[175] Then, Ānanda, King Mahāsudassana thought: 'What if I were to have lotus ponds built between these palm trees, at intervals of a hundred bow-lengths?' And King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, had lotus ponds built between those palm trees, at intervals of a hundred bow-lengths. Those lotus ponds, Ānanda, were lined with tiles of four colors: one tile made of gold, one made of silver, one made of beryl, one made of crystal. And in those lotus ponds, Ānanda, there were four staircases of four colors: one staircase made of gold, one made of silver, one made of beryl, one made of crystal. The golden staircase had posts of gold, with crossbars and finial of silver. The silver staircase had posts of silver, with crossbars and finial of gold. The beryl staircase had posts of beryl, with crossbars and finial of crystal. The crystal staircase had posts of crystal, with crossbars and finial of beryl. Those lotus ponds, Ānanda, were surrounded by two balustrades: one balustrade made of gold, one made of silver. The golden balustrade had posts of gold, with crossbars and finial of silver. The silver balustrade had posts of silver, with crossbars and finial of gold.
Then, Ānanda, King Mahāsudassana thought: 'What if I were to have flowers of this kind planted in these lotus ponds — blue water lilies (uppala), pink lotuses (paduma), white water lilies (kumuda), and white lotuses (puṇḍarīka) — blooming in every season, open to all people without restriction?' And King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, had flowers of that kind planted in those lotus ponds — blue water lilies, pink lotuses, white water lilies, and white lotuses — blooming in every season, open to all people without restriction. Then, Ānanda, King Mahāsudassana thought: 'What if I were to station bath attendants on the banks of these lotus ponds, who will bathe the people as they come?' And King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, stationed bath attendants on the banks of those lotus ponds, who bathed the people as they came.
Then, Ānanda, King Mahāsudassana thought: 'What if I were to establish a charity of this kind on the banks of these lotus ponds: food for one in need of food, drink for one in need of drink, clothing for one in need of clothing, a vehicle for one in need of a vehicle, a bed for one in need of a bed, a woman for one in need of a woman, coined gold for one in need of coined gold, and uncoined gold for one in need of uncoined gold?' And King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, established a charity of that kind on the banks of those lotus ponds: food for one in need of food, drink for one in need of drink, clothing for one in need of clothing, a vehicle for one in need of a vehicle, a bed for one in need of a bed, a woman for one in need of a woman, coined gold for one in need of coined gold, and uncoined gold for one in need of uncoined gold.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.