1.5 Elephant Mansion (VV5)

Moggallana Bhante:

Devata, your mansion is a divine elephant decorated with various jewels. It is pleasing and powerful. It is very fast and moves smoothly through the air.

Your eyes are as beautiful as lotus petals. The color of your elephant is like blue and red lotuses. Its whole body is covered with lotus powder and it is wearing lotus garlands made of gold.

Your elephant travels over a road that is covered in lotus flowers and leaves. The way your elephant walks is charming and pleasing. As it steps forward, golden bells, sweet in tone, are heard. The sound is like an orchestra.

As you are seated on that great elephant’s back, decorated and wearing divine clothes, your beauty is greater than all the other devas.

Is all this the fruit of your generosity, your virtuous behavior, or because you worshiped monks in the past? Please answer my questions, so that I may know.

Narrator:

That devata, delighted at being questioned by Arahant Moggallana, gladly explained what she had done that resulted in such great happiness.

Devata:

Bhante, one day I saw a monk who meditated frequently and had very noble qualities. I offered him a chair covered with cloth and lotus flowers. Using lotus garlands and flowers, I decorated the floor around the chair with my own hands.

As a result of these meritorious deeds, I have received these wonderful things. I am treated with great care and respected in this heavenly world and I am honored by the other devas.

Surely, if someone with a confident heart offers a seat to those who are free from defilements and are calm in mind, that person will experience great happiness, just as I do now.

Someone who cares about his own well-being and who wants to experience good results should offer seats to Arahants who are in their final body.

Translated by: Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera

According to Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera's translation from the Pali.

Stories of Heavenly Mansions from the Vimanatthu © 2018 Mahamegha Publications.

For more information visit mahamevnawabm.org.

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