Chapter 13 - Devabhavana-bhramaṇa

Devabhavanabhramaṇaṃ Trayodaśaṃ Prakaraṇam
(Chapter Thirteen named Devabhavanabhramaṇam)

Then Avalokiteśvara vanished into the sky as a mass of flames. Avalokiteśvara then manifested in the form of a Brahmin and went among the Devas in the Śuddhāvāsa realms. Among those Devas there was a deva named Sukuṇḍala who was poor and suffering. Avalokiteśvara came to that deva in the form of the Brahmin and said to him, ‘I’m hungry and thirsty.’ The deva said to the Brahmin, ‘Great Brahmin, I have nothing at all. ‘The Brahmin said, ‘you should give me what little you have.’ So sukuṇḍala entered his divine palace and looked inside his pots. He saw that some pots had become completely filled with priceless precious jewels, other pots had become completely filled with food that had the supreme flavors, and the left said of the divine palace had become completely filled with divine clothing.

Sukuṇḍala then thought, ‘without a doubt the one at my door is an excellent recipient for offerings, and he has brought me this attainment of splendor. ‘Sukuṇḍala invited the Brahmin into his divine palace. The Brahmin entered, and Sukuṇḍala offered him the divine jewels, served him the food with divine perfect flavors, and gave him the divine clothing. The Brahmin ate and recited a benediction. Deva Sukuṇḍala then asked him, ‘Great Brahmin, where do you come from? He replied, ‘I come from the monastery named Jetavana.’ Sukuṇḍala then asked him, ‘what is that place like? ‘The Brahmin answered, ‘It is a place that is delightful, filled with divine jewels, and completely beautified by divine wish-granting trees. There are beautiful flowers, many kinds of bathing pools. Many who have the qualities of right conduct and are worthy recipients for offerings, and there are the miracles of Tathāgata viśvabhū. Son of a deva that is how pleasant that place is. The deva then said, ‘Brahmin, you definitely speak the truth. Who are you? Are you a deva or a human? If you are a human you don’t seem to be one. The Brahmin replied, ‘I am not a deva and I am not a human. I am one who has compassion for the poor and the wretched. I am one who shows them the path to enlightenment. I am a Bodhisattva.

Deva Sukuṇḍala then offered his diadem and earrings to the Brahmin and recited:

‘Oh, the one who is comprised of qualities? Is devoid of all evil.
On this day the seed has been planted, and on this day the fruit has been, produced.

After the Deva had recited this verse, the Brahmin departed.

End of the Chapter Thirteen named Devabhavanabhramaṇam.