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399. All the forests are fragrant on Gandhamādana mountain; By this utterance of truth, let the poison of Sāma be destroyed. 400. As they lamented with much compassion, Quickly Sāma arose, young and fair to behold. 401. I am Sāma, good fortune to you, I have arisen safely; Do not lament so much, greet me gently. 402. Welcome to you, great king, and you have not come from afar; You have arrived as lord, declare what is here. 403. Tinduka fruits, Piyāla fruits, Madhuka fruits, Kāsumāri fruits; Small fruits, eat, O king, the best of the best. 404. I have cool water, brought from a mountain cave; Drink from it, great king, if you desire. 405. I am bewildered, I am utterly bewildered, all directions are confused for me; I saw you, Sāma, as a ghost, who are you, Sāma, that you live? 406. Even living, great king, a person in severe pain, Whose mind's intention is brought low, is thought to be dead, though living. 407. Even living, great king, a person in severe pain, Being one who has reached cessation, is thought to be dead, though living. 408. Whoever, mother or father, a mortal supports righteously; Even gods heal him, that person who supports mother and father. 409. Whoever mother or a human sustains a father righteously; Here they praise him, and after death, he rejoices in heaven." "I am utterly bewildered, all directions are confused for me; I go to you, Sāma, for refuge, and you be my refuge." "Practice Dhamma, great king, O Khattiya, towards your mother and father; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, O Khattiya, towards your children and wife; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, O Khattiya, towards your friends and ministers; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, towards your vehicles and forces; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, in villages and towns; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, in states and provinces; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, towards ascetics and brahmins; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, O Khattiya, towards animals and birds; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, Dhamma practiced brings happiness; Having practiced Dhamma here, O king, you will go to heaven. "Practice Dhamma, great king, the gods with Indra, and with Brahmā, attained heaven through good practice; O king, do not neglect Dhamma." The third, the Suvaṇṇasāma Jātaka. 541. The Nimi Jātaka (4) "Wonderful indeed in the world, are the wise ones who arise; When King Nimi was, he was wise and sought what is skillful. The king, subduer of enemies, gave gifts to all the Videhans; As he was giving that gift, a thought arose in him: "Is giving or holy life, which one is truly of great fruit?" As that thought of his... By wisdom, Maghavā, lord of devas, The thousand-eyed, appeared, with light dispelling darkness. 424. With hair standing on end, the king of men, Nimi, spoke to Vāsava: “Are you a deity or a gandhabba, or indeed Sakka, Purindada? 425. “Never have I seen or heard of such a form; Tell me, good sir, how are we to know you?” 426. Knowing his hair stood on end, Vāsava spoke to Nimi: “I am Sakka, king of devas, I have come to you; O king of men, let your hair not stand on end, ask any question you wish.” 427. Given leave by him, Nimi spoke to Vāsava: “I ask you, great king, lord of all beings; Which is of greater fruit, giving or the holy life?” 428. Questioned by the king of men, Vāsava spoke to Nimi: “Knowing the result of the holy life, I will tell you, who know. 429. “By a low holy life, one is reborn among khattiyas; By a middling one, among devas, by a supreme one, one is purified. 430. “These bodies are not easily obtained, by any supplication; Those bodies into which ascetics, homeless ones, are reborn. 431. “Dudīpa, Sāgara, Sela, Mujakinda, Bhagīrasa; Usindara, Kassapa, and Asaka, and Puthujjano. 432. “These and other kings, many khattiyas and brahmins; Having performed many sacrifices, did not transcend the state of petas. 433. “But these who attained, ascetics, homeless ones; Sattisaya, Yāmahanu, Somayāma, Manojavo. 434. “Samudda, Māgha, and Bharata, the sage Kālapurakkhato; Aṅgīrasa, Kassapa, and Kisa The calf cried out. 435. Northward is the Sīdā river, Deep and hard to cross; Golden mountains ever shine, With the color of reed-fire. 436. Tagara trees with overgrown banks, Forests and mountains with overgrown banks; There were ten thousand, Ancient sages in the past. 437. I am supreme in giving, In self-restraint and self-control; Having undertaken the unsurpassed vow, I wander widely among the composed. 438. Whether of high birth or not, A man who is upright; I would salute exceedingly, For humans are bound by their deeds. 439. All castes standing in unrighteousness, Fall down to hell; All castes become purified, Having practiced the supreme Dhamma. 440. Having said this, Maghavā, The king of devas, husband of Sujā; Having instructed the Videhan king, Departed to the heavenly realm. 441. Listen, sirs, All who are gathered here; To the varied and many qualities, Of righteous people. 442. Just as this King Nimi, Wise and seeking merit; The king of all Videhans, The subduer of enemies, gave gifts. 443. As he was giving that gift, A thought arose in him; "Is it giving or holy life, Which indeed is of great fruit?" 444. Wonderful indeed in the world, A hair-raising event arose; A divine chariot appeared, For the glorious Videhan king. 445. A powerful deva-son, Mātali, the deva's charioteer; Invited the king, The Videhan, lord of Mithilā. 446. "Come, ascend this chariot, O best of kings, lord of directions; The devas wish to see you, The Tāvatiṃsa devas with Sakka; Remembering you, those devas, Are assembled in Sudhammā." 447. Then the king, hurrying, The Videhan, lord of Mithilā; Having risen from his seat, Ascended the chariot, foremost. 448. When he had ascended the divine chariot, Mātali said this; "By which path shall I take you, O best of kings, lord of directions; Where those who do evil deeds, And those who do meritorious deeds [go]?" 449. "Take me by both, O Mātali, deva's charioteer; Where those who do evil deeds..." ...those who are wise, and those who are doers of merit.’’ 450. ‘‘Whom shall I first salute, O best of kings, lord of the quarters? Those who are doers of evil deeds, or those who are doers of merit?’’ 451. ‘‘First I will see hell, the abodes of evil-doers; the places of cruel-doers, and the destiny of the immoral.’’ 452. Mātali showed the king the difficult river Vetaraṇī; boiling, mixed with caustic, hot, like a flame of fire. 453. Nimi then spoke to Mātali, seeing people falling into the abyss: ‘‘Fear indeed seizes me, charioteer, seeing this; I ask you, Mātali, divine charioteer: What evil did these mortals do, that these people fall into Vetaraṇī?’’ 454. Questioned by him, Mātali, the divine charioteer, explained; knowing the result of evil deeds, he spoke to the one who knew. 455. ‘‘Those who, being strong in the world of living beings, harm and torment the weak, being very evil-natured; those cruel-doers, having accumulated evil, these people fall into Vetaraṇī.’’ 456. ‘‘Black dogs and strong vultures, and flocks of crows devour them, terrifying; Fear indeed seizes me, charioteer, seeing this; I ask you, Mātali, divine charioteer: What evil did these mortals do, that flocks of crows devour these people?’’ 457. Questioned by him, Mātali, the divine charioteer, explained; knowing the result of evil deeds, he spoke to the one who knew. 458. ‘‘All those who are stingy and miserly, revilers of ascetics and brahmins; who harm and torment, being very evil-natured, those cruel-doers, having accumulated evil; flocks of crows devour these people.’’ 459. ‘‘They go to the earth, becoming fiery, and are struck down by hot clubs; Fear indeed seizes me, charioteer, seeing this; I ask you, Mātali, divine charioteer: What evil did these mortals do, that these people lie struck by clubs?’’ 460. Questioned by him, Mātali, the divine charioteer... The result of evil deeds, knowing, he explained to the knower. 461. “Those in the living world, very evil-natured, men and women of blameless conduct; They harm and anger, being very evil-natured, those cruel-doers, having begotten evil; Those people lie with their limbs cut off.” 462. “Others fall into a pit of glowing coals, men weeping, with bodies completely burnt; Indeed, fear seizes me, charioteer, seeing this, I ask you, Mātali, charioteer of the gods; What evil, pray, did these mortals do, that these people fall into a pit of glowing coals?” 463. Questioned by him, he explained, Mātali, charioteer of the gods; The result of evil deeds, knowing, he explained to the knower. 464. “Whoever, for the sake of a heap of wealth, having become a witness, cause a debt to be paid; Having caused the people to pay, O king of men, those cruel-doers, having begotten evil; Those people fall into a pit of glowing coals.” 465. “Becoming fiery, blazing, ignited, a great iron cauldron appears; Indeed, fear seizes me, charioteer, seeing this, I ask you, Mātali, charioteer of the gods; What evil, pray, did these mortals do, that these people fall headfirst into the iron cauldron?” 466. Questioned by him, he explained, Mātali, charioteer of the gods; The result of evil deeds, knowing, he explained to the knower. 467. “Those who a virtuous ascetic or brahmin, harm and anger, being very evil-natured; Those cruel-doers, having begotten evil, those people fall headfirst into the iron cauldron.” 468.