[53]
"He who is the foremost of speakers among men,
the Sakyan sage (Sakyamunī), the Blessed One, whose task is done,
gone beyond, endowed with strength and energy (vīriya) —
go to him, the Well-Gone One (Sugata), for refuge (saraṇa).
The fading away of passion, imperturbable, sorrowless,
the Dhamma unconditioned (asaṅkhata), unrepulsive,
sweet, fluent, well-analyzed —
go to this Dhamma for refuge.
And where what is given, they say, bears great fruit —
among the four pure pairs of persons,
these eight individuals, seers of the Dhamma —
go to this Saṅgha for refuge."
"Not so does the sun blaze in the sky,
nor does the moon shine, nor the star Phussa,
as does this incomparable [mansion] of great splendor.
Who are you, who have come from heaven (tidiva) to the earth?
Its radiance cuts through the beams of the sun;
its light spreads more than twenty yojanas,
and it makes even the night as though it were day —
a mansion (vimāna) pure, stainless, and beautiful,
rich in lotuses, adorned with white lotuses,
strewn with blossoms, variegated in many ways,
overspread with a net of gold, free of dust and stain:
it blazes in the sky even as the sun.
With those clad in red wool and garments of yellow,
fragrant with aloes, priyaṅgu, and sandalwood,
their skin like the sheen of gold,
it is filled, as the heavens with stars.
Many are the men and women here, of diverse hue,
adorned with blossoms and ornaments, glad of mind;
stirred loose by the breeze, they waft fragrance,
their persons bright-wrought with refined gold, wearing coverings of gold.
Of what deed is this the result?
By the fruit of what kamma have you arisen here?
And how this mansion was gained by you —
tell it accordingly, pray, now that you are asked."
"You yourself, the Teacher, meeting here upon the road with the young man,
gave instruction out of compassion;
and having heard the Dhamma of you, the most precious Jewel,
Chatta declared: 'I will do so.'
'I go for refuge to the supreme Conqueror,
and likewise to the Dhamma and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus (bhikkhusaṅgha).'
'No,' I said at first, venerable sir;
afterwards I carried out your word just so.
'And do not commit the manifold, impure slaughter of living beings;
for the wise have never praised unrestraint toward living beings.'
'No,' I said at first, venerable sir;
afterwards I carried out your word just so.
'And do not go to those guarded by other folk,
the wives of others: that is ignoble.'
'No,' I said at first, venerable sir;
afterwards I carried out your word just so.
'And do not speak what is untrue, otherwise [than it is];
for the wise have never praised false speech.'
'No,' I said at first, venerable sir;
afterwards I carried out your word just so.
'And that through which a man's perception (saññā) departs —
shun all such intoxicating drink.'
'No,' I said at first, venerable sir;
afterwards I carried out your word just so.
So I, having undertaken here the five trainings (sikkhā),
and having practised in the Dhamma of the Tathāgata,
went along the forked road into the midst of robbers;
there they slew me for the sake of wealth.
Just this much of wholesomeness do I recollect;
beyond that nothing else is found in me.
By that well-conducted deed
I have arisen in heaven, obtaining the pleasures I desire.
See the result of a moment's, an instant's restraint,
of practice in conformity with the Dhamma:
beholding me blazing, as it were, with glory,
many envy me — they of lower estate.
See how, by a teaching of but a little,
I have both gone to a good destination (sugati) and attained happiness;
and those who constantly hear your Dhamma,
I think, touch the Deathless (amata), the secure.
Even a little that is done becomes of great result,
abundant, in the Dhamma of the Tathāgata.
See how, through merit performed, Chatta
lights up the earth even as the sun.
'What is this wholesome deed? What shall we practise?' —
so do some, coming together, take counsel:
'Having obtained the human state yet again,
may we go about virtuous, entered upon the practice.'
'Of great service to me, and compassionate, was the Teacher' —
such mindfulness (sati) came to me while it was yet day;
so I have come to the one whose name is true:
have compassion — may I hear the Dhamma yet again.
Those here who abandon sensual lust (kāmarāga)
and the underlying tendency to lust for existence (bhavarāgānusaya), and give up delusion (moha),
come no more to lying in a womb;
for, gone to final Nibbāna (parinibbāna), they have become cool."
The Chattamāṇavaka Mansion, the third.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.