Ja 6 The Story about having Deva-nature
(Devadhammajātaka)
In the present a rich man ordains in the Saṅgha, and makes sure he has all provisions for his life. The Buddha tells a story of three princes who go to the forest together, awaiting their father’s passing. While there, a Water Rakkhasa captures two of the brothers when they cannot explain what is truly godlike. The Bodhisatta explains it well though, and the brothers are released (full story).
1. Hiri-ottappasampannā, sukkadhammasamāhitā,
Santo sappurisā loke Devadhammā ti vuccare ti.
Endowed with conscience and concern, having an unsullied nature, those virtuous and good people in the world are said to have Deva-nature.
In this connection, endowed with conscience and concern, amongst these two those who have a conscience about wrong bodily actions and so on have conscience, this is a term for shame.
For those who are concerned about something there is concern, this is a term for fear of wrong.
Herein conscience arises internally, concern arises externally. Conscience depends on oneself as authority, concern depends on worldly authority. Shame arises naturally with conscience, fear arises naturally with concern. Conscience is marked by respect, concern is marked by avoidance, timidity and seeing danger.
In this connection, conscience arising internally is made to arise in four ways: through reflection on birth, through reflection of age, through reflection on valour, through reflection on being learned.
How? “What is known as wrong-doing is not a deed that comes with good birth, it is a deed for those of low birth, like fishermen and so on, for one with a birth like mine this deed is not suitable to be done,” thus reflecting on birth causing conscience to arise, there is a non-doing of wrong deeds like killing living beings and so on.
Then: “What is known as wrong-doing is something that should not be done even by children, for one of my age this deed is not suitable to be done,” thus reflecting on age causing conscience to arise, there is a non-doing of wrong deeds like killing living beings and so on.
Then: “What is known as a wrong deed is something that is done by the weak, for one endowed with my valour this deed is not suitable to be done,” thus reflecting on valour causing conscience to arise, there is a non-doing of wrong deeds like killing living beings and so on.
Then: “What is known as a wrong deed is something that is done by blind fools, not by the wise, for a learned wise one one like me this deed is not suitable to be done,” thus reflecting on being learned causing conscience to arise, there is a non-doing of wrong deeds like killing living beings and so on.
Thus conscience arising internally is made to arise in four ways. Having been made to arise in his own mind, conscience enters, and he does not do a wrong deed. Thus conscience is known as arising internally.
How does what is known as concern arise externally? “If you do a wrong deed, you will be blamed amongst the four assemblies, the wise will blame you, just as a foul city dweller is avoided by the virtuous, what will you do, monk?”
Thus reflecting because of concern that has arisen externally, he does not do a wrong deed. Thus what is called concern arises externally.
How does what is called conscience depend on self as authority? Here a certain son of a good family, having control of himself, putting the world to the fore, thinking: “For one like me, having gone forth in faith, being learned, and engaged in the ascetic practices, this wrong deed is not suitable to be done,” he does nothing wrong. Thus what is called conscience arises internally.
This was said by the Fortunate One: AN 3.40 on AN 418.
“Having made himself the master, he abandons the unwholesome, develops the wholesome, he abandons the blameworthy, develops the blameless, taking care to purify himself.”
How does concern depend on what is called the world as authority?
Here a certain son of a good family, controlled by the world, putting the world to the fore, does no wrong deed.
Just as it is said: “Great is the world community.” In this great world community there are ascetics and brahmins who have spiritual power, the divine eye, and can read other’s minds, they can see from afar, so how will what is near not be seen, they know someone’s intention by their minds, and they will know me thus: ‘See, dear, this son of a good family, who went forth from home life to the homeless life is now living full of wrong, unwholesome thoughts.’
There are Devatās who have spiritual power, the divine eye, and can read others’ minds, they can see from afar, so how will what is near not be seen, they know someone’s intention by their minds, therefore they will know me in this way: ‘See, dear, this son of a good family, who went forth from home life to the homeless life is now living full of wrong, unwholesome thoughts.’
“Being controlled by the world, putting himself to the fore, he abandons the unwholesome, develops the wholesome, he abandons the blameworthy, develops the blameless, taking care to purify himself.”
Thus concern depends on what is called the world as authority.
“Conscience arises from the state of fear, concern arises from the state of fear.” But here shame is an aspect of shamefulness, naturally through this conscience arises. Fear means fear of the downfall, naturally through this concern arises. This pair are clearly seen as avoiding wrong.
Just as a certain person, known as a son of a good family, when passing excrement, urine and so on, seeing it as something shameful, having become ashamed, would despise it, in the same way, having developed shame internally, he does not do a wrong deed.
A certain person, being fearful and dreading the downfall, does not do a wrong deed.
In this connection, this is the simile: Just as with two iron balls one might be cold and covered with excrement, and the other is blazingly hot.
In this connection, the wise person, being disgusted, does not grasp at the cold ball covered with excrement, nor the other ball through fear of the heat.
In this connection, like being disgusted, and not grasping at the cold ball covered with excrement, having developed shame internally, he does no wrong deed, and like not grasping at the hot ball through fear of the heat, through fear of the downfall, he does no wrong deed, so it should be understood.
“Respect is a mark of conscience, avoidance, timidity and recognising fear is a mark of concern.” This quotation is found only in the commentaries.
These two things are clearly seen as avoiding wrong.
Therefore some, reflecting on having an outstanding birth, some, reflecting on having an outstanding teacher, some, reflecting on having an outstanding inheritance, some, reflecting on having an outstanding spiritual life, through these four causes have a mark of respect, and through the arising of conscience he does no wrong.
Some fear self reproach, others fear the reproach of others, fear punishment, or fear a bad destination.
Through these four causes there is the mark of avoidance, timidity and a recognising of fear, and having made concern arise he does no wrong.
In this connection, reflecting on having an outstanding birth, and so on, and fearing self reproach, and so on, he should speak in detail.
These things are spoken of extensively in the commentary on the Numerical Collection. See PTS 2.57ff. AN 1.418.
Being unsullied means having conscience and concern and so on, he should do wholesome things which are known as bright things, through them all being ways of support they bring about the four mundane stages and the supermundane.
Through these one is endowed with concentration, this is the meaning.
Those virtuous and good people in the world means those virtuous people who continually do good deeds through the body and so on, and those people who shine through feeling gratitude are good people.
World is the world of processes, the world of beings, the visible world, the world of the aggregates, the world of the sense spheres, the world of the elements, these various ways.
In this connection:
One world: Paṭis. PTS vol. 1 p. 122. all beings subsist on food.
Two worlds: mind and body.
Three worlds: the three feelings.
Four worlds: the four foods.
Five worlds: the five constituent groups (of mind and body) that provide fuel for attachment.
Six worlds: the six internal sense spheres.
Seven worlds: the seven stations of consciousness.
Eight worlds: the eight worldly conditions.
Nine worlds: the nine dwellings for beings.
Ten worlds: the ten sense spheres. Omitting the mind and its objects (which are included in the next category).
Twelve worlds: the twelve sense spheres.
Eighteen worlds: the eighteen elements.
Here, when the world of processes is spoken of, the world of the aggregates and so on are included.
This world, the other world, the Deva world, the human world, and so on, with this the world of beings is spoken of.
As far as moon and sun MN 49, Brahmanimantanikasutta. revolve in the directions, shining, radiant, so far is the thousand-fold world, right there you wield your influence.
Here the visible world is spoken of. With these here the world of beings is intended. In the world of beings whatever good people there are, these are spoken of as having Deva-nature.
In this connection, Deva means Devas through convention, Devas spontaneously reborn, Devas through purity: these three ways.
Amongst them, beginning from the time of Mahāsammata, Devas, kings, princes and so on are known as Devas through convention by the people.
Those who are reborn in the Deva world are known as Devas spontaneously reborn.
Those who have destroyed the pollutants are known as Devas through purity.
This is what is said: (Abhidhamma) Vibhaṅga 18.6.1, PTS p. 422.
Kings, queens and princes are known as Devas by convention. Those reborn as earth-bound Devas and so on up from there are known as Devas spontaneously reborn. Buddhas, Independent Buddhas and those who have destroyed the pollutants are known as Devas through purity.
The nature of these Devas is Deva-nature. Are said means are spoken of.
Conscience and concern are therefore the root of wholesome things, success in family, rebirth in the Deva world, and purity, having a cause, in the sense of being caused in these three ways, for the nature of these Devas is Deva-nature.
Through being endowed with Deva-nature people have Deva-nature.
Therefore for people having a foundation in the teaching, they show the Dhamma: those virtuous and good people in the world are said to have Deva-nature, is said.