Vimanavatthu2.2

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2.2 LAKHUMA'S MANSION (19)

(Lakhuma-vimana)

The Bhagava(Lord Buddha) was dwelling in Baranasi. Now there was a gate to the city of Baranasi called Fisherman's Gate. There was also a village situated near it known likewise as Fisherman's Gate. There a woman named Lakhuma, with faith, having joy, endowed with intelligence, greeted monks as they went in by that gate, led them to her home gave them ladlefuls of food, and, her faith & bliss growing thereby, she had a pavilion built and there entertained monks listened to Dhamma(path of eternal truth) in their company, and having become established in the refuges(Buddha; Dhamma-path ;Sangha-order) and the precepts(sheel, morality), with rapt attention she diligently developed the topics of insight-meditation that she had learnt and, in on account of her qualifications, established herself in the fruit(benefit) of stream-entry(sotapana, first stage of spiritual awakening).

Afterwards she died and was reborn in a great Mansion in the realm of the Thirty-three(heaven). And her retinue(attendants group) was a thousand nymphs Enjoying deva(angel)-bliss she dwelt there in delight. the venerable Elder Monk Maha-Moggallana on a deva(angel)-tour questioned her thus:

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 proper 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 beings? 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 fruit(benefit).

5 "Issuing forth from the fisherman's Gate, there was my dwelling. There to disciples, great seers, as they were passing by,

6 With a devout mind I gave rice, kummasa, greens and salted sour gruel to the upright(righteous).

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

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

9 Refraining from killing of creatures, and restrained from lying speech, from theft and the drinking of liquor far removed,

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

11 Because of this is my beauty such. . . and my beauty illumines all the quaters.

And, reverend sir, on my behalf, will you pay homage with your head at the Blessed at the Bhagava(Lord Buddha)'s feet. saying: "They lay-woman follower named Lakhuma pays homage with her head at the Bhagava(Lord Buddha)'s feet. Indeed, this would not be surprising, reverend sir, that the Bhagava(Lord Buddha) were to declare. for her the fruit(benefit) of once-return.