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I have gone to the companionship of the Tidasas.” “It is truly wonderful, truly amazing, such is the result of the añjali deed. I too, with a joyful mind, with a serene heart, will go for refuge to the Buddha today.” “Go for refuge to the Buddha today, and to the Dhamma and the Sangha, with a serene heart. Likewise, undertake the five precepts, unbroken and full. Abstain quickly from taking life, avoid what is not given in the world. Do not drink intoxicants, and do not speak falsely. Be content with your own wife.” “You are my well-wisher, O Yakkha, you are my benefactor, O Deva. I will do your bidding, you are my teacher.” “I go for refuge to the Buddha, and to the Dhamma, the unsurpassed, and to the Sangha of the Lord of men, I go for refuge. I abstain quickly from taking life, I avoid what is not given in the world. I do not drink intoxicants, and I do not speak falsely. I am content with my own wife.” The Vimāna of Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī, the ninth. 10. The Story of the Serīsaka Vimāna [etc.] Listen, of the yakkha and the merchants, where their meeting then took place; How, by one another, that well-spoken word, listen all. He who was King Payasi by name, glorious, gone to the company of earth-deities; He, rejoicing in his own palace, as a non-human, addressed humans. In a crooked forest, in a place without humans, in a wilderness with little water, little food; In the very difficult middle of the salt-path, crooked with fear, humans lost their minds. Here there are no fruits or roots, no sustenance, whence then food? Except for dust and sand, hot, warm, and terrible. This is a desolate, heated skull, without iron, like the other world; This is an ancient abode of the cruel, a land cursed in form. So by what reason are you, hoping for what, into this region, entered suddenly, having come together, from greed, from fear, or perhaps utterly deluded? We, caravan leaders in Magadha and Anga, having loaded various goods; We go to the land of Sindhu-Sovira, desirous of wealth, seeking profit. Unable to endure thirst by day, and considering the welfare of the oxen, we all came with this speed, having set out on the path at night, at an improper time. They, having gone badly, having lost the way, bewildered and blind, utterly lost in the forest; in the very difficult... In the middle of the desert path, We do not know the direction, With bewildered minds. 1237. "And seeing this, never seen before, This excellent mansion and you, O yakkha, Hoping for a life beyond this, Seeing, we are pleased, joyful, elated." 1238. "Beyond the ocean, and this desert, The path of thorny bushes, the difficult path, And rivers and mountain strongholds, You go in various directions for the sake of wealth." 1239. "Having invaded the territory of others, Observing people in foreign lands, Whatever you have heard or seen, We will hear that wonder from you, dear ones." 1240. "More wonderful than this, O prince, We have not heard or seen. All of it is beyond human, Seeing, we are satisfied with its peerless beauty." 1241. "Celestial ponds flow, With abundant garlands, many white lotuses. And these trees are always laden with fruit, And exceedingly fragrant, they waft sweet scents." 1242. "Beryl pillars, a hundred cubits high, And long sections of coral stone, With masāragalla gems and rubies, These pillars are made of radiant essence." 1243. "A thousand pillars, of incomparable power, Above them, this beautiful mansion, Interspersed with jewels, mixed with golden altars, And beautifully covered with golden plates." 1244. "This is made of refined Jambonada gold, well-polished, Furnished with palace stairs and platforms, Strong and beautiful and well-constructed." Indeed, handsome, well-formed, Exceedingly delightful to behold, charming. 1245. Within a jeweled place, with much food and drink, Surrounded by a host of celestial nymphs; Resounding with drums, lutes, and instruments, You are saluted with praise and homage. 1246. You rejoice, delighting a host of women, In an excellent, charming palace-mansion; Inconceivable, endowed with all virtues, Like King Vessavaṇa in a lotus pond. 1247. "Are you a god, or are you a yakkha? Or a king of gods, or a human being? The merchants, caravan leaders, ask you, Tell us, what is your name, yakkha?" 1248. "I am a yakkha named Serīsaka, A guardian of the wilderness, on the trade route; I protect this region, An obedient servant of King Vessavaṇa." 1249. "Was it obtained by chance, or a result of karma for you? Made by yourself, or given by gods? The merchants, caravan leaders, ask you, How did you obtain this charming thing?" 1250. "Not obtained by chance, nor a result of karma for me, Not made by myself, nor indeed given by gods; By my own blameless deeds, By my merits, this charming thing was obtained." 1251. "What was your vow? And what was your holy life? Of what well-practiced thing is this the result? The merchants, caravan leaders, ask you, How did you obtain this mansion?" 1252. "My name was Pāyāsi, When I ruled the kingdom of the Kosalans; I was then a nihilist, a miser, Of evil conduct, and an annihilationist." And indeed there was the ascetic Kumārakassapa, learned, a charming speaker, noble; He then spoke a Dhamma discourse to me, and dispelled my perplexities of views. Having heard that Dhamma discourse from him, I declared myself a lay follower; I abstained from taking life, I avoided what is not given in the world; I drank no intoxicants, nor did I speak falsely, and I was content with my own wife. That was my vow, that was my holy life, this is the result of that well-practiced conduct; By those very blameless deeds, by merits, this mansion has been obtained by me. Truly, wise people have said, the words of the learned are not otherwise; Wherever a doer of merit goes, there he rejoices, desiring pleasures. Wherever there is sorrow and lamentation, and killing and bondage and defilement; There a doer of evil deeds goes, he is never freed from suffering. The people were as if bewildered, at this moment, as if confused; For these people and for you, O prince, what was the cause of their disbelief? And these sirīsa groves, dear one, divine, fragrant scents waft forth; They waft through this mansion, day and night, dispelling darkness. And after a hundred years for these, a sipāṭikā fruit ripens... Kameka. A hundred human years have passed, since I was born into this body here. 1261. “Having seen five hundred years, staying in this mansion, my dears; I shall pass away due to the end of life, the end of merit, that is why I am overcome with sorrow.” 1262. “How could such a one grieve, having obtained an incomparable mansion for a long time; Those who are born for a short time, they surely would grieve, being of little merit.” 1263. “It is fitting and proper for me, that you speak to me with affectionate words; And you, my dears, protected by me, go safely wherever you wish.” 1264. “Having gone to the land of Sindhu-Sovīra, desiring wealth, seeking prosperity; According to our efforts, with abundant offerings, we shall perform a great Seri-sacrifice.” 1265. “Do not perform a Seri-sacrifice, all that you wish for will be yours; Avoid evil deeds, and devote yourselves to the practice of Dhamma. 1266. “There is a lay follower in this assembly, learned, endowed with virtue; Faithful, generous, very amiable, wise, contented, intelligent. 1267. “Knowing, he would not speak falsely, he would not intend harm to others; He would not engage in divisive, slanderous speech, and he would speak gentle and kind words. 1268. “Respectful, reverent, disciplined, harmless, pure in higher virtue; That being supports his mother and father, righteously, with noble conduct. 1269. “I think he is the mother and father’s… For wealth, he seeks gain not for himself; And after his parents' passing, he will live the holy life, inclined to renunciation. 1270. Straight, not crooked, not deceitful, not cunning, he would not speak with guile; How could such a one, a doer of good deeds, established in the Dhamma, meet with suffering? 1271. For that reason, I have manifested myself; therefore, merchants, see the Dhamma; Otherwise, you would be reduced to ashes here, lost and bewildered in the forest; Quickly, swiftly, by another, happy indeed is the company of a good person. 1272. What is his name, and what work does he do? What is his name, and what is his clan? We too wish to see him, O Yakka, for whose sake you have come here; Fortunate indeed is he, whom you praise. 1273. He whose name is Kappaka, A lay follower, who lives by the Kocchaphala fruit; Know him to be your messenger; Do not despise him, for he is very virtuous. 1274. We know whom you speak of, O Yakka, But we did not know he was such a one; We too will honor him, O Yakka, Having heard your excellent words. 1275. Whoever among the people in this caravan, Young, old, or middle-aged; Let all of them grasp the celestial mansion, Let the stingy see the fruit of merits. 1276. All of them there, saying "I first!", Placing that Kappaka in front there All of them clung to the mansion, Like the palace of Sakka, the lord of gods. 1277. All of them there, saying, "I am first," Declared their status as lay followers; They abstained from killing living beings, They avoided taking what was not given in the world; They did not drink intoxicants, nor did they speak falsely, And they were content with their own wives. 1278. All of them there, saying, "I am first," Having declared their status as lay followers; The caravan departed, rejoicing, Approved again and again by the power of the yakkha. 1279. Having gone to the land of Sindhu-Sovīra, Seeking wealth, desiring profit; According to their efforts, with full gains, They returned unharmed to Pāṭaliputta. 1280. Having gone to their homes, safe and sound, United with their sons and wives;