Vimanavatthu1.15

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1.15 UTTARA'S MANSION (15)

(Uttara-vimana)

The Bhagava(Lord Buddha) was dwelling in Rajagaha at the squirrels feeding-place in Bamboo Grove. At that time a poor man, Punna by man lived as a dependent upon a banker of Rajagaha. His wife, Uttara, and daughter named Uttara, were the only two people in his home. Now one day in Rajagaha there was a seven-day festival. The banker heard of it and when Punna came early in the morning he said, "My dear our servants want to celebrate the festival, will you celebrate the festival, or will your work for wages?" "Master," said Punna, "such a thing as a festival is for the rich, and in my house there is not even rice to make gruel for tomorrow. What is a festival to me? If I get oxen I will go to plough." "Well then, take the oxen," said the master. Punna took powerful oxen and a fine plough and said to his wife. "My dear, the towns-folk are celebrating a festival. I am going to earn wages since we are poor, but for me too, just today, cook a double portion of food and bring it to me." Then he went to the field.

Now the elder Sariputta who had entered on cessation(trance) for seven days, emerged there from, and surveying (the world) and thinking, "Now to whom today will I have the chance to do a kindness?" he saw Punna had come within the net of his perception, and surveying (further) he thought, "Now is this man a believer?  Will he be able to do a kindness to me?" Realizing that Punna was a believer and able to do a kindness, and on that account effecting for him great attainment, he took bowl and robe, went to the field where he was ploughing, and stood there looking at a bush at the edge of the field.

As soon as Punna saw the Elder he stopped his ploughing, greeted the Elder with the fivefold veneration, and saying to himself, " He needs a toothstick, " gave him a toothstick making it permissible for use. Then the elder drew his bowl and water strainer from his bag for carrying the bowl and gave (them) to him saying to himself, "He needs drinking water", Punna took it, strained drinking water and gave it. The Elder thought, "This man lives in the very last house of all. If I go to the door of the house, his wife will not be able to see me.  I will remain here itself till his wife sets out upon the high-road with his meal." He waited there a little while, and when he knew that she was on the way, he set out in the direction of the city. When the woman saw the Elder on the road she thought, "Sometimes when I have some-thing worth giving I see no one worthy to receive it; sometimes when I see a worthy person there is nothing worth giving, buy today I see a worthy person and at the same time I have a gift worth giving. Surely will he do a kindness to me." She put down the dish with the food in it, greeted the Elder with the fivefold veneration, and said, "Sir without giving thought to whether this is coarse or fine fare, do a kindness to your servant," Then the Elder held out his bowl, and as she held the dish with one hand and was giving him rice from it with the other, he said "Enough" when exactly half the dish was served and he covered over his bowl with his hand. She said, "Sir, one portion cannot be divided into two parts. If you will not do a kindness to your servant in respect of this world, do one for the sake of the next. I want to give all, without any remainder whatsoever," and so saying, and having put every bit into his bowl, she made the aspiration,"Let me be a participant in the Dhamma(path of eternal truth) you have realized." The Elder said, "So be it," Thanked her while he was still standing, and when he had sat down in a convenient place where there was water, he ate his meal. The woman went home, searched for some rice, and cooked a meal. Punna meanwhile had ploughed a half karisa of land, and being unable to endure his hunger, had unyoked the oxen gone into the shade of a tree and sat down watching the road. Now as his wife was going along with the food and saw him she thought, "He is sitting watching for me, oppressed with hunger. If he rails against me, saying 'She is very late', and should strike me with the goad-stick, the deed which I have done will become of no effect.  I will speak to him first so as to prevent it." With this mind she said, "Master, to-day just this one day gain fervour at heart, make not a deed which I have done of no effect. While I was bringing your meal very early, on the way I saw the Captain of Dhamma(path of eternal truth).  I gave him your meal, then I went home cooked a meal, and have come .  Gain fervour master." He asked, "What are you saying wife?" and when he had heard the story again he said, "Wife, you did exactly right giving my food to this worthy one. I, too, to-day, very early, gave him a tooth stick and water for his mouth, "and with a mind of happiness, he was content with her story and being tired from taking his meal late in the day, he put his head in her lap and fell asleep.

Now all of the place ploughed early in morning,, including the crushed earth, became bright gold and remained resplendent like a heap of kanikara flowers. When punna woke he looked and said to his wife, "Wife, all this ploughed land looks to me as though it had became gold.  Now tell me.  are not my eyes unsettled because I ate my meal so late in afternoon?" "Master," she said, "it looks just that way to me too. " he got up, went there, took up a clod, hit it on the head of the plough, saw that it was gold, and cried, "Aha, the resultant for the alms given to the worthy Captain of Dhamma(path of eternal truth) has made its appearance to-day already.  But clearly it is not possible to enjoy in secrecy the use of so much wealth." He filled with gold the dish brought by his wife, went to the king's palace, and gaining permission from the king(Bimbisara), entered and made his obeisance, and when the king said ,"what is it my man?" he said, " Majesty, to-day the land which I had ploughed all became quite filled with a heap of gold and stayed that way. The gold ought to be sent for." Who are you?" asked the king.  Punna "Punna is my name." King asked "But what have you done today?" Punna said "Very early this morning I gave tooth stick and water for the mouth to the Captain of Dhamma(path of eternal truth), and my wife, too, gave him the food that was brought as a meal for me." When the king heard this he said, "This very day the resultant will have appeared for the alms given, " and he asked, "My man, what shall we do?" "Dispatch many thousand carts and have the god brought to you," said Punna.  The kind dispatched the carts.  As the king's men were taking the gold and saying,"It  belongs to the king," each piece as they picked it up became nothing but earth.  When they went and told the king he asked them."My men, what did you say as you took it?" and they answered," That it belonged to you." The king said, "In that case, my men, go again and as you collect it, say, It belongs to Punna." They did so. Each piece picked up remained gold. They brought it all and made a heap in the royal courtyard. Eighty cubits high was the heap. the king had the townsmen summoned. "Has anyone in this city so much gold?" he asked them. "No one, Majesty." "But what ought to be given to this man?" "The umbrella of a Setthi(rich man) ,Majesty." The king said, "Let him be Setthi of Great Wealth," and gave him the umbrella of a Setthi and much wealth. Then Punna said to the king, "Majesty, all this time we have been living in the home of another. Give us a place to live in." The king said, "In that case, look. This appears to be jungle.  Clear it off and build a house," and he showed him the site of the home of a former Setthi. Within only a few days he had had a house built on that site, and performing the ceremony of entering the house and the ceremony of his investiture of rank, all in one, he gave alms for seven days to the Order(of monks) with the Buddha at the head.

Afterwards the banker of Rajagaha asked for the daughter of Punna in marriage for his son. He said, "I will not give her." "Do not act thus," said the banker, "you got your luck at the very time you were living with us. Give your daughter to my daughter cannot live with-out the Three Jewels (faith in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha the order).  Because of this I just will not give my daughter to him." Then many men of rank entreated him, "Do not break off your friendship with this man. Give him your daughter." He complied with their entreaty and gave away his daughter at the time of the full moon in the month of Asadh. She went to the home of her husband.

From the time of her going she was not allowed to go near monk or nun, to give alms or to listen to Dhamma (path of eternal truth). When two and a half months had thus passed she asked the servants who attended her, "How much of the rainy season is left now?" "Half a month, my lady," they said. She sent a message to her father; "Why have they cast me into such a prison? it would have been better for you to have to have branded me and declared me a servant of others than to have given me into such a family of unbelievers. From the time that I came here I have no been allowed to do even a single act of merit, even so much as catching sight of a monk." Now her father, after he had expressed his sorrow, saying, "Unhappy, alas, is my daughter !" had fifteen thousand kahapanas(bronze coins) delivered to her and sent a message: "In this city there is a courtesan, Sirima by name.  Daily she accepts a thousand (kahapanas(bronze coins)). Have her brought to you by means of this money, give her over to your husband, and you yourself perform your acts of merit as you please." Uttara did so, and when her husband saw Sirima and said "What's this?" she replied, "Husband, for this half-month let this a companion of mine look after you, but for this half-month I want to do nothing but give alms and listen to Dhamma(path of eternal truth)." He looked at that beautiful woman with aroused desire agreed, saying "Very well." Uttara for her part, sent an invitation to the Order with the Buddha at the head, saying, "Reverend sir, for this half month go nowhere else, but receive alms here only," and when she had obtained the Teacher(Buddha)'s consent she said, "From now up to the Pavarna(Great Invitation ceremony after rains retreat), I shall be able to wait upon the Teacher(Buddha) and to hear Dhamma(path of eternal truth)," and with heart content because of that she went about arranging everything that was to be done in the kitchen,  saying "Cook the gruel this way, cook the cakes thus."

Now her husband, thinking, "Tomorrow will be the Pavarna(Great Invitation ceremony ater the rains), " Stood at the window looking into the Kitchen and wondered, "Now what that silly woman busy doing?" He saw she was moving about wet with sweat, sprinkled over with ashes, sprinkled over with ashes, smeared with charcoal and soot from all her preparations, and said, "The silly woman does not enjoy luxury and comfort in a place like this. She goes about with a happy heart merely because of her wish to minister(serve) to shaven-headed monks," and he laughed and went away.

As he went away, Sirima was standing near him and said to herself, "Now what did he see to make him laugh?" and looking out by the same window she saw Uttara and thought, "He looked at her and laughed. There must be intimacy between him and her." Now the story goes that, although this woman had been for half a month an outsider in this house, yet, since she was enjoying its luxury and comfort, she was unaware of her status as an outsider and had the notion ,"I am the mistress of the house." She settled her malice upon Uttara and saying to herself. " I will make trouble for her," descended from the terrace, entered the kitchen, and at the place where they were cooking the cakes, took some boiling hot ghee(clarified butter) with ladle and went toward Uttara. Uttara saw her coming and thought, "My companion has done me a favour, the circle of the earth is too narrow, the world of Brahma(archangels) is too low, but the virtue of my companion is great because by her help I have become able to give alms and to listen to Dhamma(path of eternal truth). If I am angry with her, let this ghee (clarified butter) burn me, if not, let it not burn me." The ghee(clarified butter), although poured on the top of her head, was like cold water because of her being suffused with Loving-kindness. Then when Uttara's servant-women saw Sirima coming(towards them) after she had filled another ladle again and was thinking, (to herself), "Will this (too) be cold?" they threatened her, "Ah, you wicked woman! How dare you pour boiling oil on the head of our mistress?" and attacking from wherever they were in the kitchen, they struck her with hands and feet and threw her to the ground. Though Uttara tried to prevent them, she could not stop them. Then she stood over Sirima, held off all the servant women, and said reproachfully to Sirima, "Why have you done such a grievous deed?" Then she bathed her with warm water and anointed her head with oil a hundred times refined.

At that moment Sirima realized the fact that she was an outsider, and thought, "I have done a grievous deed in scattering boiling water on her head because of a mere smile on the part of her husband. Without as much as ordering her serving women, saying 'Hold her,' she even held them off when they were hurting me and did for me just what should have been done.  If I do not ask her forgiveness, my head may split into seven pieces." She fell down at Uttara's feet and said, "Lady, forgive me. " " I am a daughter whose father is living. If my father forgives I will forgive (You),"  said Uttara. Sirima "So be it, lady, I shall beg forgiveness from your father too Punna the banker." Uttara, "Punna is my father who has begotten me in the cycle (of birth), but if my father who has begotten me in the cycle that does not turn forgives you, I will forgive you." Sirima,"Then who is your father in the cycle that does not turn?" Uttara,"The wholly Enlightened(Buddha)." Sirima,"I am not acquainted with him. What shall I do?" Uttara,"The Teacher(Buddha) will come here tomorrow with his Order of monks. Bring whatever offerings you can obtain and come here and ask his forgiveness." "Very well, lady," said Sirima, and she rose and went to her own home, gave orders to five hundred women attendants prepared many sorts of hard and soft food, and on the next day, taking the offering of hospitality she went to Uttara's house and waited, not daring to put anything into the bowls of the Order of monks with the Buddha at the head. Uttara herself took everything and arranged it. But Sirima with her retinue(attendants group), at the completion of the meal fell at the Teacher(Buddha)'s feet. Then the Teacher(Buddha) asked her, "What is your fault?" Sirima,"Sir, yesterday I did thus and so, but my companion held back her serving-women who were hurting me. She did me a kindness instead.  I realized her virtue, I asked her pardon, but she said to me that when I had your forgiveness then 'I will forgive." Buddha," Is it as she says, Uttara?" "Yes, reverend sir. The companion poured boiling oil on my head." Buddha,"Then what did you think?" Uttara, "I thought ' The circle of the earth is too narrow, the world of Brahma(archangels) is too low, but the virtue of the companion is great, because by her help I am able to give alms and listen to Dhamma(path of eternal truth). If I am angry with her, let this ghee(clarified butter) burn me; if not, let is not burn me.' Thinking thus I suffused her with loving-kindness." The Teacher(Buddha) said, "Well done, well done, Uttara, thus should one conquer anger," And explaining this meaning, "With non-anger should one conquer him who is angry, by not being abusive him who abuses, by not reviling who reviles, by giving what one possesses him who is deeply avaricious, and with truthful speech a speaker of falsehood," he uttered the verse:

"With non-anger shall one conquer anger,

With good shall one conquer evil,

With generosity shall one conquer the avaricious,

And with truth the speaker of untruth."

When he had spoken this verse, at the end of the verse he talked about the four truths(4 fundamentals). At the conclusion of the truths Uttara was established in the fruit(benefit) of once-returner(sakadagami). And her husband and father-in-law and mother-in-law realized the fruit(benefit) of stream entry(sotapana, first stage of spiritual awakening) Sirima, took with her retinue(attendants group) of five hundred courtesans, was a stream-entrant(sotapana, first stage of spiritual awakening). After Uttara had died she arose in (the realm of) the Thirty-three(heaven).

And the venerable Elder Monk Maha-Maggallana, travelling about on a deva(angel)-tour as described above, saw Uttara, the deva(angel)-made, and put the question to her with the verses that begin, "You who stand with surpassing beauty":

1 "You who stand with surpassing beauty, devata(angel), are making all the quarters(directions) shining like the healing star.

2 Because of what is your beauty such? Because of what do you prosper here, and there arise whatever are those delights that are dear to your heart?

3 I ask you, devi(angel) of great majesty, what merit did you perform when you were born a human being ? Because of what is your brilliant majesty, thus, and your beauty illumines all the quarters(directions)?"

4 That devata (angel), delighted at being questioned by Moggallana, when asked the question explained of what deed this was the result.

5 "Envy and meanness and stinginess were never mine while was living in a house without anger, obedient to my husband, always diligent on the Observance days (Uposatha, fortnightly fasting & confession)

6 On the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth (days) of the bright fortnight, and a special day of the fortnight well connected with the eightfold (precepts).

7 I observed the Observance(Uposatha, fortnighly fasting & confession) always self-controlled by the practice of morality(sheel). And (thus) in the Mansion restrained and generous I dwell.

8 Refraining from killing of creatures, and restrained from lying speech, from theft and un-celibacy and the drinking of liquor far removed,

9 Delighting in the five moral rules of training(sheel), proficient in the ariyan (noble) truths, I was a lay-follower of Gotama(Buddha), One with vision, widely famed.

10 I, with my own morality and for fame, famous, experience my own merit; happy am I, and healthy,

11 Because of this is my beauty such, because of this do I prosper her, and there arise whatever are those delights that are dear to my heart.

12 I make known to you, monk of great majesty, what I did when I was born a human being. Because of this is my brilliant majesty thus and my beauty illumines all the quarters(directions).

And, revered sir, on my behalf, will you pay homage with your head at the Lord's feet, saying; "The lay-woman follower named Uttara pays homage with her head at the Lord's feet? Indeed, this would not be surprising. revered sir, that the Lord were to declare for me one of the fruits of monk's life." The Lord did declare for her the benefit of once-return(only one rebirth).