[46] Now at that time the Venerable Pilindavaccha was an intimate of families (kulupaka) in that little village. Then the Venerable Pilindavaccha, having dressed in the morning and taken his bowl and robe, entered the village of Pilindavaccha (Pilindavacchagāmaka) for alms. Now at that time there was a festival in that village; the children, adorned and garlanded, were playing. Then the Venerable Pilindavaccha, walking for alms on an unbroken round in the village of Pilindavaccha, approached the dwelling of a certain monastery attendant (ārāmika); having approached, he sat down on the seat that was prepared.
Now at that time the daughter of that female monastery attendant (ārāmikinī), having seen the other children adorned and garlanded, was crying: "Give me a garland! Give me an ornament!" Then the Venerable Pilindavaccha said to that female monastery attendant: "Why is this girl crying?"
"Venerable sir, this girl, having seen the other children adorned and garlanded, is crying, 'Give me a garland! Give me an ornament!' Whence a garland for us who are poor? Whence an ornament?"
Then the Venerable Pilindavaccha took a certain chaplet of grass (tiṇaṇḍūpaka) and said to that female monastery attendant: "Here, fasten this chaplet of grass upon that girl's head." Then that female monastery attendant took that chaplet of grass and fastened it upon that girl's head. It became a garland of gold — beautiful, fair to behold, pleasing. There was no such garland of gold even in the king's inner palace.
People reported to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha: "Sire, in the house of such-and-such a monastery attendant there is a garland of gold — beautiful, fair to behold, pleasing. There is no such garland of gold even in Your Majesty's inner palace. Whence for that poor man? Without doubt it was brought by theft." Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha had that monastery attendant's family put in bonds.
A second time the Venerable Pilindavaccha, having dressed in the morning and taken his bowl and robe, entered the village of Pilindavaccha for alms. Walking for alms on an unbroken round in the village of Pilindavaccha, he approached the dwelling of that monastery attendant; having approached, he asked the neighbors: "Where has this monastery attendant's family gone?"
"Venerable sir, on account of that garland of gold they have been put in bonds by the king."
Then the Venerable Pilindavaccha approached the residence of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha; having approached, he sat down on the seat that was prepared. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha approached the Venerable Pilindavaccha; having approached and paid homage to the Venerable Pilindavaccha, he sat down to one side. As King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha sat to one side, the Venerable Pilindavaccha said this to him: "Why, great king, has the monastery attendant's family been put in bonds?"
"Venerable sir, in that monastery attendant's house there is a garland of gold — beautiful, fair to behold, pleasing. There is no such garland of gold even in our inner palace. Whence for that poor man? Without doubt it was brought by theft."
Then the Venerable Pilindavaccha made the resolve regarding the palace of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha: "Let it be gold!" And it became made entirely of gold. "Now, great king, whence for you so much gold as this?"
"It is understood, venerable sir: this is the master's power of psychic potency." And he had that monastery attendant's family released.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.