a stringed instrument). He is harmonious and compassionate and protects all beings. He uses his music to convert others to Buddhism. He is associated with the color white.
As for the gandhabbas, well, they are a colorful lot, metaphorically speaking. They are the lowest among the devas. They are born as devas because they have practiced some minimum level of sila (virtue). But, it is a disgrace for a monk to be born in the gandhabba world. Ṭhānissaro Bhikku says they are like greasers of the 1950’s riding around in muscle cars. They are the party animals of the deva realms.
There is a story in the Digha Nikāya about a woman lay follower of the Buddha who is reborn in the realm of the “Thirty-three” (the thirty-three gods). This is a very auspicious rebirth. At the same time three monks were reborn as gandhabbas. When she heard about this, she descended from the heaven of the Thirty-Three and rebuked them:
“But you, after having observed the holy life under the Blessed Lord, have been reborn in the inferior condition of gandhabbas! It is a sorry sight for us to see our fellows in the Dhamma reborn in the inferior condition of gandhabbas!” And being thus rebuked, two of those devas immediately developed mindfulness and so attained to the Realm of the Retinue of Brahma. But one of them remained addicted to sensual pleasures.
- [DN 21.1.11]
Figure: A Gandhabba Playing Heavy Metal
Next we have King Virulha and his magical beings, the kumbhaṇḍas:
And Virulha, who rules
as King of the Southern Direction,
as lord of the kumbhaṇḍas:
A glorious, great King is he,
and many are his sons
named Indra, of great strength.
Powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, they have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
Virulha (Virūḍhaka: Sanskrit) literally means “he who causes to grow.” He causes “good growth of roots.” He is the ruler of the wind. His symbolic weapon is the sword which he carries in his right hand to protect the Dhamma and the southern continent. He is associated with the color blue.
As for the kumbhaṇḍa, they are “dwarfish, misshapen spirits.” The terms kumbhaṇḍa and yakkha are sometimes used for the same beings. “Yakkha” in those cases is the more general term, including a variety of lower deities.
I heard a story some years ago about a monk in England. He was able to travel to a deva realm where he saw dwarfs. He did not like to talk about it much because they did not like him to. Now years later I discover that there are, indeed, devas who are dwarfs.
Figure: A Kumbhaṇḍa
Next up is King Virupakkha and the nāgas:
And Virupakkha, who rules
as King of the Western Direction,
as lord of the nāgas:
A glorious, great King is he,
and many are his sons
named Indra, of great strength.
Powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, they have approached
the monk’s forest meeting.
Virupakkha (Virupaksha: Sanskrit) is “he who sees all.” His symbolic weapon is a snake or red cord that represents a dragon. As “one who sees all,” he sees people who do not believe in Buddhism and converts them. Virupakkha is associated with the color red.
Nāgas are serpents/snakes: They are typically depicted as cobras, usually with a single head but sometimes with many. At least some of the nāgas are capable of using magic powers to transform themselves into a human form. The nāga is sometimes portrayed as a human being with a snake or dragon extending over his head.
And then we go back to the realm of the yakkhas:
And Kuvera, who rules
as King of the Northern Direction,
as lord of the yakkhas:
A glorious, great King is he,
and many are his sons
named Indra, of great strength.
Powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, they have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
When the yakkas were introduced in the sutta, their king is not mentioned. Here we get his name, which is “Kuvera.” Kuvera is “he who hears everything.” Kuvera is also known as Vessavaṇa (Pāli), Vaiśravaṇa (Sanskrit), Kubera, and Jambhala (Sanskrit). He is the chief of the Four Kings. He is the ruler of rain. His symbolic weapons are the umbrella or pagoda. Wearing heavy armor and carrying the umbrella in his right hand, he is often associated with the ancient Indian God of wealth, Kubera. Kuvera’s color is yellow or green.
The sutta then summarizes the assemblies of the realm of the Four Great Kings:
Dhatarattha from the Eastern Direction,
Virulhaka from the South,
Virupakkha from the West,
Kuvera from the Northern Direction:
These four Great Kings
encompassing the four directions,
resplendent, stand in the Kapilavatthu forest.
And… we continue:
Their deceitful vassals have also come
— deceptive, treacherous —
Maya, Kutendu, vetendu,
Vitu with Vituta,
Candana, the Chief of Sensual Pleasure,
Kinnughandu, Nighandu,
Panada, the Mimic,
Matali, the deva's charioteer,
Cittasena the gandhabba,
King Nala, the Bull of the People,
Pañcasikha has come
with Timbaru and his daughter, Suriyavacchasa.
These and other kings, gandhabbas with their kings,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
So here is your scorecard for this group:
- Maya, Kutendu, Vetendu, Vitu, and Vituta are all yakkhas. They are vassals of Kuvera.
- Candana is also a yakka and a vassal of Kuvera. He is one of the chief yakkhas to be “invoked by followers of the Buddha in case of need.” In this translation he is the “Chief of Sensual Pleasure,” but in Maurice Walsh’s translation the line reads simply, “Candana and Kāmaseṭṭha next.”
- Kāmaseṭṭha is one of the greater yakkhas who should be invoked if any follower of the Buddha is “molested by an evil spirit.” He is also a vassal of the Kuvera. He is “versed in craft, hoodwinking wizards, clever in feigning.”
- Kinnughandu is one of the great yakkhas and another vassal of Kuvera. He mentioned in the Ātānātiya Sutta [DN 32]. He is to be invoked “when disciples of the Buddha are worried by evil spirits.”
- Nighandu is a yakkha chieftain and vassal to Kuvera. He is to be invoked by followers of the Buddha when in distress.
- Panāda (the Mimic) is one of the chief yakkhas to be invoked by the Buddha’s followers in time of need.
- Matali is the charioteer of Sakka, King of the Tāvatiṃsa deva (the thirty-three gods) realm.
- Cittasena is a gandhabba. He is a chieftain who is “invoked by the Buddha’s followers when they are troubled by evil spirits.”
- King Nala is the “Bull of the People.” He is a gandhabba chieftain to be invoked by followers of the Buddha in time of need.
- Pañcasikha is a gandhabba. His favorite instrument is the Beluvapanduvīnā (a lute). He was considered a favorite of the Buddha. When Sakka visited the Buddha in order to ask him some questions, he sent Pañcasikha in advance to get permission for the interview.
- Timbaru is a gandhabba chieftain.
- Suriyavacchasa is the daughter of Timbaru. When she went to dance before Sakka, Pañcasikha saw her and fell in love with her, but she liked Mātali’s (the charioteer) son Sikhandi. Later she heard Pañcasikha sing love songs in her honor. These songs also contained references to his deep reverence for the Buddha. This influenced her choice, and she became his wife.
One of the striking things about the Pāli literature is that beings are multifaceted. They are rarely completely good – unless they are arahants – or completely bad. Even Māra the Tempter has some very interesting and poignant interactions with the Buddha. In this sutta we see all kinds of beings. Some of them are natural enemies. And yet on this occasion they come together to hear the teachings of the Buddha.
Then there have also come
nāgas from Lake Nabhasa,
Vesali, and Tacchaka.
Kambalas, Assataras,
Payagas, and their kin.
And from the River Yamuna
comes the prestigious kumbhaṇḍa, Dhatarattha.
The great nāga Eravanna:
He, too, has come
to the forest meeting.
OK. Here goes:
- Lake Nabhasa is the residence of Nāgas.
- Vesali is a city in India, capital of the Licchavis.
- Tacchaka, Kambalas, Assataras, and Payagas are all tribes of Nāgas.
- The Yamuna River is the second of the five great rivers of “Jambudīpa” (one of the “four great continents”).
- Dhataratthaand Eravanna are both nāga kings.
Speaking of nāgas…
Like many people, I have a bit of a phobia when it comes to snakes. That is an issue when you live in New Mexico. We have a lot of snakes, and a lot of them are rattlesnakes.
Ṭhānissaro talks about how when he first went to Thailand, there were snakes everywhere, and a lot of them were cobras. Naturally, he was a little freaked out by that. And when he talked to his teacher about it, his teacher taught him how to say a protective “pirit” chant for the snakes.
That is such a wonderful story because it turns the tables on your fear. Now you look at other beings – snakes in this case – from their standpoint. All living beings want to live. They all want to be safe. And if you say a protective chant when you see a cobra, they are likely to feel safe.
In the case of rattlesnakes, the reality is that they rarely attack people. Usually they just turn and run away. They are much more afraid of you than you are of them. They only attack under unusual circumstances, such as when they feel threatened, are startled, or are protecting a nest. Like any beings they feel protective and have love and compassion for their young. We do not usually think of rattlesnakes as having compassion. But in this sutta we see the nāgas gathering to hear the teaching of the Buddha, to awaken the compassion within them.
They who swoop down swiftly on nāga kings,
divine, twice-born, winged, their eyesight pure:
(Garudas) came from the sky to the midst of the forest.
Citra and Supanna are their names.
But the Buddha made the nāga kings safe,
made them secure from Supanna.
Addressing one another with affectionate words,
the nāgas and Supannas made the Buddha their refuge.
- Garudas (also called Garulas) are golden-winged birds. They are enemies of nāgas and are often depicted with a snake held in their claws.
- Citra are a class of mythical birds generally mentioned with nāgas. They are huge, sometimes 500 miles from wing to wing. The flapping of their wings can raise a storm called the Garuda-wind. This wind can plunge a whole city in darkness and cause houses to collapse.
- Supanna is another name for garudas.
(Beings that are “twice-born” are those born from eggs. They are “twice-born” because they are born once when the egg is laid and once when the egg hatches.)
Here you can see that these natural enemies – the nāgas and the garudhas – make a temporary truce. The Buddha makes everyone feel safe, and they all take refuge (at least for now!) in the Buddha.
Before we leave the nāgas…
Ajahn Brahm tells this story. There was a little boy in Australia who one day asked his mother for a saucer of milk. She gave it to him and he took it outside. This became a regular habit. Every day the boy asked for a saucer of milk, every day his mother gave it to him, and every day he boy took it outside. Naturally the mother became curious about what was going on. So one day she snuck outside to see what her son was doing. It turns out that he was giving the milk to a particularly dangerous, poisonous snake that is native to Australia.
She was quite alarmed that this virulent snake was living under her house and that her little boy was feeding it. She went to the local authorities to see what could be done about. One day they sent someone out with a rifle. When the boy called to the snake to give it the milk, the man shot and killed the snake.
The boy became essentially catatonic. He stopped eating. Soon he was admitted to the hospital, and eventually he died.
Clearly the boy had a strong connection to the snake. It is possible that he had been a nāga in his previous life.
We continue:
Defeated by Indra of the thunderbolt hand,
Asuras dwelling in the ocean,
Vasava’s brothers — powerful, prestigious —
Greatly terrifying Kalakañjas,
the Danaveghasa asuras
Vepacitti and Sucitti,
Paharada, with Namuci,
and Bali’s hundred sons, all named Veroca,
arrayed with powerful armies
have approached their honored Rahu
[and said]: “Now is the occasion, sir,
of the monk’s forest meeting.”
- Indra is also known as Shakra/Śakra in Sanskrit and Sakka in Pāli. He is the King of the devas. He rules over the Tavatiṃsa heaven, the “realm of the thirty-three gods.” In Vedic mythology, Indra was the god of thunder and rain and the god of war, thus the reference to the “thunderbolt hand.” In Buddhism he is its defender.
- The word “asura” is a Sanskrit word that means “ugly.” Male asuras are extremely ugly, but the females are beautiful. Male asuras are extremely combative and like to start fights. Female asuras also like to fight, but they use mind weapons like jealousy and manipulation. They do not belong to a particular realm. There are asuras in the animal realm, the human realm, and the heavenly realms. (Perhaps you know one!) They are more powerful than humans but less powerful than the devas of whom they are extremely jealous. Asuras are the bullies of the cosmos.
- Vasava is another name for Sakka/Indra.
- Kalakañjas are presumably asuras. The word literally means “terrible to see.”
- Danaveghasa are a class of asuras. The commentaries describe them as archers.
- Vepacitti is an asura chieftain. Vepacitti, Rāhu, and Pahārada are the chiefs of the asuras with Vepacitti being the highest.
- Sucitti is an asura and a member of the Danaveghasa tribe.
- Pāharāda is an asura. When the Buddha awakened, he wanted to see the Buddha. But he did not get to do this until 11 years later when he visited the Buddha at Verañjā. That conversation is recorded in the Pahārāda Sutta [AN 8.19].
- Namuci literally means “the destroyer.” It is a name for Māra because he does not allow “gods or men to escape from his clutches.”
- Bali is a benevolent asura king.
- Veroca is an asura chieftain.
- Rāhu is an asura chieftain. In ancient Indian mythology, the eclipse was said to be Rāhu eating the Sun or Moon. The Buddha’s son “Rāhula” is widely believed to be so named because he was born in a month with an eclipse.
Devas of water, earth, fire, and wind have come here.
Varunas [and their retainers],
Soma together with Yasa,
the prestigious devas of the hosts
of goodwill and compassion have come.
These ten ten-fold hosts, all of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
Varunas is a deva king. In a battle against the asuras, the devas of Tāvatiṃsa were asked to look at the banner of Varuna in order to overcome their fear.
Soma is a deva to whom sacrifices are offered. The Atānātiya Sutta [DN 32] says he is a yakkha chieftain.
Yasa is a deva.
Vendu (Visnu) and Sahali,
Asama and the Yama twins,
the devas dependent on the moon
surrounding the moon have come.
The devas dependent on the sun
surrounding the sun have come.
Devas surrounding the zodiac stars
and the sprites of the clouds have come.
Sakka, chief of the Vasus, the ancient donor, has come.
These ten ten-fold hosts, all of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
Vendu (also Visnu/Veṇhu) is a devaputta (deva king).
Sahali is also a devaputta.
Asama is a devaputta who once visited the Buddha at Veluvana along with Sahali, Ninka, Akotaka, Vetambarī, and Mānava-Gāmiya. They were disciples of different teachers and, standing before the Buddha, each praised his own teacher. Asama praised Purana-Kassapa, who was a contemporary of the Buddha, and someone who denied that our actions have consequences.
Yama Twins… Yama is the god of death. This – solitary – reference in the Pāli Canon apparently presents them as brothers, perhaps half-brothers.
The Vasus are a class of deva. Sakka – King of the devas - is their chief.
Then come the Sahabhu devas,
blazing like crests of fire-flame.
The Arittakas, Rojas,
cornflower blue.
Varunas and Sahadhammas,
Accutas and Anejakas,
Suleyyas and Ruciras,
and Vasavanesis have come.
These ten ten-fold hosts, all of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
The Sahabhū devas are a tribe/class of devas. “Sahabhū” literally means “arising together.”
The Arittakas are a class of devas who are “like azure (bright blue) flowers in hue.”
The Rojas are a class of devas.
The Varunas are a class of deities. They are followers of Varuda. They may be related to the “Varuda Mudra,” which is the mudra of compassion.
The Sahadhammas are a class of devas.
Accutas are a class of devas. “Accuta” literally means “everlasting.”
The Anejakas, Suleyyas, Riciras, and Vasavanesis are all types of devas. “Rucira” literally means “beautiful.”
Samanas and Great Samanas,
Manusas and Super Manusas,
the devas corrupted by fun have come,
as well as devas corrupted by mind.
Then come green-gold devas and those wearing red.
Paragas and Great Paragas,
prestigious devas have come.
These ten ten-fold hosts, all of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
Samanas and Mānusas are classes of devas. “Mānusa” literally means “human.”
“Devas corrupted by fun”… Maurice Walsh translates this as “pleasure-corrupted.”
“Devas corrupted by mind”… or simply “mind-corrupted.”
Pāragas are a class of deva. “Pāraga” literally means “pollen.”
White devas, ruddy-green devas, dawn-devas
have come with the Veghanas
headed by devas totally in white.
The Vicakkhanas have come.
Sadamatta, Haragajas,
and the prestigious multi-coloreds,
Pajunna, the thunderer,
who brings rain in all directions:
These ten ten-fold hosts, all of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
Veghanas and Vicakkanās are classes of devas. “Vicakkanā literally means “wise.”
Sadāmattā and Hāragajas are classes of devas.
Pajunna is the deva King of rain.
The Khemiyas, Tusitas, and Yamas,
the prestigious Katthakas,
Lambitakas, and Lama chiefs,
the Jotinamas and Asavas,
the Nimmanaratis have come,
as have the Paranimmitas.
These ten ten-fold hosts, all of varied hue,
powerful, effulgent,
glamorous, prestigious,
rejoicing, have approached
the monks’ forest meeting.
Khemiyās are a class of devas.
Tusitas are devas who live in the Tusita heaven which is the fourth heaven above the human realm. This world is best known for being the world in which a Bodhisattva lives before being reborn in the world of humans. It is also a heaven of auspicious rebirth. The Buddha’s great lay benefactor Anāthapiṇḍika and the Buddha’s biological mother Māyā were reborn in the Tusita heaven.
The Yama heaven is the third heaven above the human realm. It is sometimes called the “heaven without fighting” because it is the lowest of the heavens to be physically separated from the conflicts of the earthly world.
Katthakās, Lambītakās, and Lamas are all classes of devas. “Lamas” are not to be confused with the Tibetan clergy.
Jotinamas and Asavas are classes of devas. Asava literally means “that which flows.” It can also mean simply “passion.”
Nimmanarati are a class of devas who inhabit the fifth of the six deva-worlds (“Those who delight in creation”). They can create any form in any color.
Paranimmita are a class of devas who inhabit the fifth of the six deva-worlds (“Masters of the creation of others”). They are "beings who desire the creation of others, in order to get them into their power."
This completes the inventory of the deva realms. As you can see, it is quite exhaustive, with many different types of devas in the six deva realms. And on this occasion, they have all gathered to hear the teaching of the Buddha:
These 60 deva groups, all of varied hue,
have come arranged in order,
together with others in like manner [thinking:]
“We'll see the one who has transcended birth,
who has no bounds, who has crossed over the flood,
fermentation-free,
the Mighty One, crossing over the flood
like the moon emerging from the dark fortnight.”
Next we move up to the Brahma realm:
Subrahma and Paramatta Brahma,
together with sons of the Powerful One,
Sanankumara and Tissa:
They too have come to the forest meeting.
Great Brahma, who stands over
1,000 Brahma worlds,
who arose there spontaneously, effulgent:
Prestigious is he, with a terrifying body.
And ten brahma sovereigns,
each the lord of his own realm —
and in their midst has come
Harita Brahma surrounded by his retinue.
Subrahmā is a god of the Brahmā realm.
Paramatta and Sanankumara are Brahmās.
Tissa is a monk who was reborn as a Brahmā with great iddhi-powers (psychic/supernormal powers). Moggallāna visited him soon after his birth in the Brahma world and asked him questions about devas and Brahmas who were assured of salvation.
As for Great Brahmā, as noted earlier a world-system has a Brahmā. This verse references the “ten brahma sovereigns,” but also says that a “Great Brahmā who stands over 1,000 Brahma worlds” is present. So the “Great Brahmā” is a Brahmā who has these 10 “lower” Brahmās who are subordinate.
Let me also make a note about gender. While it is conventional to refer to the gods and devas as “he,” in fact there is no reason to believe that a god or deva is a she, a he, or an it. Many gods in the Buddhist and Hindu worlds are androgynous. The most famous of these is Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. In early Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara was depicted sometimes as male, sometimes as female, and sometimes as androgynous. In later Buddhism the convention was to depict Avalokiteshvara as female. But gods in higher realms do not have sex. As the texts say, they are “spontaneously reborn.” So the issue of gender is probably irrelevant.
Harita Brahmā is also a Brahmā.
Next the great Mara arrives as well. He probably sees this as a wonderful opportunity to corrupt the minds of so many beings. But as you would expect, he does not succeed:
When all these devas with Indras and Brahmas had come,
Mara’s army came as well.
Now look at the Dark One’s foolishness!
[He said:] “Come seize them! Bind them!
Tie them down with passion!
Surround them on every side!
Don't let anyone at all escape!”
Thus the great war-lord urged on his dark army,
slapping the ground with his hand,
making a horrendous din, as when
a storm cloud bursts with thunder,
lightning, and torrents of rain.
But then he withdrew-enraged,
with none under his sway.
Realizing all this,
the One-with-Vision felt moved to speak.
The Teacher then said to them,
disciples delighting in his instruction,
“Mara’s army has approached.
Detect them, monks!”
Listening to the Awakened One's instruction,
they made an ardent effort.
The army retreated
from those without passion,
without raising even a hair on their bodies.
Having all won the battle
— prestigious, past fear —
they rejoice with all beings:
Disciples outstanding among the human race.
How the Buddha tells people to overcome Mara is a common theme in the Pāli Canon, and that is to see (detect) him. This is one of the great benefits of meditation and Buddhist practice. We begin to cultivate the quality of insight, literally the ability to see deeply. This is one of the most important qualities in overcoming our defilements. Mara is the corruption in our own minds, and overcoming that corruption in large part can be accomplished by seeing unwholesome mind states when they arise.
That, then, is the story of the great gathering. Many of the realms in the Buddhist cosmology are described here. We start at the top, in the Pure Abodes ("Place of rebirth for non-returners"), then spin down to the animal realm where at least some asuras live. Then we walk up through the myriad of devas in the six deva realms, with many of the deva kings – the devaputta – mentioned.
We travel through the Realm of the Four Great Kings, with the yakkas, gandhabbas, nāgas, and kumbhaṇḍas, the heaven of the thirty-three gods – the Tavatiṃsa heaven – and the Yama gods. Next is the Tusita heaven, a very auspicious place for rebirth. The come the fifth and sixth deva realms: those who delight in creation and those who are masters of the creation of others.
Finally we see the beings of the Brahmā realms, of which there are three in the chart. But the sutta only mentions beings from the Brahmā realm.
Bhikkhu Bodhi was once giving a talk on the Buddhist cosmology when someone asked him, somewhat incredulously, “Do you think this is true?” He responded, “I think that something like this is true.”
There are some wonderful renderings of this sutta being chanted on the Internet. As Ṭhānissaro said, this sutta is often used as a protective chant - a pirit - to bring good fortune. It is one of the parts of Buddhism that has been excised in the West. But if you want to try your hand at reaping its benefits, there are some wonderful renderings of this sutta on the internet. The one that I currently use is at:
https://youtu.be/F8AEzE76NrwA monk leads the chant but he is assisted by a group of lay Buddhists who do a very nice job with this complicated chant. The text for the chant is at:
http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pali/dn/dn.20.pali.bd.htmThe text I used for this paper is the one by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. It is at:
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.20.0.than.htmlMay you be happy.
finis.
