Discourse on the Sutra of the Compendium of Father and Son (233)

Original text: Great King, at another time, King Boundless Praise thought thus: "I shall now go to Purvavideha (Eastern Continent of Superior Body)." Having conceived this thought, the king, leading his fourfold army, traveled through the sky and reached that land. The local rulers all came to receive him, each respectfully offering their territories. The king resided there for hundreds of thousands of years.

Explanation: Great King, King Boundless Praise again at a certain time conceived this thought: "I shall now go to Purvavideha." After conceiving this thought, King Boundless Praise led his fourfold army and flew through the sky to Purvavideha. The local rulers of Purvavideha all came to receive him, each respectfully offering their territories to King Boundless Praise. King Boundless Praise resided there for hundreds of thousands of years.

Though this Wheel-Turning Sage King possessed such great wealth and freedom, he remained unsatisfied and desired to visit Purvavideha for pleasure-seeking tours. All the local rulers there came to receive him because his merit was great, and they immediately submitted to him. Had the local rulers possessed greater merit, they would certainly have driven him away; had their merit been equal, they would have waged war against each other. Many families operate similarly—those with greater merit hold authority. Those local rulers all offered their territories to him, allowing him to rule. His lifespan far exceeded hundreds of thousands of years; during that era, lifespans were extremely long, measured in kalpas. When Maitreya Buddha appears, the lifespan of humans in Jambudvipa (Southern Continent) will be eighty-four thousand years, and there exist lifespans even longer than this. According to Buddhist scriptures, when a Buddha confers predictions of Buddhahood upon disciples, the lifespans of their subjects may be twenty kalpas, forty kalpas, or immeasurable kalpas. One kalpa equals sixteen million eight hundred thousand years—their lifespans are exceedingly long.

Original text: Great King, King Boundless Praise again thought: "I shall now go to Aparagodaniya (Western Continent of Cattle)." Having conceived this thought, he led his fourfold army and traveled through the sky to that land. The local rulers all came to receive him, each respectfully offering their territories. The king resided there for hundreds of thousands of years.

Great King, King Boundless Praise again thought: "I shall now go to Uttarakuru (Northern Continent)." Having conceived this thought, he led his fourfold army and traveled through the sky to that land. The people there joyfully submitted and were transformed. The king resided there for hundreds of thousands of years.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, King Boundless Praise again conceived this thought: "I shall now go to Aparagodaniya." After conceiving this thought, he led his fourfold army riding divine horses, elephants, chariots, and other flying vehicles through the sky to Aparagodaniya. The local rulers of Aparagodaniya all came to receive him, each respectfully offering their territories. King Boundless Praise resided there for hundreds of thousands of years.

Then King Boundless Praise again conceived this thought: "I shall go to Uttarakuru." After conceiving this thought, he led his fourfold army and flew through the sky to Uttarakuru. The people there joyfully submitted to King Boundless Praise, and he resided there for hundreds of thousands of years.

Original text: Great King, King Boundless Praise again thought: "I have heard of the Thirty-Three Heavens residing atop Mount Sumeru. I shall now go there." Having conceived this thought, he mounted a dragon-elephant and, with his fourfold army, soared through the sky to the summit of Mount Sumeru. King Boundless Praise then asked his charioteer: "What do you see of Mount Sumeru, the great ocean, and the Four Continents?" The charioteer replied: "I see their appearances rotating unsteadily, like a potter's wheel." The king said to the charioteer: "What you see is due to the great speed of this dragon-elephant king not yet ceasing." The king proceeded further and asked the charioteer: "How do Mount Sumeru and the rest appear now?" The charioteer replied: "I now see Mount Sumeru and the great ocean all shaking." The king said to the minister: "We are about to reach the summit of Mount Sumeru. This dragon-elephant king has yet to cease its minor motion." The king proceeded further and asked the charioteer: "How do Mount Sumeru and the rest appear now?" The charioteer replied: "I now see Mount Sumeru and the great ocean neither moving nor rotating." The king said to the minister: "This dragon-elephant king has now reached the summit of Mount Sumeru."

When King Boundless Praise and his fourfold army reached Mount Sumeru, Śakra, Lord of the Heaven of Thirty-Three, saw King Boundless Praise from afar and joyfully came to receive him, saying: "Welcome, Great King!" He then shared half his throne and invited the king to sit. King Boundless Praise immediately took his seat and dwelled in the heavens for immeasurable years, sharing the throne and ruling jointly with that Lord of Heaven.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, King Boundless Praise again conceived this thought: "I previously heard that the Thirty-Three Heavens reside atop Mount Sumeru. I shall now go there." After conceiving this thought, he mounted a dragon-elephant and, with his fourfold army, soared through the sky toward Mount Sumeru. King Boundless Praise then asked his attendant minister: "How do you perceive Mount Sumeru, the four great oceans, and the Four Continents?" The minister replied: "I see their appearances rotating unsteadily, like a potter's wheel." King Boundless Praise said: "The appearance you perceive is caused by the swift flight of the dragon-elephant we are riding."

King Boundless Praise continued his flight and asked the minister: "How do Mount Sumeru and the rest appear to you now?" The minister replied: "I now see Mount Sumeru and the great ocean all shaking." King Boundless Praise said: "That is because we are nearing the summit of Mount Sumeru." King Boundless Praise proceeded slowly on the dragon-elephant without stopping and again asked the minister: "How does Mount Sumeru appear now?" The minister replied: "I now see Mount Sumeru and the great ocean neither moving nor rotating." King Boundless Praise said: "The dragon-elephant king has now reached the summit of Mount Sumeru."

After King Boundless Praise and his fourfold army reached the summit of Mount Sumeru, Śakra, Lord of the Heaven of Thirty-Three, immediately saw King Boundless Praise from afar and joyfully came forward to receive him, saying: "Welcome, Great King!" He then shared half his throne with King Boundless Praise. King Boundless Praise immediately took his seat and dwelled there for immeasurable years, sharing the throne and ruling jointly with Śakra, Lord of Heaven.