PACIFIC WORLD - The Institute of Buddhist Studies

Hansen: The Nature of World 93convey both the representation of a hierarchical universe structured bymerit and the imagery of the ripening of good and bad actions, particularly(in the passages below) in connection with the exercise of power andauthority.The journey begins in the hells, where Nemi witnesses the torturousripening of the fruits of wrong actions:[King Nemi]: Driver Måtali, charioteer of the gods; will you pleaseguide me along both roads: the road belonging to beings who haveperformed acts of wrongdoing, 27 as well as the road belonging tobeings who have performed good actions. 28The Teacher then said: Måtali, charioteer of the gods, showed theking a river named Vetara√∆, which few beings can cross, filledwith painful, boiling, churning water hot as tongues of flame.King Nemi watched beings falling into the River Vetara√∆, a riverthat very few beings can cross, and asked Måtali, charioteer of thegods, “Driver, Son of Gods, now I am afraid, after watching [thesebeings] fall into the River Vetara√∆. Driver Måtali, charioteer of thegods, I ask you: what acts of wrongdoing have been performed byall of these beings falling into the River Vetara√∆?”Måtali, charioteer of the gods, of whom the king asked this question,described [the ripening of] the fruit of wrong actions, whichis already understood, informing the king of what he did not yetknow, saying, “they were beings who possessed power [but]whose ways of exercising it were disgusting. 29 They oppressed,criticized, and derided beings less powerful than themselves. Inworldly life, that group of beings performed these disgustingactions, accumulating demerit, 30 and now they must endure fallinginto the River Vetara√∆. 31After witnessing more scenes of this sort, King Nemi is transported to thelevels of the heavens, where his sensations become markedly more pleasantand where he learns of the wonderful celestial rewards experienced bypeople who have given generously and created benefit for others:King Nemi: This palace, with the appearance of meritorious actions,32 splendid with glittering walls made of diamonds andcrystals, divided into symmetrical sections! It resounds with celestialmusic for dancing, with drums and tambourines, accompaniedby singing [so exquisite] that to hear it transports one to gladheartedness.This music is so beautiful that until arriving here, I