"Your boat with golden awnings". This is the Second Boat
Vimana.
How did it originate?
[44] When the Lord was staying at Savatthi a certain elder in
whom the asavas were destroyed desiring, at the approach of the
rainy season, to enter upon the residence of the rainy season in a
village dwelling, in the afternoon followed the highway from
Savatthi in the direction of that village; but tired and parched
through the fatigue of the journey reached a different village
whilst on his way1. Seeing no such place as was shaded and well
watered outside that village and being overcome by fatigue, he
put on his robe, entered the village and stood at the door of the
chief house of that village itself.
A certain woman2 there, upon
seeing the elder, asked, "Where have you come3 from, sir?”，and
realising he was fatigued by the journey and in a state of thirst
had him enter4 the house saying, “Come, sir”，and gave him the
seat she had appointed, saying, "Please be seated here”.
When
he was seated there she gave him water for washing his feet and
oil for anointing them and then took a palm-fan and fanned him.
When his fever had been allayed she prepared a sweet, cool,
fragrant drink and gave this to him.
The elder drank this and,
with his tiredness subsided, showed his appreciation and then
departed5.
Later on she died and came into being6 in the realm of
the Thirty-three - everything is to be understood as being the
same as in the immediately preceding Vimana7;
even in the
verses there is nothing new.
For this reason it was said:
- "You stand, lady, having embarked into your boat with golden awnings; (then) you plunge into this lotus pond and pick a lotus with your hand8.
- Due to what is such complexion yours? Due to what is this accomplished for you here and that there should arise whatever pleasures your heart holds dear?
- I ask you, devi of great majesty, what meritorious deed you did when you were human? Due to what are you of such shining majesty and your complexion radiates in all directions?M
- That devata, her heart delighted at being questioned by Moggallana, explained the question as asked, of what deed this was the fruit: 65
- "When I was human, amongst men - in my former birth in the world of men9 一 I saw a monk who was parched and tired; summoning up (energy) I gave him water to drink.
- [45] Truly, he who, summoning up (energy) gives water to drink to one tired and thirsty 一 for him there will be rivers of cool water abounding in flowers and many white lotuses.
- Water-courses will flow around10 him at all times 一 a river of cool water strewn with sand; there will be mango trees and sala trees, tilakas and rose-apples, uddalakas and trumpet-flowers in full blossom.
- This best of vimanas, exceedingly shining11, is thus meet with such sections of ground; this here is the result of that deed - those who have performed meritorious deeds will receive such as this.
- Due to that is such complexion mine. Due to that is this accomplished for me here and that there should arise whatever pleasures my heart holds dear.
- I proclaim to you, monk of great majesty, what meritorious deed I did when I was human12. Due to that am I of such shining majesty and my complexion radiates in all directions**.
Except for the fact that here there was just one elder there is
nothing new in the exposition of the meanings either.
The Exposition of the Second Boat Vimana is concluded.