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endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, not too tall, not too short, not too thin, not too stout, not too dark, not too pale, surpassing human beauty, yet not attaining divine beauty. And Ānanda, the bodily touch of that woman treasure was such as if of a cotton tuft or a silk-cotton tuft. And Ānanda, the limbs of that woman treasure were warm in the cold, and cool in the heat. And Ānanda, from the body of that woman treasure wafted the scent of sandalwood, and from her mouth, the scent of a blue water-lily. And Ānanda, that woman treasure was one who rose before King Mahāsudassana, retired after him, was obedient to his wishes, acted pleasingly, and spoke kindly. And Ānanda, that woman treasure did not transgress King Mahāsudassana even in thought, much less with her body. For King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, such a woman treasure appeared. The Householder Treasure 250. Again, Ānanda, for King Mahāsudassana, a householder treasure appeared. For him, a divine eye, born of karma's ripening, appeared, by which he saw hidden treasures. both with a master and without a master. He approached King Mahāsudassana and said this: ‘Be free from worry, O king, I will attend to your financial needs with wealth.’ Formerly, Ānanda, King Mahāsudassana, testing that householder-gem, boarded a boat, entered the current in the middle of the Gaṅgā river, and said to the householder-gem: ‘I need gold and silver, householder.’ ‘Then, great king, let the boat approach one bank.’ ‘I need gold and silver right here, householder.’ Then, Ānanda, that householder-gem, scooping up water with both hands, brought forth a full pot of gold and silver and said to King Mahāsudassana: ‘Is this enough, great king? Is this sufficient, great king? Is this honored enough, great king?’ King Mahāsudassana said this: ‘This is enough, householder. This is sufficient, householder. This is honored enough, householder.’ Such a householder-gem, Ānanda, appeared to King Mahāsudassana. The Guide-Gem 251. ‘‘Furthermore, Ānanda, a guide-gem appeared to King Mahāsudassana: wise, skillful, intelligent, capable of bringing near what should be brought near, of sending away what should be sent away, of establishing what should be established. He approached King Mahāsudassana and said this: ‘Be free from worry, O king, I will instruct.’ Such a guide-gem, Ānanda, appeared to King Mahāsudassana. ‘‘King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, was endowed with these seven gems. Endowed with Four Powers 252. ‘‘King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, was endowed with four powers. With which four powers? Here, Ānanda, King Mahāsudassana was handsome, pleasant to behold, charming, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, far surpassing other humans. King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, this was endowed with this first power. “Again, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana was long-lived, long-enduring, more so than other humans. King Mahāsudassana, Ananda, was endowed with this second power. “Again, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana was free from illness, free from affliction, endowed with a balanced digestion, neither too cold nor too hot, more so than other humans. King Mahāsudassana, Ananda, was endowed with this third power. “Again, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana was dear and pleasing to brahmins and householders. Just as, Ananda, a father is dear and pleasing to his children, even so, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana was dear and pleasing to brahmins and householders. And to King Mahāsudassana, Ananda, brahmins and householders were dear and pleasing. Just as, Ananda, children are dear and pleasing to a father, even so, Ananda, to King Mahāsudassana, brahmins and householders were dear and pleasing. “Once upon a time, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana went forth with his fourfold army to the pleasure garden. Then, Ananda, brahmins and householders approached King Mahāsudassana and said, ‘Go slowly, O King, so that we may see you longer.’ And King Mahāsudassana, Ananda, addressed his charioteer, ‘Drive the chariot slowly, charioteer, so that I may see the brahmins and householders longer.’ King Mahāsudassana, Ananda, was endowed with this fourth power. King Mahāsudassana, Ananda, was endowed with these four powers. The Dhamma Palace Pond “Then, Ananda, it occurred to King Mahāsudassana, ‘What if I were to have ponds made in these palm groves, a hundred bow-lengths apart?’ “So, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana had them made. And in those spaces between the palm trees, at every hundred bow-lengths, were lotus ponds. And those lotus ponds, Ananda, were built with bricks of four colors – one brick was of gold, one of silver, one of beryl, one of crystal. And in those lotus ponds, Ananda, there were four four stairways of four colors, one stairway of gold, one of silver, one of beryl, one of crystal. For the golden stairway there were golden pillars, and silver cross-bars and coping. For the silver stairway there were silver pillars, and golden cross-bars and coping. For the beryl stairway there were beryl pillars, and crystal cross-bars and coping. For the crystal stairway there were crystal pillars, and beryl cross-bars and coping. And those lotus ponds, Ananda, were surrounded by two railings, one railing of gold, one of silver. For the golden railing there were golden pillars, and silver cross-bars and coping. For the silver railing there were silver pillars, and golden cross-bars and coping. Then, Ananda, it occurred to King Mahāsudassana – ‘What if I were to have such a garland planted in these lotus ponds, blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, white water lilies, blooming in all seasons, open to all people?’ And so, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana had such a garland planted in those lotus ponds, blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, white water lilies, blooming in all seasons, open to all people. 254. Then, Ananda, it occurred to King Mahāsudassana – ‘What if I were to station bathing attendants on the banks of these lotus ponds, who would bathe the people as they arrived?’ And so, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana stationed bathing attendants on the banks of those lotus ponds, who bathed the people as they arrived. Then, Ananda, it occurred to King Mahāsudassana: 'What if I were to establish such a gift on the banks of these lotus ponds— food for those who need food, drink for those who need drink, clothing for those who need clothing, vehicles for those who need vehicles, beds for those who need beds, women for those who need women, gold for those who need gold, silver for those who need silver?' Indeed, Ananda, King Mahāsudassana established such a gift on the banks of those lotus ponds— food for those who need food, drink for those who need drink, clothing for those who need clothing, vehicles for those who need vehicles, beds for those who need beds, women for those who need women, gold for those who need gold, silver for those who need silver. 255. Then, Ananda, the brahmins and householders, taking abundant wealth, approached King Mahāsudassana and said this: 'This, O king, is abundant wealth brought for you, O king. May the king accept it.' 'Enough, sirs! I too have abundant wealth acquired by righteous power. May that be yours, and take even more from here.' Rejected by the king, they withdrew to one side and thought thus: 'It is not proper for us to take this wealth back to our own homes. What if we were to build a dwelling for King Mahāsudassana?' They approached King Mahāsudassana and said this: 'We will build a dwelling for you, O king.' King Mahāsudassana, Ananda, assented by his silence. 256. Then, Ananda, Sakka, the lord of devas, knowing the thought of King Mahāsudassana with his own mind, addressed the deva-son Vissakamma: 'Come, friend Vissakamma, build a dwelling for King Mahāsudassana, a palace named Dhamma.' 'Yes, good sir,' Thus, Ananda, Vissakamma, the divine son, having assented to Sakka, lord of devas, just as a strong man might extend a bent arm or bend an extended arm, even so, having vanished from among the Tavatimsa devas, he appeared before King Mahasudassana. Then, Ananda, Vissakamma, the divine son, said to King Mahasudassana: "I shall build for you, O king, a mansion named Dhamma Palace." King Mahasudassana, Ananda, consented by his silence. So, Ananda, Vissakamma, the divine son, built for King Mahasudassana the mansion named Dhamma Palace. The Dhamma Palace, Ananda, was a league in length from east to west. And half a league in width from north to south. The foundation of the Dhamma Palace, Ananda, was built three men's height higher with bricks of four colors – one brick was of gold, one was of silver, one was of beryl, one was of crystal. The Dhamma Palace, Ananda, had eighty-four thousand pillars of four colors – one pillar was of gold, one was of silver, one was of beryl, one was of crystal. The Dhamma Palace, Ananda, was paved with planks of four colors – one plank was of gold, one was of silver, one was of beryl, one was of crystal. The Dhamma Palace, Ananda, had twenty-four staircases of four colors – one staircase was of gold, one was of silver, one was of beryl, one was of crystal. For the golden staircase, there were golden pillars and silver crossbars and capitals. For the silver staircase, there were silver pillars and golden crossbars and capitals. For the beryl staircase, there were beryl pillars and crystal crossbars and capitals. For the crystal staircase, there were crystal pillars... Indeed, there were beryl cross-bars and coping. “In the Dhamma palace, Ananda, there were eighty-four thousand pinnacled chambers of four kinds – one chamber of gold, one of silver, one of beryl, one of crystal. In the golden chamber a silver couch was arranged; in the silver chamber a golden couch was arranged; in the beryl chamber an ivory couch was arranged; in the crystal chamber a heartwood couch was arranged. At the door of the golden chamber stood a silver palm tree; its trunk was silver, its leaves and fruits were gold. At the door of the silver chamber