"In the same way, in the direction above
there is the Thus Come One named Brahma Sound,
the Thus Come One named Constellation King..."

     This lesson introduces the dik "direction"
which is uparistha "above" (literally: upari
"above" + stha "standing", with sound change
of stha to stha after i).  Sometimes Sanskrit
uses urdhvam  for "above" and adhas for "be-
low" instead.  The first representative tatha-
gata "Thus Come One" is the Buddha nama "named"
brahma "Brahma/pure" ghosa "(vocal) sound."
There is also the tathagata "Thus Come One"
nama "named" naksatra "Constellation" raja
"King." Issues #141 and #146 discussed grammar
and phrasing.

     The neuter noun naksatra "constellation"
or "lunar mansion" refers to the ancient sys-
tem of astronomy used in India.  It existed
before Shakyamuni Buddha's time and the Buddha
and the Buddha's disciples continued to use it
in establishing the Buddhist calindar. Accord-
ing to this system, based on India's climate
as well, the year falls into three main periods:
Cool, Hot, and Rainy.  The twelve months of
the year by the lunar calendar therefore form
groups of four months each.  There are also
six seasons (rtu), each of about two months.
A month by the lunar calendar is made up of
twenty-seven solar days and seven and three
quarters hours, so twenty-seven divisions,
each corresponding to a naksatra, were made.
A twenty-eighth intercalary naksatra must be
added periodically because the solar month
is slightly longer than the lunar month. The
same thing happens with the lunar months be-
cause the twelve lunar months make only about
354 days but twelve solar months are about
365 days.  So every thirty months an intercal-
ary (dvitiya "second") month is added to the
year, repeating either the month asadha or the
month sravana.  Thus every second or third
year contains thirteen months, and is some
twenty-nine days longer than other years.
Knowing this Indian system helps us to under-
stand references to times of day, months, and
seasons in the Tripitaka.