Vimanavatthu5.13

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5.13 LITTLE CHARIOT MANSION (63)

(Cularatha-vimana)

After the final nibbana of the Bhagava(Lord Buddha) his remains were distributed, and under the great Elder Maha-Kassapa monks were picked to recite Dhamma(path of eternal truth); disciples, coming for the rains each with his own company, were living in various places out of consideration for the amenable folk. And the venerable Elder Monk Maha-Kaccana was staying in a wooded spot in a frontier region. At that time Assaka was reigning at the city of Pota over Assaka. Now Sujata, his son by his head-queen, being banished by his father on the insistence of the junior most queen had taken to a forest-life. In Kasspa Buddha's time, though he had been a monk, he died as a worldling then and now was reborn and was named Sujata. When his mother died young, his father's new head-queen to had a son The pleased king offered his wife a boon; when Sujata was sixteen years old she claimed it of him, asking him to make her son the heir. He refused, since his eldest son was his heir. She kept worrying him to keep his pledged word, till the king, feeling he must do so, told Sujata with tears. The youth, grieving at his father's grief, asked leave to go into a forest-life. The king offered to build him another town, but he would not consent, nor that he should be sent to neighbouring princes. The king, embracing him go on the understanding he should return when orphaned to take over the kingdom. Living with foresters in the wood, he one day went out hunting deer and pursued a deer till it vanished near the leaf-hut of the Elder Monk Maha-Kaccana who asked him thus:

1 "You stand leaning on a sturdy bow made from sound wood. Now are you warrior-noble, a king's son ro a hunter wandering in the wood?"

Then, explaining himself, he said:

2 "I, reverend sir, son of the overlord of Assaka, am wandering in the wood. My name I tell you, monk, is Suajata thus am I known.

The Elder, with friendly greetings, said:

4 "Welcome to you, one of great merit, not unwelcome are you. Here water take so that you may bathe your feet.

5 This drinking water too is cool, brought from mountain caverns. Drinking of it, prince, sit down on the (grass-) spreading."

Then the prince, returning the Elder's friendly greetings, said:

6 "Your words are indeed lovely to hear, great sage. You speak what is sweet and purposeful with well thought aim.

7 What is the delight for you dwelling in the wood? Bull of seers, speak when asked. Listening to your way of speech I will practice the path of Dhamma(path of eternal truth)'s aim."

Now the elder, speaking of his own right practice as suitable for him too, said:

8 "The non-harming of all breathing things pleases us, prince, and the shunning of theft, unchastity(uncelibacy) and the drinking of liquor.

9 Aversion and practice of equanimity(samata), learning, gratitude, to be praised here, now these things are praise-worthy.

10 Know, prince, that five months from now you will be in death's presence-free yourself utterly."

Then the youth, asking about his own means of freedom, said:

11 "To what country should I go, and what is the work of man I should perform, or by what knowledge may I become un-ageing, undying?"

Then the Elder, in order to teach him Dhamma(path of eternal truth), spoke these verses:

12 "There does not exist that region, that work of man or knowledge, having gone to which, prince, a mortal may become unageing, undying.

13 Those of great wealth, great possession, even warrior nobles owning kingdoms-not even these, abounding in wealth and crops, are unageing, undying.

14 Perhaps you have heard of Andhakavenhu's sons, powerful, mighty, impetuous in attack-even these, attained to the destruction of the life-span, broken up, are forever and ever.

15 Warrior-nobles, brahmans, country –people serfs, low-caste sweepers-not even these nor others are through their birth unaging, undying.

16 Those who recite the mantras of the sixforld lore, devised by Brahma(archangel), not even these nor others are through their knowledge unageing, undying.

17 And even those seers, ascetics who are peaceful and self-controlled – even these ascetics cast off the physical frame at the proper time.

18 Even arihants (monks with full spiritual awakening), their mind developed, duties done, without cankers(worldly desires), lay down this body on the utter destruction of (their) good and evil (deeds)."

Now the youth, speaking of what he himself should do, said:

19 "Well uttered, great sage, are your verses, purposeful. Calmed am I with your good word. Be you me refuge."

Then the Elder, instructing him spoke this verse:

20 "Go not to me for refuge; turn only to him for refuge, the son of the Sakyans, great one, to whom I have gone for refuse."

Then the youth said:

21 "In what country is your teacher, good sir? I too will go to see the conqueror, the matchless one."

The Elder said:

22 "In the eastern country, he who was born of Okkaka's(Ikshvaku's) line was there the thoroughbred of men, but he had passed out utterly."

When the prince had heard the Elder's teaching of Dhamma(path of eternal truth) he was established in the refuges(Buddha; Dhamma-path ;Sangha-order) and the practice of morality(sheel). Thus it was said:

23 "Had the Buddha, your Teacher(Buddha), been alive, good sir, I would have gone thousands of yojanas to wait on him.

24 But as your Teacher(Buddha) has passed out utterly, good sir, I go for refuge to the great one who had passed out utterly.

25 I approach the Buddha for refuge, and also the supreme Dhamma(path of eternal truth), and to the Order(of monks) of the deva(angel) of men do I go for refuge.

26 At once I refrain from killing of creatures, I shun what in the world is not given, am not a drinker of strong liquor, and I do not utter lies, and am content with my own wife."

The elder spoke thus; "Go now to your father, your life-span is brief, you will die within only five months, perform merit." The prince did so and after four months he died and was reborn in the realm of the Thirty-three(heaven). On account of the power of his merit a chariot arose ornamented with the seven kinds of jewels, measuring seven yojanas. It had performed the obsequies for the dead and offered a great gift to the order of monks, he paid honour to the chaitya(shrine ). The Elder arrived here. The deva(angel)-youth came in his deva(angel)-like chariot, saluted the Elder, and exchanged greetings with his father. The Elder asked him in these verses:

27 "Like the thousand-rayed (sun) of mighty lustre as in its course it illumines the regions of the sky, so is the way of this mighty chariot of yours extending all round for seven yojanas.

28 Covered all over with golden plates, its bodywork inlaid with gems and pearls, its carvings of gold and of silver, well traced with beryls, make it fair.

29 The front with tracery of beryl and the yoke designed with rubies, and these horses (with) trappings of gold and of silver, swift as thought, make it fair.

30 In the golden chariot you stand surpassing all like deva(angel)-chief in chariot yoked with a thousand. I ask you, one of renown and proficiency. By what means have you obtained this splendour."

Asked thus by the elder, the deva(angel)-youth explained in these verses:

31 "When I reverend sir, was formerly a king's son I was called Sujata. And you, out of compassion for me, established me in self-control.

32 And knowing my life-span was ending, you gave me a relic of the Teacher(Buddha), saying: Honour this, Sujata, it will be for your welfare.

33 When I, acting rightly, had paid honour with perfumes and garlands, getting rid of my human body I arose in Nandana(Eden).

34 And in the delightful Nandana(Eden) Grove, the haunt of many a flock of birds, I delight, attended by nymphs with dance and song."

Thus the deva(angel)-youth, saluting the Elder and taking leave of his father, mounted the chariot and went back to the deva(angel)-world. The Elder told the whole of the conversation that had taken place between them to recensionists of Dhamma(path of eternal truth) at the time of the Council.