[51] Seated to one side, the Venerable Samiddhi said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, having risen in the last hours of the night, toward dawn, I went to the Tapodā (hot springs) to bathe my limbs. Having bathed my limbs in the Tapodā and come out again, I stood in a single robe, drying my limbs. Then, venerable sir, when the night was far advanced, a certain deity (devatā) of surpassing beauty, illuminating the entire Tapodā, approached me and, having approached, standing in the air, addressed me with this verse:
'Not having eaten, you seek alms, bhikkhu;
for you do not seek alms once you have eaten.
Having eaten, bhikkhu, seek alms:
do not let the time pass you by!'
"When this was said, venerable sir, I addressed that deity with this verse:
'I do not know the time;
the time is hidden, it is not seen.
Therefore, not having eaten, I seek alms:
do not let the time pass me by!'
"Then, venerable sir, that deity, alighting upon the earth, said this to me: 'You have gone forth young, bhikkhu — a boy with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life — without ever having sported with sensual pleasures (kāma). Enjoy human sensual pleasures, bhikkhu; do not abandon what is directly visible (sandiṭṭhika) in order to chase after what takes time (kālika).' When this was said, venerable sir, I said this to that deity: 'I have not abandoned what is directly visible, friend, in order to chase after what takes time; rather, friend, I have abandoned what takes time in order to pursue what is directly visible. For the Blessed One has declared, friend, that sensual pleasures take time, are full of suffering (dukkha), full of despair (upāyāsa), and that the danger (ādīnava) in them is still greater; whereas this Dhamma is directly visible, immediate (akālika), inviting one to come and see (ehipassika), onward-leading (opanayika), to be personally experienced by the wise (paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi).' When this was said, venerable sir, that deity said this to me: 'But how, bhikkhu, have sensual pleasures been declared by the Blessed One to take time, to be full of suffering, full of despair, with the danger in them still greater? How is this Dhamma directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, onward-leading, to be personally experienced by the wise?' When this was said, venerable sir, I said this to that deity: 'I, friend, am new, not long gone forth, only recently come to this Dhamma and Discipline (dhammavinaya); I am not able to explain it to you in detail. But that Blessed One, the Arahant (arahaṃ), the Perfectly Enlightened One (sammāsambuddha), is dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Tapodārāma. Approach that Blessed One and ask him about this matter; as the Blessed One explains it to you, so should you bear it in mind.' When this was said, venerable sir, that deity said this to me: 'It is not easy, bhikkhu, for us to approach that Blessed One, surrounded as he is by other deities of great influence (mahesakkha). If you, bhikkhu, were to approach that Blessed One and ask him about this matter, we too would come to hear the Dhamma.' If, venerable sir, that deity's word is true, then that deity is right here, not far away."
When this was said, that deity said this to the Venerable Samiddhi: "Ask, bhikkhu! Ask, bhikkhu! For I have arrived here."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.