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Each of these hells has a diameter of 10,000 yojanas. Below this is the roof of Avici, which is 20,000 yojanas below the surface, and is itself 20,000 yojanas broad, wide, and deep, so that its floor is 40,000 yojanas from the level of the earth. The Abhidharma Kosa adds that according to some accounts all the hells, instead of being in tiers, are on a level. Furthermore, all the accounts agree that each hell possesses sixteen annexes, which makes the total number of hot hells into 136. There was some difference of opinion1 as to whether the fiends who inflict torture on the damned are really sentient beings or soulless automata created byKarmic power. The consensus of opinion was in favour of the latter theory, except for Yama, the king of the dead, before whom the dead appear, are judged, and their just punishment assigned. Some accounts state that the judgment of women is in the hands of his sister. In any case, Yama and his retinue are living beings born there as the result of a vow registered in the past. He has eighteen chief ministers and thousands of retainers. The position of Yama's court is also disputed. The Abhidharma Kosa states it to be 500 yojanas under the earth. Others claim that it is on the circumference of the globe. The Kama Dhdtu. The Other Divisions. Above the hells come the realms of (1) the Pretas or ghouls, who, according to the Abhidharma Kosa, have their head- 1 A.K. 11-76. 64 MANUAL OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY quarters in the underground palace of Yama, but also inhabit cemeteries, and dark caverns, etc. (2) The animals of all kinds found all over the surface of the earth, and in the air, but most of all, so say the commentaries, in the water. (3) Mankind, who inhabit the four great continents and the eight sub-continents. (4) The Asuras,1 the inferior deities, frequently represented as opposed to the superior deities, who occasionally appear upon the earth, but who for the most part inhabit the lower regions of Meru, and the seven rocky circles. (5) The Devas who inhabit the upper regions of Meru, and the heavens immediately above its summit. The Deva heavens are of sufficient importance to merit separate attention. (a) The Heaven of the Four Great Kings.2 — The inhabitants of the lowest of the six deva heavens, the Catur-maharajika Heaven, inhabit the mansions of the sun and the moon, and the summits of the seven interior rocky circles, but their headquarters are the four tiers or excrescences on the lower half of Mount Meru. The lowest of these tiers is 10,000 yojanas above sea-level, the second 10,000 above the first, the third 10,000 above the second, and the fourth 10,000 yojanas above the third, so that the highest point of this realm is 40,000 yojanas above sea-level, or just half the total height of the mountain. These four tiers protrude from the side of Meru 16,000, 8,000, 4,000, and 2,000 yojanas respectively. In the first tier dwell the Yaksas, known as the Karotapani, or the firm-handed. In the second the Maladharas or the holders of crowns. In the third, the Sadamadas, or the ever-intoxicated (with pride), and in the fourth and highest tier the Four Great Kings themselves and their immediate retainers. The four great kings are the guardians of the four 1 See especially D.A., p. 1036. 2 A.K. ll-10a; N.A. 31-14a; F.T. 32-18a ; Dt., p. 1046; Y.B. For the South, M.B. 24. THE DIVISIONS OF THE THREE DHATUS 65 quarters, and so one is placed on each of the four sides of Meru. Their names 1 are : — (1) Dhrtardstra, guardian of the east ; (2) Virudhaka, guardian of the south ; (3) Virupdksa, guardian of the west ; (4) Vaisravana, guardian of the north. The retainers of the first are Gandharvas, of the second Kumbhandas, of the third Nagas, and of the fourth Yaksas. Each of these four kings has ninety-one sons who share in the name, privileges, and duties of their parents, and help to guard the ten regions of space. Further, each king has eight all-powerful generals, who act as agents of the four kings and have charge of the lesser deities of the mountains, rivers, forests, etc., all over the world. The chief of these generals is Vaideha, who acts as the special protector of Bhiksus, and is frequently portrayed at the end of Chinese Sutras as the symbol of guardianship against all evil. The Abhidharma Kosa adds that among all the Deva realms the inhabitants of this heaven are the most numerous. (b) The Heaven of the thirty-three Gods,2 or the Trayastrimsa heaven, is the second heaven of the Deva-lokas. All traditions are in agreement that this heaven is placed on the summit of Meru, occupying the whole of the space thereon, each of whose sides is generally stated to be 80,000 yojanas long. At each of the four corners there is a peak 500 yojanas high, where reside the Vajrapani Yaksas, who act as guardians of this heaven. In the middle of the flat summit table of Meru is the royal city of £akra, the chief of the Devas. This city is called Sudarsana, the beautiful to see. Each side is 2,500 yojanas long, and its circumscribing wall of gold is 1J yojanas high. The floor of this heaven is of a hundred colours. Nevertheless, it is as soft as cotton, following the foot as it ascends and descends. In the middle of this city is the palace of Sakra, called Vaijayanta. The length of each of its sides is 250 yojanas. On each of the four sides of the 1 M.Vy. 223. a A.K. 11-106 ; F.T. 32-20a ; D.A., p. 105a ; Y.B. 4-146. F 66 MANUAL OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY jewelled city is a pleasure park with a magic lake. The names of these frequently described parks are : (1) Caitraratha, on the east ; (2) Purusyaka, on the south ; (3) Misrakavana, on the west ; and (4) Nandana, on the north. On the north east of the city there is a magic tree 100 yojanas high, emitting a beautiful perfume ; on the south-west is the meeting hall of the gods of this realm where they gather together to discuss the law. (c) The other four DevaloJcas.1 — The remaining heavens of the Kama dhatu are : — 1. Ydma, 80,000 yojanas above the second heaven and 160,000 yojanas above sea-level. Here there is no division of day and night, it being perpetual day-time. 2. Tusita, 160,000 yojanas above the Yama heaven, and 320,000 above sea-level, where reside the heavenly illuminating deities who shed light upon all the world. This is a very popular heaven among the Buddhists, for here went Mahamaya, the mother of Gautama, on her death, and here reside the Bodhisattvas before their final incarnation on earth as Buddhas. For this reason Maitreya, the next Buddha, resides at present in this heaven. 3. Nirmdnarati, 320,000 yojanas above the Tusita heaven, and 640,000 yojanas above sea-level. The name means the heaven of transforming pleasures, so called because subjective desires are at once transformed into objective pleasures, thoughts as well as wishes being creative forces. 4. Paranirmitavasavarti, 640,000 yojanas above the preceding heaven, and 1,280,000 yojanas above sea-level. It is the heaven of the freedom of transformations, and the highest of the Kama heavens. Here it is that a single look may generate new Karma. Strangely enough, either in this heaven or immediately above it is the abode of Mara, the Buddhist Satan, who is the king of lust and cupidity, and is therefore the ruler of the Kama dhatu, or the realm of desire. 1 M.Vy. 219; A.K. 11-126; N.A. 31-16a ; D.A. 926; M.B. 25; C.P. 139 ; Y.B. 4-14a. THE DIVISIONS OF THE THREE DHATUS 67 The Abhidharma Kosa states that there was a difference of opinion regarding the dimensions of these heavenly mansions. According to one opinion, Yama and the others are four times the size of the Trayastrimsa heaven, while others state that each heaven is twice the size of the one immediately below it. Rupa Dhdtu. Above the heavens of the Kama dhatu, where both cupidity and form remain, are the heavens of the Rupa dhatu, frequently called the Brahma heavens, where cupidity no longer has a place, but where the inhabitants still have bodies, and so shape or form (rupa) . These heavens are variously enumerated as sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen. In the Abhidharma Kosa,1 which gives the number as seventeen, the heavens are enumerated as follows :— 1. Brahmakdyika, the heaven of Brahma's retainers. 2. Brahmapurohita, the heaven of Brahma's ministers. 3. MahabraJima, the heaven of Brahma himself. 4. Panttabha, the heaven of lesser light.