English
Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. In the Minor Collection Stories of Celestial Mansions 1. Women's Mansions 1. The Seat Chapter 1. The First Story of the Seat Mansion 1. Your seat is golden, splendid, mind-swift, it goes wherever you wish. Adorned, garland-wearing, well-clothed, you shine like lightning from a cloud-peak. 2. By what is your complexion such? By what do you succeed here? And your enjoyments arise, whatever are dear to your mind. 3. I ask you, goddess of great power, what merit did you do as a human? By what are you thus shining in power? And your complexion illuminates all directions. 4. That deity, pleased in mind, questioned by Moggallāna, being asked the question, explained of which kamma this was the fruit. 5. When I was human among humans, I gave a seat to a guest. I saluted, I made an añjali, and I gave a gift according to my ability. 6. By that is my complexion such. By that do I succeed here. And my enjoyments arise, whatever are dear to my mind. 7. I tell you, bhikkhu of great power, the merit I did as a human. By that am I thus shining in power, and my complexion illuminates all directions. The First Story of the Seat Mansion, the first. 2. The Second Story of the Seat Mansion 8. Your seat is made of beryl, splendid, mind-swift, it goes wherever you wish. Adorned, garland-wearing, well-clothed, you shine like lightning from a cloud-peak. 9. By what is your complexion such? By what do you succeed here? And your enjoyments arise, whatever are dear to your mind. 10. I ask you, goddess of great power, what merit did you do as a human? By what are you thus shining in power? And your complexion illuminates all directions. 11. That deity, pleased in mind, questioned by Moggallāna, being asked the question, explained of which kamma this was the fruit. 12. When I was human among humans, I gave a seat to a guest. I saluted, I made an offering with clasped hands, and gave a gift according to my ability. 13. "Therefore, such is my beauty, therefore, here it succeeds for me; And enjoyments arise for me, whatever are pleasing to my mind. 14. "I tell you, O monk of great power, the merit I made when I was a human; Therefore, I am thus resplendent with power, and my beauty shines in all directions." The Second Seat Mansion, the second. 3. The Story of the Third Seat Mansion 15. "Your splendid golden seat, goes wherever you wish, swift as thought; Adorned, garlanded, well-dressed, you shine like lightning from a cloud-mass. 16. "By what is such your beauty, by what does it succeed for you here; And enjoyments arise for you, whatever are pleasing to your mind. 17. "I ask you, O goddess of great power, what merit did you make when you were a human; By what are you thus resplendent with power, and your beauty shines in all directions?" 18. That deity, delighted, questioned by Moggallāna; Being asked a question, she explained, the result of which action this was. 19. "This is the fruit of a small action of mine, by which I am thus resplendent with power; I, being human among humans, in a former birth, in the human world. 20. "I saw a stainless monk, with a mind perfectly clear and undisturbed; To him I gave a seat, with a clear mind, with my own hands. 21. "Therefore, such is my beauty, therefore, here it succeeds for me; And enjoyments arise for me, whatever are pleasing to my mind. 22. "I tell you, O monk of great power, the merit I made when I was a human; Therefore, I am thus resplendent with power, and my beauty shines in all directions." The Third Seat Mansion, the third. 4. The Story of the Fourth Seat Mansion 23. "Your splendid lapis lazuli seat, goes wherever you wish, swift as thought; Adorned, garlanded, well-dressed, you shine like lightning from a cloud-mass. 24. "By what is such your beauty, by what does it succeed for you here; And enjoyments arise for you, whatever are pleasing to your mind. 25. "I ask O goddess of great power, what merit did you do as a human being? By what are you thus shining with power, and your complexion illuminates all directions? 26. That deity, delighted, questioned by Moggallāna, being asked the question, explained of which kamma this was the fruit. 27. "This is the fruit of a small deed of mine, by which I am thus shining with power. I, having been a human among humans, in a former birth in the human world. 28. "I saw a stainless bhikkhu, with a mind perfectly clear and undisturbed. To him I gave a seat, delighted, with my own hands. 29. "Therefore, such is my complexion; therefore, here it is fulfilled for me. And riches arise for me, whatever are dear to my mind. 30. "I tell you, O bhikkhu of great power, the merit I did as a human being. Therefore, I am thus shining with power, and my complexion illuminates all directions." The Fourth Vimāna of the Seat, the fourth. 5. The Story of the Elephant Mansion. 31. "Your elephant, of noble stature, adorned with various jewels, charming, strong, endowed with speed, moves about in the sky. 32. "Like a lotus, with lotus-petal eyes, bearing the brilliance of lotuses and water lilies, with its body sprinkled with lotus pollen, wearing a garland of golden lotuses. 33. "The path strewn with lotuses, adorned with lotus petals. Standing, it does not disturb the groups (of flowers), the elephant walks with measured steps. 34. "As it proceeds, golden bells with pleasant sounds, their sound is heard, like a five-part musical instrument. 35. "On the shoulder of that elephant, dressed in pure garments, adorned, you outshine a great host of nymphs by your complexion. 36. "Is this the fruit of your giving, or of your virtue, or of your act of reverence? Tell me that, when asked." 37. That deity, delighted, questioned by Moggallāna, being asked the question, explained of which kamma this was the fruit. 38. "Having seen one endowed with virtues, a meditator, delighting in jhāna, mindful; I gave a seat strewn with flowers, a seat covered with cloth. Half a lotus garland, I around the seat, scattered with petals, with my own pure hands. Of that skillful deed, this is my such fruit; honor and respect, I am revered by devas. Whoever, indeed, to the fully liberated, the peaceful, the pure ones, with clear mind gives a seat, rejoices thus, as I do. Therefore, indeed, by one desiring one's own welfare, aspiring to greatness, a seat should be given, by one bearing the final body. The Fifth, Kuñjara Vimāna. A golden-covered boat, O lady, you ascend and stand; you enter the lotus pond, you pluck lotuses with your hand. By what is your such complexion? By what do you prosper here? And all enjoyments arise for you, whatever are dear to your mind. I ask you, O goddess of great power, what merit did you do when human? By what are you thus of shining power? And your complexion illuminates all directions. That deity, gladdened in mind, questioned by Moggallāna, being asked the question, explained, of which deed this is the fruit. I, being human among humans, in a former birth in the human world, seeing monks thirsty and weary, rising, gave water to drink. Whoever, indeed, to the weary and thirsty, rising, gives water to drink, for him there are rivers of cool water, abundant with garlands, with many white lotuses. Rivers always flow around him, cool-watered, sand-strewn rivers; and mangoes, sāla trees, tilaka trees, and rose-apples, uddālaka trees and pāṭali trees are in bloom. That, adorned with land sections, a supreme vimāna, greatly shining; of that deed, this is the result here, such do the merit-makers obtain. Therefore, my complexion is such, therefore, I prosper here; arising... and my possessions, whatever are dear to my heart. 52. “I tell you, O bhikkhu of great power, the merit I made when I was human; Therefore I am thus shining with power, and my radiance illuminates all directions.” The First Ship Mansion, the Sixth. 7. The Story of the Second Ship Mansion 53. “You stand, O lady, having boarded a golden-covered ship; You enter the lotus pond, you pluck lotuses with your hand. 54. “By what is your complexion such, by what does it succeed for you here? And possessions arise for you, whatever are dear to your heart. 55. “I ask you, O goddess of great power, what merit did you make when you were human? By what are you thus shining with power, and your radiance illuminates all directions?” 56. That deity, delighted, questioned by Moggallāna; Answered the question asked, of which kamma this is the fruit. 57. “When I was human among humans, in a former birth in the human world; Seeing a bhikkhu, thirsty and weary, I rose and gave him water to drink. 58. “Whoever gives water to drink, rising for one who is weary and thirsty; For him, rivers become cool-watered, with abundant garlands and many white lotuses. 59. “Those streams always flow around him, cool-watered rivers strewn with sand; And mangoes, sal trees, tilakas, and jambu trees, uddālakas and pāṭalīs are in bloom. 60. “He is endowed with such lands, a most excellent mansion, greatly shining; This is the result of that kamma here, those who have done merit obtain such. 61. “By that my complexion is such, by that it succeeds for me here; And possessions arise for me, whatever are dear to my heart. 62. “I tell you, O bhikkhu of great power, the merit I made when I was human; Therefore I am thus shining with power, and my radiance illuminates all directions.” The Second Ship Mansion, the Seventh. 8. The Story of the Third Ship Mansion 63. “You stand, O lady, having boarded a golden-covered ship; You enter the lotus pond, you pluck lotuses with your hand. 64. “Your dwellings are peaked houses, vi Mansions, portioned and measured; Blazing, they shine forth, all around the four directions. 65. “By what is your complexion such, by what does it succeed for you here? And there arise for you enjoyments, whatever are pleasing to the mind. 66.