[178] Then, Ānanda, this occurred to King Mahāsudassana: 'What if I were to have a palm grove made entirely of gold created at the door of the great peaked chamber Mahāviyūha, where I shall sit for the day's abiding?' And King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, had a palm grove made entirely of gold created at the door of the great peaked chamber Mahāviyūha, where he sat for the day's abiding.
The Palace named Dhamma, Ānanda, was surrounded by two railings: one railing made of gold, one made of silver. The railing of gold had posts of gold, with crossbars and coping of silver. The railing of silver had posts of silver, with crossbars and coping of gold.
The Palace named Dhamma, Ānanda, was surrounded by two nets of small bells: one net made of gold, one made of silver. The net of gold had bells of silver; the net of silver had bells of gold. And when those nets of bells were stirred by the wind, Ānanda, their sound was graceful, enticing, delightful, and intoxicating. Just as, Ānanda, the sound of a five-part musical ensemble, well tuned, well struck, played by skilled musicians in perfect concert, is graceful, enticing, delightful, and intoxicating — even so, Ānanda, when those nets of bells were stirred by the wind, their sound was graceful, enticing, delightful, and intoxicating. And, Ānanda, whatever rogues, carousers, and tipplers there were at that time in the royal capital Kusāvatī, they amused themselves with the sound of those nets of bells stirred by the wind.
When it was finished, Ānanda, the Palace named Dhamma was hard to look upon, dazzling to the eyes. Just as, Ānanda, in the last month of the rains, in the autumn season, when the sky is clear and open and free of clouds, the sun, ascending the firmament, is hard to look upon, dazzling to the eyes — even so, Ānanda, the Palace named Dhamma was hard to look upon, dazzling to the eyes.
Then, Ānanda, this occurred to King Mahāsudassana: 'What if I were to have a lotus pond named Dhamma created in front of the Palace named Dhamma?' And King Mahāsudassana, Ānanda, had a lotus pond named Dhamma created in front of the Palace named Dhamma.
The Lotus Pond named Dhamma, Ānanda, was one yojana in length from east to west, and half a yojana in breadth from north to south. The Lotus Pond named Dhamma, Ānanda, was lined with bricks of four kinds: one kind of brick made of gold, one made of silver, one made of beryl, one made of crystal.
The Lotus Pond named Dhamma, Ānanda, had twenty-four staircases of four kinds: one staircase made of gold, one made of silver, one made of beryl, one made of crystal. The staircase of gold had posts of gold, with crossbars and coping of silver. The staircase of silver had posts of silver, with crossbars and coping of gold. The staircase of beryl had posts of beryl, with crossbars and coping of crystal. The staircase of crystal had posts of crystal, with crossbars and coping of beryl.
The Lotus Pond named Dhamma, Ānanda, was surrounded by two railings: one railing made of gold, one made of silver. The railing of gold had posts of gold, with crossbars and coping of silver. The railing of silver had posts of silver, with crossbars and coping of gold.
The Lotus Pond named Dhamma, Ānanda, was surrounded by seven rows of palm trees: one row of palms made of gold, one made of silver, one made of beryl, one made of crystal, one made of ruby (lohitaṅka), one made of emerald (masāragalla), one made of all precious things. The palm of gold had a trunk of gold, with leaves and fruits of silver. The palm of silver had a trunk of silver, with leaves and fruits of gold. The palm of beryl had a trunk of beryl, with leaves and fruits of crystal. The palm of crystal had a trunk of crystal, with leaves and fruits of beryl. The palm of ruby had a trunk of ruby, with leaves and fruits of emerald. The palm of emerald had a trunk of emerald, with leaves and fruits of ruby. The palm of all precious things had a trunk of all precious things, with leaves and fruits of all precious things.
And when those rows of palm trees were stirred by the wind, Ānanda, their sound was graceful, enticing, delightful, and intoxicating. Just as, Ānanda, the sound of a five-part musical ensemble, well tuned, well struck, played by skilled musicians in perfect concert, is graceful, enticing, delightful, and intoxicating — even so, Ānanda, when those rows of palm trees were stirred by the wind, their sound was graceful, enticing, delightful, and intoxicating. And, Ānanda, whatever rogues, carousers, and tipplers there were at that time in the royal capital Kusāvatī, they amused themselves with the sound of those rows of palm trees stirred by the wind.
And when the Palace named Dhamma was finished, Ānanda, and the Lotus Pond named Dhamma was finished, King Mahāsudassana satisfied with everything they desired those who at that time were deemed true ascetics among ascetics or deemed true brahmins among brahmins, and then ascended the Palace named Dhamma.
The first recitation section (paṭhamabhāṇavāra).
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.