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RĀJAPRAŚNIYA SUTRA
beneficial to me, (if done) before"? "What would be in my interest if done later ? "what would be for my benefit, happiness, comfort, and welfare; and what would accompany me to the other world" ?
[Page 205] Then the gods, seated in the 'Assembly for his Equals' (Sāmānika), having learnt of these thoughts etc. of the god Suryabha, went toward him, greeted him with hail and victory with their hands folded and heads clasped in their folded hands, and said ["In the Suryabha Vimana of the Beloved of the gods, in the Temple of the Siddhas, there are installed eight hundred life-size idols of the Jinas themselves. They are to be bowed down to and worshipped by you, O beloved of the gods, and by all the other Vaimanika gods and goddesses. So this is fit to be attended to first, as well as last, by you, O Beloved of the gods; this would be beneficial to you before as well as after and it would be in your interests, for your happiness, comfort and welfare, before as also after, and it would accompany you to the other world.
(Sūtra 42) Then the God Suryabha, having heard this from the gods seated in the Assembly for gods who were his equals in status (i. e. the Samanikas), was delighted at heart...etc..and got up from his bed, went out of the Upapata Assembly (i. e. where gods are born) by the eastern door, went toward the lake, went round it, and entered it by the eastern arch (or pofch), ascended it by the eastern beautiful stair-case, plunged and bathed (or dived) in the water, sported in the water, performed the coronation ceremony with water, page 206] having sipped the water (after first purifying himself), and being spotlessly clean, and very pure, he came out
