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with his ministers and retinue, bows his head at the feet of the Blessed One.”’ Did that sister, venerable sir, salute the Blessed One for me? Does the Blessed One remember the words of that sister?” “That sister, lord of devas, saluted me; I remember the words of that sister. Moreover, I arose from that absorption at the sound of your wheel-rim.” “Those devas, venerable sir, who were reborn in Tāvatiṃsa before us, from them I have heard directly, received directly: ‘When Tathāgatas arise in the world, Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones, divine bodies are filled, asura bodies diminish.’ This I have seen directly, venerable sir, since the Tathāgata has arisen in the world, an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, divine bodies are filled, asura bodies diminish. The Story of Gopaka 353. “Here, venerable sir, in Kapilavatthu, there was a Sakyan daughter named Gopikā, devoted to the Buddha, devoted to the Dhamma, devoted to the Saṅgha, perfect in her observances of precepts. She, having abandoned the female state, having cultivated the male state, at the breaking up of the body, after death, was reborn in a good destination, the heavenly world. She attained companionship with the Tāvatiṃsa devas, and became our son. There too they know him thus: ‘Devaputta Gopaka, Devaputta Gopaka.’ And three other bhikkhus, venerable sir, who practiced the holy life in the Blessed One Having fallen, they were reborn into a lower Gandhabba realm. Endowed with the five sense pleasures, united, enjoying themselves, they came to our presence, to serve us. When they came to our presence, to serve us, the deva-son Gopaka rebuked them: ‘From where, sirs, did you hear the Dhamma of that Blessed One? For I, being a woman, was confident in the Buddha, confident in the Dhamma, confident in the Sangha, a perfect fulfiller of the precepts. Having abandoned womanhood, having developed manhood, at the breaking up of the body, after death, I was reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world, into the companionship of the Tāvatiṃsa devas, having attained sonship to Sakka, king of devas. Even here they know me thus: ‘Gopaka the deva-son, Gopaka the deva-son.’ But you, sirs, having led the holy life in the Blessed One’s teaching, were reborn into a lower Gandhabba realm. Indeed, sirs, we have seen a wretched sight, that we have seen our companions in the Dhamma reborn into a lower Gandhabba realm.’ When they were thus rebuked, venerable sir, by the deva-son Gopaka, two devas regained mindfulness in this very life, (aiming for) the Brahma-purohita realm. But one deva remained attached to sensual pleasures. ‘I was a lay follower of the One with Vision, My name was ‘Gopikā’. In the Buddha and the Dhamma I was deeply confident, And I attended the Sangha with a confident mind. ‘By the excellent Dhamma of that very Buddha, I am a son of Sakka, of great power; Of great radiance, reborn in heaven, Even here they know me as ‘Gopaka’. ‘Then I saw bhikkhus whom I had seen before, Reborn in the Gandhabba realm, (who were once) self-controlled ones; These are those disciples of Gotama, Who, like us, were once human beings. ‘With food and drink we attended them, Having approached their feet in our own dwellings; From where, pray tell, did these venerable ones Receive the Buddha’s teachings? ‘For the Dhamma is to be known individually, Well-taught, understood by the One with Vision. I, indeed, revering you, having heard the good sayings of the Noble Ones. “I am the son of Sakka, of great power, of great splendor, arisen in the heaven of the Thirty-three. But you, revering the excellent one, having practiced the unsurpassed holy life. “You have arisen in a lowly body, your arising is not in accordance; a truly ill-seen sight we have seen, our companions in the Dhamma arisen in lowly bodies. “You, having gone to the body of gandhabbas, come to serve the devas; for me, dwelling in a house, see this distinction. “Having been a woman, today I am a male deva, endowed with divine sensual pleasures”; They, exhorted by the disciple of Gotama, felt a sense of urgency, having met Gopaka. “Come, let us strive, lest we become subservient to others”; Two of them began to exert effort, remembering the teachings of Gotama. Here and now, having purified their minds, they saw the danger in sensual pleasures; They, the fetters of sensual attachment, the bonds of Māra, difficult to overcome. Like a nāga, having cut the strong bonds, they surpassed the devas of Tāvatiṃsa; Indra and Prajāpati, all the devas were seated in the Sudhammā assembly hall. While they were seated, they approached, the heroes, dispassionate, making themselves stainless; Seeing them, Vāsava felt a sense of urgency, the lord of devas, amidst the assembly of devas. “These, arisen in lowly bodies, are surpassing the devas of Tāvatiṃsa”; Having heard the words of one who felt urgency, Gopaka spoke to Vāsava. “The Buddha, lord of men, exists in the human world, known as the Sakyan sage, who has overcome sensual pleasures; These are his sons, who were lacking in mindfulness, exhorted by me, they attained mindfulness. “Of those three, one here has settled, having gone to the body of a gandhabba, a master; And two are followers of the path to full enlightenment, they even disdain devas, with minds well-composed. “Such is the proclamation of the Dhamma here, therein no disciple doubts anything.” Thus; He who has crossed the flood, He who has cut off doubt, We revere the Buddha, The conqueror, lord of people. "Having understood that Dhamma here, They attained distinction; The body, with Brahmā as its priest, Two of them are experts in distinction. "For the attainment of that Dhamma, We have come, good sir; Having been given opportunity by the Blessed One, We will ask a question, good sirs." Then it occurred to the Blessed One: "This yakkha has long been pure. Whatever question he asks me, he will ask only what is beneficial, not what is unbeneficial. And what I explain when asked, he will quickly understand." Then the Blessed One addressed Sakka, lord of devas, with a verse: "Ask me a question, Vāsava, Whatever you wish in your mind; Of each and every such question, I will make an end for you." The First Recitation Section is finished. Having been given opportunity by the Blessed One, Sakka, lord of devas, asked the Blessed One this first question: "By what fetter, good sir, Do devas, humans, asuras, Nāgas, gandhabbas, And other diverse beings, Though they think: 'Let us live without enmity, Without violence, Without adversaries, Without affliction, Without hostility,' Yet they live with enmity, With violence, With adversaries, With affliction, With hostility?" Thus Sakka, lord of devas, asked the Blessed One the question. The Blessed One, being asked the question, explained: "It is by the fetter of envy and stinginess, lord of devas, That devas, humans, asuras, Nāgas, gandhabbas, And other diverse beings, Though they think: 'Let us live without enmity, Without violence, Without adversaries, Without affliction, Without hostility,' Yet they live with enmity, With violence, With adversaries, With affliction, With hostility." Thus the Blessed One, being asked the question by Sakka, lord of devas, explained. Sakka, lord of devas, was delighted with the Blessed One... delighted in the statement, approved it – "So it is, Blessed One, so it is, Fortunate One. My doubts here are crossed over, my perplexity gone, having heard the Blessed One's explanation of the question." 358. Thus Sakka, lord of devas, having delighted in and approved the Blessed One's statement, asked the Blessed One a further question – "Jealousy and stinginess, sir, what is their source, their origin, their birth, their arising? When what exists, do jealousy and stinginess exist? When what does not exist, do jealousy and stinginess not exist?" "Jealousy and stinginess, lord of devas, have liking and disliking as their source, their origin, their birth, their arising. When liking and disliking exist, jealousy and stinginess exist. When liking and disliking do not exist, jealousy and stinginess do not exist." "Liking and disliking, sir, what is their source, their origin, their birth, their arising? When what exists, do liking and disliking exist? When what does not exist, do liking and disliking not exist?" "Liking and disliking, lord of devas, have desire as their source, their origin, their birth, their arising. When desire exists, liking and disliking exist. When desire does not exist, liking and disliking do not exist." "Desire, sir, what is its source, its origin, its birth, its arising? When what exists, does desire exist? When what does not exist, does desire not exist?" "Desire, lord of devas, has thought as its source, its origin, its birth, its arising. When thought exists, desire exists. When thought does not exist, desire does not exist." "Thought, sir, what is its source, its origin, its birth, its arising? When what exists, does thought exist? When what does not exist, does thought not exist?" "Thought, lord of devas, has the proliferation of perceptions and notions as its source, its origin, its birth, its arising. When the proliferation of perceptions and notions exists, thought exists. When the proliferation of perceptions and notions does not exist, thought does not exist." "How then, sir, does a monk is one practicing the path leading to the cessation of the proliferation of perceptions and fabrications, suitable for that? The Meditation Subject of Feeling 359. "Joy, O King of Devas, I speak of in two ways: to be cultivated, and not to be cultivated. Displeasure, O King of Devas, I speak of in two ways: to be cultivated, and not to be cultivated. Equanimity, O King of Devas, I speak of in two ways: to be cultivated, and not to be cultivated." 360. "Joy, O King of Devas, I speak of in two ways: to be cultivated, and not to be cultivated." This indeed has been said.