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The Vimāna of the Giver of Crab-Juice, the fourth. (The fifth Vimāna immediately following should be elaborated in the same way as the Vimāna of the Giver of Crab-Juice.) 5. The Story of the Gatekeeper's Vimāna 918. This high vimāna with jeweled pillars, twelve leagues all around; Seven hundred splendid pinnacled mansions, with beryl pillars, adorned with gold, beautiful. 919. There you dwell, drink, and eat, and divine lutes play sweetly; Five divine sense-pleasures are here, and women adorned with gold dance. 920. By what is your radiance such... and your radiance shines in all directions? 922. That devaputta, delighted in mind, questioned by Moggallāna; Being asked the question, he explained, of which kamma this was the fruit. 923. My divine lifespan is a thousand years, sung by voice, produced by mind; For so long will the meritorious one remain, endowed with divine pleasures. 924. Therefore is my radiance such... and my radiance shines in all directions. The Gatekeeper's Vimāna, the fifth. 6. The Story of the First Duty Vimāna 926. This high vimāna with jeweled pillars, twelve leagues all around; Seven hundred splendid pinnacled mansions, with beryl pillars, adorned with gold, beautiful. 927. There You enjoy, you drink, you eat, And divine lutes sound sweetly; Divine tastes, five sense-pleasures here, And women dance, adorned in gold. By what is your complexion such... ...and your complexion shines in all directions? That deva-son, delighted in mind... ...of what deed this is the fruit. Meritorious deeds should be done, By the wise, discerning one; To the Buddhas, the Well-Gone, Where a gift yields great fruit. Indeed, for my benefit, the Buddha, Came from the forest to the village; Having gladdened my mind there, I went to Tāvatiṃsa. Therefore, my complexion is such... ...and my complexion shines in all directions. This high palace, with jeweled pillars, Twelve leagues all around; Seven hundred splendid pinnacled houses, With beryl pillars, beautifully adorned with gold. There you enjoy, you drink, you eat, And divine lutes sound sweetly; Divine tastes, five sense-pleasures here, And women dance, adorned in gold. By what is your complexion such... ...and your complexion shines in all directions? That deva-son, delighted in mind... ...of what deed this is the fruit. Meritorious deeds should be done, By the wise, discerning one; To the monks, the Well-Gone, Where a gift yields great fruit. Indeed, for my benefit, the monk, Came from the forest to the village; Having gladdened my mind there, I went to Tāvatiṃsa. Therefore, such is my radiance... And my radiance shines in all directions. The Second Karaṇīya Vimāna, the seventh. 8. The Story of the First Needle Vimāna This high palace, with jeweled pillars, twelve leagues all around; seven hundred lofty pinnacled houses, with beryl pillars, beautifully adorned with gold. There you dwell, you drink, you eat, and divine lutes play sweetly; divine tastes, the five sense pleasures are here, and women dance, adorned in gold. Why is such your radiance... And your radiance shines in all directions? That deva-son, delighted... Of which karma this is the fruit. What one gives, that is not [lost], Whatever one gives, that is better; A needle given, a needle itself is better. Therefore, such is my radiance... And my radiance shines in all directions. The First Needle Vimāna, the eighth. 9. The Story of the Second Needle Vimāna This high palace, with jeweled pillars, twelve leagues all around; seven hundred lofty pinnacled houses, with beryl pillars, beautifully adorned with gold. There you dwell, you drink, you eat, and divine lutes play sweetly; divine tastes, the five sense pleasures are here, and women dance, adorned in gold. Why is such your radiance... And your radiance shines in all directions? That deva-son, delighted... Of which karma this is the fruit. I, being a human among humans, in a former birth, a human In the world. I saw a dustless monk, Very clear-minded, unclouded. To him I gave a needle, Delighted, with my own hands. By that my radiance is such... ...and my radiance shines forth in all directions. The Second Needle Mansion, the Ninth. 10. The Story of the First Elephant Mansion Having mounted an elephant with very white shoulders, Without a goad, tusked, strong, very swift; Having mounted a noble elephant, well-adorned, You came here through the sky, in the atmosphere. On the elephant's two tusks, created, Are lotus ponds with clear water, fully bloomed; And in the lotuses, musical groups play, And these charming women dance. You have attained divine power, of great might; When you were human, what good deed did you do? By what are you thus of blazing might? And your radiance shines forth in all directions? That divine being, delighted in mind, Questioned by Moggallāna, Being asked the question, he explained Of which deed this is the fruit. Just eight pearl-flowers, Of Kassapa, the Great Sage, On the stupa I offered, Delighted, with my own hands. By that my radiance is such... ...and my radiance shines forth in all directions. The First Elephant Mansion, the Tenth. 11. The Story of the Second Elephant Mansion Having mounted a great elephant, An all-white, supreme elephant; From forest to forest you wander, Surrounded by a host of women; Illuminating all directions, Like a medicinal star. By what is your radiance such... ...and your radiance... and yours shines forth in all directions." 971. That deva-son, delighted, Questioned by Vaṅgīsa, Being asked a question, explained Of which kamma this is the fruit. 972. "I, being a human among humans, Was a lay follower of the Seeing One; I abstained from taking life, I avoided taking what is not given in the world. 973. I drank no intoxicants, nor did I speak falsehood, And I was content with my own wife; Food and drink, with a clear mind, I respectfully gave abundant alms. 974. "Therefore, such is my complexion... ...and my complexion shines forth in all directions." The Second Naga Vimāna, the eleventh. 12. The Story of the Third Naga Vimāna 976. "Who now, with a divine vehicle, With an all-white elephant, With the sound of struck musical instruments, Is glorified in the sky? 977. Are you a deva, or a gandhabba, Or Sakka, the giver of cities? Not knowing, we ask you, How may we know you?" 978. "I am not a deva, nor a gandhabba, Nor Sakka, the giver of cities; The devas named Sudhammā, I am one of them." 979. "We ask the deva Sudhammā, Having made a respectful salutation; Having done what kamma among humans, Does one arise in Sudhammā?" 980. "Whoever gives a house of reeds, A house of grass, Or a house of cloth; Having given one of the three, One arises in Sudhammā." The Third Naga Vimāna, the twelfth. 13. The Story of the Lesser Chariot Vimāna 981. With a strong bow, for shooting, leaning on your bow, you stand. Are you not a warrior, a prince, or a hunter, a forest-dweller? I am the son of the Lord of Assaka, sir, a forest-dweller. My name, monk, I tell you, they know me as Sujāta. Searching for deer, I, entering the great forest, that deer I did not see, but seeing you, I stand. Welcome to you, O greatly meritorious one, and you have come not far. Taking water from here, wash your feet. This cool drinking water is brought from a mountain cave. Prince, having drunk from it, sit down on the mat. Indeed, your speech is beautiful, worth listening to, great sage. Clear, meaningful, charming, having pondered, you speak the meaning. What is your delight, living in the forest, O bull among sages, tell me, being asked. Having heard your words, we shall practice the path of beneficial Dhamma. Non-harming of all beings, prince, is pleasing to us. And from stealing and sexual misconduct, and from intoxicating drinks, abstention. Abstention and right conduct, much learning, gratitude— praiseworthy in this very life, these are praiseworthy qualities. Death is near for you, within five months. Prince, know this, free yourself. Which s... To which country going, what deed, what effort; Or by what knowledge, might I be ageless, deathless? 992. There is no such place, no deed, knowledge, or effort; Whereby a mortal, O prince, might become ageless, deathless. 993. Greatly wealthy, greatly prosperous, even kings with realms; Abundant in wealth and grain, they too are not ageless, deathless. 994. If you have heard of the sons of Andhakaveṇḍu, brave, heroic, mighty in attack; They too reached life's end, destroyed, for all time. 995. Warriors, brahmins, merchants, serfs, outcasts, scavengers; These and others by birth, they too are not ageless, deathless. 996. Those who recite mantras, the six-limbed, Brahma-conceived; These and others by knowledge, they too are not ageless, deathless. 997. And those peaceful sages, self-controlled ascetics; They too in time abandon their bodies, those ascetics. 998. Even Arahants, with cultivated selves, their task done, without defilements; They lay down this body, with the exhaustion of merit and demerit. 999. Well-spoken, meaningful, are your verses, great sage; I am convinced by your good words, and you be my refuge. 1000. Do not take me as your refuge, go to that very refuge; The Sakyan son, the great hero, whom I have taken as refuge. 1001. In which country is that teacher, of yours, venerable one? I too will go to see him, the Conqueror... In the eastern country, born of the Okkāka clan; There was a noble man, and he has passed away. If indeed the Buddha were to remain, your Teacher, good sir; For thousands of leagues, I would go to attend upon him. But since he has passed away, your Teacher, good sir; To the Great Hero, even though extinguished, I go for refuge. I go for refuge to the Buddha, and also to the unsurpassed Dhamma; And to the Sangha of the Lord of men, I go for refuge. From taking life I quickly abstain, in the world I avoid what is not given;