[526] Discerning his intention, Maghavā, the elephant among devas,
the Thousand-eyed One appeared, dispelling the darkness with his radiance.
With hair standing on end, Nimi, lord of men, said to Vāsava:
"Are you a deity, a gandhabba, or Sakka Purindada?
Such radiance as this I have never seen, nor even heard of.
Declare it to me, good sir: how are we to know you?"
Knowing that his hair stood on end, Vāsava said to Nimi:
"I am Sakka, lord of devas; I have come into your presence.
Let your hair bristle no more, lord of men: ask whatever question you wish."
And he, given leave by him, Nimi said to Vāsava:
"I ask you, great king, sovereign of all beings:
giving (dāna) or the holy life (brahmacariya) — which, indeed, is of great fruit?"
Questioned by that god among men, Vāsava said to Nimi —
knowing the result (vipāka) of the holy life, he declared it to one who knew it not:
#1 M. (Burmese ed.): "Nimijātakaṃ."
"Through the inferior holy life one is reborn among khattiyas;
through the middling, one attains the state of a deity; through the supreme, one is purified.
For these companies (kāyā) are not easily won by anyone through any openhandedness to those who ask (yācayoga) —
those companies in which the homeless ascetics are reborn."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.