Commentary on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) (234)

Why did King Anantakīrti fall into the human world?

Original text:在彼时久。作是思惟。可退彼天。我独为主。作是念已。王及兵众。即时退堕。宝庄严城。宝箧园中。时守园者。见是事已。告城中人。作是唱言。今有天人。退没于此。

Explanation: After King Anantakīrti had been in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven for a long time, he thought thus: "Śakra, the lord of that heaven, should be driven out, and I alone should become the lord of this heaven and rule over this celestial realm." After he gave rise to such a thought, King Anantakīrti and his four divisions of troops immediately fell down into the Ratna-prabhāsa Garden in the city of Ratnālaṃkāra in the human world. When the garden keeper saw this happen, he told the people in the city, proclaiming: "Just now a deva has descended and fallen here."

Original text:时彼国王。名曰作爱。闻是说已。速严驾驭。诣彼园中。见如上事。怪未曾有。即敕排备。种种香花。末香涂香。诣彼王所。偏袒右肩。右膝着地。长跪合掌。安慰问讯。白彼王言。圣天至此。为当是谁。彼即答曰。汝昔曾闻。有转轮王。名无边称不。作爱王言。我闻耆旧说。昔有王名无边称。威德自在。领四天下。与四兵众。乘空而上。三十三天。汝所闻者。岂异人乎。则我身是。

Explanation: At that time, the king of the city of Ratnālaṃkāra was named King Udayana. Having heard of this matter, he immediately prepared a carriage and hastened to the garden. Seeing what had occurred, he found it strange, something that had never happened before. The king then ordered people to prepare various fragrant flowers, powdered incense, and perfumed ointments, and went to where King Anantakīrti was. Baring his right shoulder and placing his right knee on the ground, he knelt for a long while with palms joined, offering greetings and consolation. He said to King Anantakīrti: "O noble deva, having come here, who are you?" Anantakīrti replied: "Have you ever heard of a wheel-turning king named Anantakīrti?" King Udayana said: "I have heard the elders say that in the past there was a king named Anantakīrti, sovereign with majestic virtue, who ruled over the four continents and, with his four divisions of troops, ascended through the sky to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven." Anantakīrti said: "The one you heard of is no other person—it is I myself."