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Vesālī by name, a city of the Vajjis, there was a Licchavi, Ambasakkara; Seeing a peta outside the city, there he questioned him, seeking the reason. "No lying down, no sitting for him, No going forward, no going back; No food, drink, or things to eat, No attendants either for him. "Those relatives, seen and heard, friends, Who were formerly compassionate to him; Even they now cannot see him, For he has been abandoned by people. "Friends do not come to one who has fallen, Friends abandon one knowing him to be helpless; Seeing advantage, they surround, Many friends are there for one who has risen. "Fallen, wretched, deprived of all enjoyments, Smeared, with a body broken apart; Like a dewdrop, clinging, Today or tomorrow, the cessation of life. "Such a one, reached the utmost misery, Impaled on a neem tree stake; 'Then by what appearance do you speak, O Yakkha, Live, sir, life itself is better!'" "This one was my blood-relative, I remember from a former birth; And seeing him, compassion arose in me, O king, Lest this evil-doer fall into hell. "Departed from here, this Licchavi person, Into the seven-fold hell, of dreadful form; Is reborn, the doer of evil deeds, Greatly burning, bitter, terrifying. "By many parts, by virtue, better, Is this very stake than that hell; Absolutely painful, bitter, terrifying, Absolutely intense, into hell he falls. "And if he hears this word of mine, Overcome by suffering, he would give up his life; Therefore, I do not speak near him, Lest the cessation of his life be caused by me." "This meaning of the man is known, We wish to ask you something else." Now; If you do not give permission, We will question you, And you should not be angry. 528. Indeed, my promise was then, Not to tell one who is displeased; Though unwilling, deeming you worthy of trust, Ask me as you wish, as much as you can bear. 529. Whatever I shall see with my eye, All of that I would believe; And if, having seen it, I still do not believe, O Yakkha, you should compel me. 530. Let this be my true promise to you: Having heard the Dhamma, gain deep faith; Not seeking other things, and not with a corrupted mind, Whatever Dhamma you have heard or not heard, All of it I will tell, as I know. 531. With a white horse, adorned, You approach near Sūlāvutaka; This vehicle, wonderful to behold, Of what deed is this the result? 532. In the middle of the city of Vesālī, On a muddy road, there was a hellish spot; I, with a serene mind, Took a beam and placed it in that hellish spot. 533. Having placed our feet on it, We and others crossed over; This vehicle, wonderful to behold, Is the result of that very deed. 534. Your radiance shines in all directions, And your fragrance wafts in all directions; You have attained yakkha power, of great might, And you are naked; of what is this the result? 535. Not angry, with a mind always serene, I approach people with gentle words; This is the result of that very deed, My divine radiance constantly shines. 536. Having seen the fame and glory of those established in Dhamma, I praise them with a serene mind; This is the result of that very deed, My divine fragrance constantly wafts. 537. While friends were bathing at the ford, Taking the cloth, I buried it in the ground; For sport, not with evil intent, Therefore I am naked and live in hardship. "He who, playing, commits evil, Such is said to be the result of his karma; But he who does it not playing, What is said to be the result of his karma?" "Those people with evil intentions, Defiled by body and speech; At the breaking up of the body, in the next life, Undoubtedly they go to hell. But others, hoping for a good destination, Delighting in giving, with a collected self; At the breaking up of the body, in the next life, Undoubtedly they go to a good destination." "How can I know for certain, That this is the result of good and evil; Or what should I see to believe, Or who could make me believe this?" "By seeing and hearing, you should believe, That this is the result of good and evil; If both good and evil were not, Would beings be well-destined or ill-destined? If mortals here did not perform deeds, Good and evil, in the human world; There would be no beings well-destined or ill-destined, Low or exalted in the human world. And because mortals perform deeds, Good and evil, in the human world; Therefore indeed there are beings well-destined or ill-destined, Low or exalted in the human world. They speak of the result of deeds as twofold, Experienced as pleasure and pain; Those deities attend to them, Fools, not seeing the duality, suffer. "There are no deeds made by myself, Even having given, there is no one who would point it out to me; Clothing, bedding, food and drink, Therefore I am naked and live in hardship." "Is there any reason, O yakkha, By which you might obtain clothing; Tell me if there is a cause, We will listen to your trustworthy words of reason." "There is a monk here named Kappitaka, Meditative, virtuous, an Arahant, liberated; With guarded senses, restrained by the Pātimokkha, calm... invited, attained the highest view. 549. "Friendly, generous, well-spoken, pleasant-faced, easy to approach, well-released; A field of merit, dwelling without strife, worthy of offerings for gods and humans. 550. "Peaceful, smokeless, without trouble, without craving, freed, with dart removed, without 'mine,' without crookedness; Without substrata, all proliferation exhausted, attained the three knowledges, radiant. 551. "Though little known, seeing him, one does not fully understand, 'a sage,' they call him in their speech; The yakkhas and spirits know him as tranquil, walking the path of good in the world. 552. "To him, if you would give one or two pairs of garments, intending it for me; And if they were accepted, you would see me in my splendid robes." 553. "In what place does the recluse dwell, where we might go and see him now? He who today would dispel our doubt and perplexity, and the distortions of views." 554. "He is seated there at Kapinaccana, surrounded by many deities; He speaks the Dhamma, truly named, diligent in his own practice." 555. "So I will go now, and cover the recluse with a pair of garments; And if they are accepted, I will see you in your splendid robes." 556. "Do not approach the renunciant at an improper time, Licchavis, that is not good conduct for you; Then, at the proper time, approach him, and see him seated alone there." 557. Saying "So be it," the Licchavi went there, surrounded by a retinue of servants; He approached that city, and stayed in his own dwelling. 558. Then, at the proper time, having performed his household duties, having bathed and drunk, and found a moment; The Licchavi chose eight pairs of garments from a basket, and had his servants carry them. 559. He approached that place, and saw the recluse, tranquil in mind; Returned from his alms-round, cool, seated at the foot of a tree. 560. Approaching him, he spoke to him, inquiring about his health and comfortable dwelling; "Venerable sir,..." A Licchavi from Vesālī, venerable sir, The Licchavis know me as Ambasakkara. 561. ‘‘These eight beautiful pairs of robes are mine, Venerable sir, accept them, I give them to you; For that very purpose I have come here, So that I may be pleased.’’ 562. ‘‘From afar, ascetics and brahmins Avoid your dwelling; Their bowls are broken in your dwelling, And their outer robes are torn. 563. ‘‘And others, with axes at their feet, Make ascetics fall headlong; Such harassment, done by you, Ascetics receive. 564. ‘‘You did not give oil even for grass, Nor did you show the way to the lost; You yourself took away the blind man's staff, Such a miserly, unrestrained person are you; Then by what appearance, seeing what, Do you share with us?’’ 565. ‘‘I admit, venerable sir, what you say, I did harass ascetics and brahmins; For sport, not with a malicious mind, Even this is a bad deed for me, venerable sir. 566. ‘‘A yakkha, having committed evil for sport, Experiences suffering, not enjoying fully; Young and youthful, he shares in nakedness, What could be more painful than that? 567. ‘‘Seeing that, I felt a sense of urgency, venerable sir, Because of that, I give this offering; Accept, venerable sir, these eight pairs of robes, May these gifts go to the yakkha.’’ 568. ‘‘Indeed, giving is praised in many ways, And may there be an imperishable state for you who give; I accept your eight pairs of robes, May these gifts go to the yakkha.’’ 569. Then that Licchavi, having rinsed his mouth, And given the eight pairs to the elder, (Thought) ‘May they be accepted, And may I see the yakkha, clad in robes.’ 570. He saw him anointed with sandalwood paste, Mounted on a noble steed, of splendid appearance, Adorned with fine clothes a pure one, surrounded by a yakkhā endowed with great power. 571. Having seen him, he was joyful, elated, with a delighted mind and a beautiful form; And having seen the deed of great fruit, directly perceived with his own eye. 572. Then he approached him and said, “I will give gifts to recluses and brahmins; And there is nothing that I cannot give, and you, yakkhā, are of great help to me.” 573. “And you, Licchavi, gave me a portion, these gifts are not in vain; So I will be a witness with you, a non-human with a human.” 574. “You are my destiny, my kinsman, my refuge, you are my friend, and my deity; I implore you, with clasped hands, I wish to see you again, yakkhā.” 575. “If you are faithless, miserly, with a perverted mind; Then you will not obtain me for sight, and having seen you, I would not speak to you. 576. “But if you are respectful of the Dhamma, delighting in giving, with a well-collected self; Like a drinking place for recluses and brahmins, then you will obtain me for sight. 577. “And having seen you, I will speak to you, good sir, and quickly release him from this stake;