Commentary on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (233)

King Anantakīrti travels to other lands

Original text: 大王。彼无边称王。复于异时。如是思惟。我今应往。东胜神洲。作是念已。王领四兵。俱乘虚空。即至其处。彼诸小王。皆来奉迎。各以国土。虔诚致献。王于彼住。百千万岁。

Explanation: Great King, that King Anantakīrti once again at another time had such a thought: "I should now go to Pūrvavideha." After forming this thought, King Anantakīrti led his four divisions of troops and flew through space together, arriving at that place. The minor kings there all came to welcome him, each devoutly offering his own kingdom. The King dwelt there for a hundred thousand myriad years.

This wheel-turning sage king, despite such wealth and freedom, was still not content, and wanted to go to Pūrvavideha to roam and enjoy himself. All the minor kings there came out to welcome him; because his merit was so great, they immediately bowed their heads and submitted as subjects. If the local minor kings had greater merit, they would surely have driven him away; if their merit were comparable, they would have fought wars against each other. Many families are also like this—everyone listens to whoever has the greatest merit. Those minor kings all offered their kingdoms to him, letting him rule over them. His lifespan far exceeded a hundred thousand myriad years; the lifespan at that time was extremely long, measured in kalpas. At the time of Maitreya Buddha, the lifespan of people in Jambudvīpa will be eighty-four thousand years, and there are lifespans even longer than this. According to the Buddhist sūtras, when certain Buddhas gave their disciples the prediction of becoming Buddhas, their subjects' lifespans were twenty kalpas, forty kalpas, or even immeasurable kalpas—one kalpa being 16.8 million years. Their lifespans were truly extremely long.

Original text: 大王。彼无边称王。复自思惟。我今当往。西牛贺洲。作是念已。领四兵众。俱乘虚空。即至其所。彼诸小王。皆来奉迎。各以国土。虔诚致献。王于彼住。百千万岁。

大王。彼无边称王。复自思惟。我今当往。北俱卢洲。作是念已。领四兵众。俱乘虚空。即至其所。彼诸人民。欢喜归化。王于彼住。百千万岁。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, King Anantakīrti again had such a thought: "I should now go to Aparagodānīya." After forming this thought, he led his four divisions of troops aboard precious horses, precious elephants, precious chariots, and other flying conveyances, soaring through space to Aparagodānīya. The minor kings of Aparagodānīya all came to welcome him, each devoutly offering his own kingdom to him, and King Anantakīrti dwelt there for a hundred thousand myriad years.

Then King Anantakīrti again had such a thought: "I should go to Uttarakuru." After forming this thought, he led his four divisions of troops and flew through space together to Uttarakuru. The people there joyfully submitted to King Anantakīrti's rule, and King Anantakīrti dwelt there for a hundred thousand myriad years.

Original text: 大王。彼无边称王。复自思惟。我昔闻有三十三天。住须弥顶。我今当往。作是念已。即乘龙象。与四兵众。飞腾空中。上须弥顶。时无边称王。问御臣曰。汝见须弥。及以大海。并四天下。其事云何。御臣答言。我见其相。旋转不定。如陶家轮。王语御臣。汝所见者。此龙象王。大行未止。王复前进。问御臣曰。见须弥等。其相云何。御臣答言。我今见彼。须弥大海。皆悉震动。王语臣曰。今将至于。须弥山顶。此龙象王。小行未止。王复前进。问御臣曰。见须弥等。其相云何。御臣答言。我今见彼。须弥大海。不动不转。王语臣曰。此龙象王。今已到彼。须弥山顶。

时无边称王。及四兵众。到须弥已。彼帝释天主。即时遥见。无边称王。欢喜来迎。而作是言。善来大王。即分半座。命王而坐。时无边称王。即就其座。住于天上。经无量岁。与彼天主。分半同治。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, King Anantakīrti again had such a thought: "I formerly heard that the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven dwells atop Mount Sumeru; I should now go there." After forming this thought, he rode the dragon-elephant and, together with his four divisions of troops, soared into the sky toward Mount Sumeru. At that time King Anantakīrti asked the attending minister beside him: "How do you see Mount Sumeru, the four great seas, and the four continents?" The minister replied: "I see their appearances revolving unsteadily, like a potter's wheel." King Anantakīrti said to the minister: "What you see is caused by the dragon-elephant king moving swiftly without yet stopping."

King Anantakīrti continued flying forward and asked the minister: "Now how do you see the appearance of Mount Sumeru and the rest?" The minister replied: "I now see Mount Sumeru and the great seas all trembling and shaking." King Anantakīrti said: "That is because we are about to reach the summit of Mount Sumeru; the dragon-elephant king is still moving slightly without having stopped." King Anantakīrti continued forward, flying slowly on the dragon-elephant without yet coming to a halt, and asked the minister again: "Now what is the appearance of Mount Sumeru that you see?" The minister replied: "I now see Mount Sumeru and the great seas neither moving nor revolving." King Anantakīrti said to the minister: "Now the dragon-elephant king has already arrived at the summit of Mount Sumeru."

After King Anantakīrti and his four divisions of troops arrived at Mount Sumeru, Śakra, the lord of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, immediately saw King Anantakīrti from afar and joyfully came forward to welcome him, saying: "Welcome, Great King!" He then offered half of his seat, inviting the King to sit. King Anantakīrti immediately took his seat and dwelt in that heaven for immeasurable years, sharing half the rule with the lord of that heaven and jointly governing the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven.