Vimanavatthu4.6

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4.6 MONASTERY MANSION (44)

(Vihara-vimana)

The Bhagava(Lord Buddha) was dwelling at Savatthi, in Jetavana. At that time Visakha, the great laywoman follower, had been urged by her friends and attendants to make a tour in the park on a certain feast day. Bathed and anointed with care, she had eaten a good meal, adorned herself with her "great creeper" parure(jewelery set) and, surrounded  by five hundred companions, set out from home in great ceremony with a great retinue(attendants group), and while going toward the park, thought, "What is there for me in idle amusement as if I were a young girl?  Come I will go to the monastery, pay my respects to the Bhagava (Lord Buddha)  and the honourable gentlemen who are inspiring to the mind, and I will listen to Dhamma(path of eternal truth)." She went to the monastery, stopped at one side, took off the "great creeper" ornament, gave it into the hand of a servant-girl, respectfully saluted the Bhagava(Lord Buddha), and sat down at one side. She listened to Dhamma(path of eternal truth), respectfully saluted the Bhagava(Lord Buddha), made a ceremonial circuit around him, left the monastery, went a little way and said to the servant-girl, "Come now, I will put on the ornament." The girl had tied it into a bundle, put it down in the monastery, wandered here and there, and when it was time to go had forgotten it. She confessed, "I forgot it. I should be there.  I will fetch it," and she wanted to go back. Visakha said, "Well, if it had been laid down and forgotten in the monastery, then for the monastery's benefit I shall give it up," and she went to the monastery, approached the Bhagava(Lord Buddha), greeted him reverently and declaring her intention said, "Your reverence, I would build a monastery, may the Bhagava(Lord Buddha) in compassion permit me. The Bhagava(Lord Buddha) gave consent through silence.  When Visakha had made the gift of ornament, which was worth 90,100,000 crores, the venerable Elder Monk Maha-Moggallana superintended the new work.  The monastery was completed in nine months, making for the Buddha, the Bhagava, and for the order of monks a place suitable for their abode, adorned with a thousand rooms five-hundred rooms on the lower floor and five hundred rooms on the upper floor, it is said, a palace like a deva(angel)-mansion, its floor made to resemble a mosaic of jewels, inlaid with beautiful designed wreath-and scroll-work, pleasing with white plaster, with beautiful wood-work finely polished, having well proportioned house-parts-walls, pillars, rafters, beams, cornices, doorposts, windows, stairs, and so forth-well arranged, charming and, as ancillary buildings, cells, pavilions, cloister walks and the like were made, When the monastery was finished. and she was performing the dedication spending 90,000,000 crores worth of gold pieces she saw the splendour (of the edifice) while she was ascending into the palace with her five hundred companions and joyfully said to them, "whatever merit I have gained in building a palace such as this, do you rejoice in it; I confer upon you merits in that for participation." "Indeed, so be it, so be it, indeed, " Said they with minds of faith, and they all rejoiced.

On that occasion a certain laywoman follower took part in the sharing of the merit with special thought. Soon afterward she died and was reborn among the Thirty-three(heaven). Through the power of her merit there appeared for her a great Mansion that could travel through the sky, beautified with many pinnacled houses with pleasaunces(gardens), lotus-ponds and the like, sixteen yojanas in length and breadth and height, diffusing light for a hundred yojanas by its own radiance. And when the devi(angel) went (anywhere) she went with her Mansion and with a retinue(attendants group) of a thousand nymphs.

But Visakha, because of her generous liberality and the triumph of her faith, was reborn among the devas(angels)-who delight –in-creating, and attained the rank of chief consort of Sunimmita, the deva(angel)-king there of that world. Now the venerable Elder Monk Anuruddha, on a tour among the devas(angels) saw the friend of Visakha who had been reborn in the realm of the Thirty-three(heaven), and he questioned her thus:

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

2 While you are dancing with all your limbs in every way, deva(angel)-like sounds stream forth, delightful to hear.

3 While you are dancing with all your limbs in every way, deva(angel)-like scents are wafted around, sweet scents, delightful.

4 While you are swaying your body, the sound of the trinkets in your braided hars is heard like the fivefold instrumental music.

5 Ear-drops breeze-blown, trembling in the breeze-the sound of these is heard like the fivefold instrumental music.

6 And the perfume of those sweet scented, delightful garlands on your head blows in en all directions like the manjusaka tree.

7. You breathe that sweet scent, you see unearthly beauty, Devata(angel), when asked tell of what deed this is the fruit(benefit)."

She replied to him thus:

8 "In Savatthi, revered sir, a friend of mine built a great monastery for the Order(of monks). I, having faith, rejoiced in that on seeing that dwelling which was pleasing to me.

9 By precisely that pure rejoicing of mine I obtained a wonderful Mansion, good to look upon, sixteen yojanas on every side. By my psychic potency(power) it travels through the air.

10 My dwellings are pinnacled houses partitioned, the proportions planned. Dazzling, they shine forth for a hundred yojanas all round.

11 Lotus-pools have I here, frequented by puthuloma fish, the clear sparkling waters fringed with golden sand,

12 Covered with various lotuses, with white water-lilies overspread, entrancing, fanned by the breezed they waft a lovely fragrance around.

13 Groves of rose-apples, jak-fruit, palms and coconut and various unplanted trees grow inside the dwelling.

14 Resounding with many a musical instrument, reverberating with the noises of a host of nymphs, he who saw me even in a dream a happy man would be.

15 A Mansion such as this, wonderful, good to look upon, lustrous in every respect, has been produced by my deed. It makes one to do meritorious (deeds)."

Then the Elder, desiring that she spoke of Visakha's place of rebirth, said this verse:

16 "Precisely by that pure rejoicing of yours you have obtained a Mansion, wonderful, good to look upon. And that woman, the very one who gave the gift, tell me of her rebirth.  Where has she arisen.?"

Then explaining the matter asked about by the Elder, she said;

17 "She who was my friend, revered sir, build a great monastery for the Order(of monks). She who understood Dhamma(path of eternal truth) (and)  gave the gift has arisen among the devas(angels)-who-delight-in–creating.

18 "She is chief queen of Sunimmita. Unimaginable is the resultant of the deed.  That which you asked me, revered sir: where is she arisen??  I have explained as it is.

19 Because of this urge others forward too that gladly they give gifts to the Order(of monks) and listen To Dhamma(path of eternal truth) with minds of faith & bliss. Birth among men, very difficult to obtain, is obtained (by you).

20 The Way-master(Buddha) taught that Way, him of the brahma-voice(of archangel), with skin resembling gold. Gladly give gifts to the Order(of monks) in which the gifts of faith will be of great fruit(benefit).

21 Those eight sorts of men praised by the wise, four pairs are they. Worthy they are to receive gifts, disciples of the Well-farer(Buddha). Gifts to these are of great fruit(benefit).

22. And four are they upon the Way and four established in its fruits. This Order(of monks) is upright(righteous) and with Sheel(morality), Samadhi(meditative trance states) and Panna(divine understanding).

23 For human beings, creatures, who give alms hoping to gain merit, bounty bestowed on the Order(of monks) brings merit of use in rebirths; the gift is of great fruit(benefit).

24 For this Order(of monks) is widespread, vast. It is immeasurable like the ocean, the sea. Disciples of the hero among men are the best of these, bringing lustre where they recite Dhamma(path of eternal truth).

25 They who give gift dedicated to the Order(of monks)-theirs is rightly given, rightly offered, rightly sacrificed. That gift bestowed upon the Order(of monks) is of great fruit(benefit), and is praised by knowers of the world(s).

26 Recollecting merit such as this, those who fare in the world with joy arise, having destroyed the stain of stinginess with its root, blameless attain a heavenly place."

And the venerable Elder Monk Anuruddha, returning here to the world of men, told this matter to the Lord Buddha  as he had heard it from that devata(angel). The Lord Buddha made it an occasion for teaching Dhamma(path of eternal truth).