Heaven of the Thirty-Three
Heaven of the Thirty-Three (Skt. Trāyastriṃśa; Tib. Sumchu Tsasum; Wyl. sum cu rtsa gsum) — second heaven of the desire realm, situated on the summit of Mount Meru and presided over by thirty-three gods of whom Indra is the chief. In the middle of which lies the city Sudarashana (Skt. Sudaraśana; Wyl. grong khyer lta na sdug, Eng. the city of "Lovely-to-See.”) The city has at its center (Wyl. rnam par rgyal ba'i khang bzang) the palace of Indra. The city is surrounded by four parks: 1. Caitraratha vana (Wyl. shing rta sna tshogs kyi tshal; Eng. Park of Various Chariots), 2. Pārusakā vana (Skt. pārusakā vana or pāruṣyaka vana, Wyl. rtsub 'gyur tshal; Eng. Park of Armory), 3. Mishraka vana (Skt. Miśrakā vana; Wyl. ’dres pa'i tshal, Eng. Park of Various Activities), and 4. Nandana vana (Wyl. dga' ba'i tshal; Eng. Park of Delights). The gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three regularly wage war against the asuras.
Further Reading
- Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé, Myriad Worlds (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1995), pages 116-118.