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 the Heaven of the Thirty-Three 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 the 'Mansion of Complete Victory', (Wyl. rnam par rgyal ba'i khang bzang) that is 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.