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DevatÄnussatikathÄ[(6) Recollection of Deities]
DevatÄnussatiį¹ bhÄvetukÄmena panaOne who wants to develop the recollection of deities
ariyamaggavasena samudÄgatehi saddhÄdÄ«hi guį¹ehi samannÄgatena bhavitabbaį¹.should possess the special qualities of faith, etc., evoked by means of the noble path,
Tato rahogatena paį¹isallÄ«nenaand he should go into solitary retreat and recollect his own special qualities of faith, etc., with deities standing as witnesses, as follows:
āāsanti devÄ cÄtumahÄrÄjikÄ, santi devÄ tÄvatiį¹sÄ, yÄmÄ, tusitÄ, nimmÄnaratino, paranimmitavasavattino,āThere are deities of the Realm of the Four Kings (*devÄ cÄtummahÄrÄjikÄ*), there are deities of the Realm of the Thirty-three (*devÄ tÄvatiį¹sÄ*), there are deities who are Gone to Divine Bliss (*yÄmÄ*) ā¦ who are Contented (*tusitÄ*) ā¦ who Delight in Creating (*nimmÄnarati*) ā¦ who Wield Power Over Othersā Creations (*paranimmitavasavatti*),
santi devÄ brahmakÄyikÄ, santi devÄ tatuttari,there are deities of BrahmÄās Retinue (*brahmakÄyikÄ*), there are deities higher than that.
yathÄrÅ«pÄya saddhÄya samannÄgatÄ tÄ devatÄ ito cutÄ tattha upapannÄ, mayhampi tathÄrÅ«pÄ saddhÄ saį¹vijjati.And those deities were possessed of faith such that on dying here they were reborn there, and such faith is present in me too.
YathÄrÅ«pena sÄ«lena. YathÄrÅ«pena sutena. YathÄrÅ«pena cÄgena.And those deities were possessed of virtue ā¦ of learning ā¦ of generosity ā¦
YathÄrÅ«pÄya paƱƱÄya samannÄgatÄ tÄ devatÄ ito cutÄ tattha upapannÄ, mayhampi tathÄrÅ«pÄ paĆ±Ć±Ä saį¹vijjatÄ«āāti (a. ni. 6.10) evaį¹ devatÄ sakkhiį¹į¹hÄne į¹hapetvÄ attano saddhÄdiguį¹Ä anussaritabbÄ.of understanding such that when they died here they were reborn there, and such understanding is present in me tooā (A III 287).
Sutte pana yasmiį¹ mahÄnÄma samaye ariyasÄvako attano ca tÄsaƱca devatÄnaį¹ saddhaƱca sÄ«laƱca sutaƱca cÄgaƱca paƱƱaƱca anussarati,In the sutta, however, it is said: āOn the occasion, MahÄnÄma, on which a noble disciple recollects the faith, the virtue, the learning, the generosity, and the understanding that are both his own and of those deities,ā
nevassa tasmiį¹ samaye rÄgapariyuį¹į¹hitaį¹ cittaį¹ hotÄ«ti vuttaį¹.on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by greed ā¦ā (A III 287).
KiƱcÄpi vuttaį¹,Although this is said,
atha kho taį¹ sakkhiį¹į¹hÄne į¹hapetabbadevatÄnaį¹ attano saddhÄdÄ«hi samÄnaguį¹adÄ«panatthaį¹ vuttanti veditabbaį¹.it should nevertheless be understood as said for the purpose of showing that the special qualities of faith, etc., in oneself are those in the deities, making the deities stand as witnesses.
Aį¹į¹hakathÄyaƱhi devatÄ sakkhiį¹į¹hÄne į¹hapetvÄ attano guį¹e anussaratÄ«ti daįø·haį¹ katvÄ vuttaį¹.For it is said definitely in the Commentary: āHe recollects his own special qualities, making the deities stand as witnesses.ā
TasmÄ pubbabhÄge devatÄnaį¹ guį¹e anussaritvÄAs long as in the prior stage he recollects the deitiesā special qualities of faith, etc.,
aparabhÄge attano saį¹vijjamÄne saddhÄdiguį¹e anussarato cassaand in the later stage he recollects the special qualities of faith, etc., existing in himself,
neva tasmiį¹ samaye rÄgapariyuį¹į¹hitaį¹ cittaį¹ hoti.then: āOn that occasion his mind is not obsessed by greed,
Na dosaā¦peā¦ na mohapariyuį¹į¹hitaį¹ cittaį¹ hoti,or obsessed by hate, or obsessed by delusion,
ujugatamevassa tasmiį¹ samaye cittaį¹ hoti devatÄ ÄrabbhÄti (a. ni. 6.10)his mind has rectitude on that occasion, being inspired by deitiesā (A III 288).
purimanayeneva vikkhambhitanÄ«varaį¹assa ekakkhaį¹e jhÄnaį¹
gÄni uppajjanti.So when he has suppressed the hindrances in the way already stated (Ā§66), the jhÄna factors arise in a single conscious moment.
SaddhÄdiguį¹Änaį¹ pana gambhÄ«ratÄya nÄnappakÄraguį¹Änussaraį¹ÄdhimuttatÄya vÄBut owing to the profundity of the special qualities of faith, etc., or owing to his being occupied in recollecting special qualities of many sorts,
appanaį¹ appatvÄ upacÄrappattameva jhÄnaį¹ hoti.the jhÄna is only access and does not reach absorption.
Tadetaį¹ devatÄnaį¹ guį¹asadisasaddhÄdiguį¹Änussaraį¹avasena devatÄnussaticceva saį¹
khaį¹ gacchati.And that access jhÄna itself is known as ārecollection of deitiesā too because it arises with the deities special qualities as the means. [226]
ImaƱca pana devatÄnussatiį¹ anuyutto bhikkhu devatÄnaį¹ piyo hoti manÄpo,And when a bhikkhu is devoted to this recollection of deities, he becomes dearly loved by deities.
bhiyyoso mattÄya saddhÄdivepullaį¹ adhigacchati,He obtains even greater fullness of faith.
pÄ«tipÄmojjabahulo viharati.He has much happiness and gladness.
Uttari appaį¹ivijjhanto pana sugatiparÄyano hoti.And if he penetrates no higher, he is at least headed for a happy destiny.
TasmÄ have appamÄdaį¹, kayirÄtha sumedhaso; Evaį¹ mahÄnubhÄvÄya, devatÄnussatiyÄ sadÄti.Now, when a man is truly wise, His constant task will surely be This recollection of deities Blessed with such mighty potency.
Idaį¹ devatÄnussatiyaį¹ vitthÄrakathÄmukhaį¹.This is the section dealing with the recollection of deities in the detailed explanation.