[44] 6.
"With surpassing beauty, devatā (goddess), you stand … like the star Osadhī (the healing star).
As you dance, from every limb, on every side,
divine sounds stream forth, lovely to hear, delighting the mind;
as you dance, from every limb, on every side,
divine fragrances waft, pure-scented, delighting the mind.
As you turn about with your body, the ornaments in your braided hair —
their resonance is heard, as of the fivefold music;
your crest-wreaths, fanned by the wind, set trembling by the breeze —
their resonance is heard, as of the fivefold music.
And the garland upon your head, pure-scented, delighting the mind,
wafts its fragrance to all the quarters, like the mañjūsaka tree.
You breathe that pure fragrance; you behold a form beyond the human.
Devatā, being asked, declare: of what kamma is this the fruit?"
[The devatā:]
"In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, a friend of mine
had a great monastery (mahāvihāra) built for the Saṅgha.
Filled with confidence there, I rejoiced,
having seen that dwelling — and it was dear to me.
Through that pure rejoicing of mine alone
I obtained this mansion (vimāna), marvellous, lovely to behold;
sixteen yojanas on every side,
it travels through the sky by my supernormal power (iddhi).
My residences, peaked mansions (kūṭāgāra), laid out in sections, well proportioned,
blazing brilliantly, shine a hundred yojanas all around.
And here are my lotus-ponds, frequented by shoals of fish,
their water clear and limpid, strewn with sand of gold,
covered with lotuses of many kinds, overspread with white lotus,
exhaling sweet fragrance when stirred by the pleasant breeze.
Rose-apples, jackfruits, palmyras, coconut palms, and groves —
trees of many kinds grown within the residence, though never planted.
Resounding with manifold music, ringing with troops of celestial nymphs (accharā) —
even a man who saw me in a dream would be gladdened.
Such a mansion, marvellous, lovely to behold, radiant on every side,
was produced by my kammas: well worth it is to make merits!"
[The Elder:]
"Through that pure rejoicing alone
you obtained this mansion, marvellous, lovely to behold;
but the woman who gave the gift —
tell me her destiny: where has she arisen?"
[The devatā:]
"She who was my friend, venerable sir,
who had the great monastery built for the Saṅgha —
she gave that gift with the Dhamma understood,
and she has arisen among the Nimmānaratī devas, the gods who rejoice in their own creations,
the consort of Sunimmita there.
Inconceivable is the ripening of her kamma.
As to this that you ask, 'Where has she arisen?' —
venerable sir, I have declared it without distortion.
Then do encourage others as well:
'Glad at heart, give gifts to the Saṅgha,
and hear the Dhamma with confident minds;
the human gain, so hard to win, has been won by you.'
The path (magga) which the Sovereign of the Path taught —
he of the voice of Brahmā, his skin like burnished gold —
glad at heart, give gifts to the Saṅgha,
where offerings (dakkhiṇā) come to great fruit.
Those eight persons praised by the good,
who make up these four pairs,
they are worthy of offerings, disciples of the Sugata (the Well-Gone One);
what is given among them bears great fruit.
Four are practising the way, and four are established in the fruit:
this is the Saṅgha, become upright, grounded in wisdom and virtue.
For humans making offerings, for living beings seeking merit,
performing merit of the acquisitive kind (opadhika),
what is given to the Saṅgha bears great fruit.
For this Saṅgha is vast, of great worth,
immeasurable as the sea, the great ocean.
These indeed are the best, the disciples of the Hero among men;
makers of light, they proclaim the Dhamma.
By those is it well given, well sacrificed, well offered,
who give their gift designating the Saṅgha;
that offering, gone to the Saṅgha, stands firmly established,
of great fruit, praised by the Knowers of the World.
Recollecting merit such as this,
those who go about the world thrilled with joy,
having removed the stain of stinginess together with its root,
unblamed, attain the heavenly place."
The Vihāra Mansion, the sixth, [is concluded].
The second recitation section (bhāṇavāra) [is concluded].
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.