Verses on Dhamma 2.7.p16

2.7.p16

Rājā taṃ pavattiṃ sutvā ‘‘kāraṇenettha bhavitabba’’nti te pakkosāpetvā pucchi – ‘‘tātā, maṃ nissāya tumhe kiṃ na labhathā’’ti? ‘‘Kiṃ nāmetaṃ, devā’’ti? ‘‘Tumhe kira vaggabandhanena corā hutvā araññe vicarathā’’ti? ‘‘Ko evamāha, devā’’ti? ‘‘Gāmabhojako, tātā’’ti. ‘‘Na mayaṃ, deva, corā, mayaṃ pana attano saggamaggaṃ sodhentā idañcidañca karoma, gāmabhojako amhe akusalakiriyāya niyojetvā attano vacanaṃ akaronte nāsetukāmo kujjhitvā evamāhā’’ti. Atha rājā tesaṃ kathaṃ sutvā somanassappatto hutvā, ‘‘tātā, ayaṃ tiracchāno tumhākaṃ guṇe jānāti, ahaṃ manussabhūto jānituṃ nāsakkhiṃ, khamatha me’’ti. Evañca pana vatvā saputtadāraṃ gāmabhojakaṃ tesaṃ dāsaṃ, hatthiṃ ārohaniyaṃ, tañca gāmaṃ yathāsukhaṃ paribhogaṃ katvā adāsi. Te ‘‘idheva no katapuññassānisaṃso diṭṭho’’ti bhiyyosomattāya pasannamānasā hutvā taṃ hatthiṃ vārena vārena abhiruyha gacchantā mantayiṃsu ‘‘idāni amhehi atirekataraṃ puññaṃ kātabbaṃ, kiṃ karoma? Catumahāpathe thāvaraṃ katvā mahājanassa vissamanasālaṃ karissāmā’’ti. Te vaḍḍhakiṃ pakkosāpetvā sālaṃ paṭṭhapesuṃ. Mātugāmesu pana vigatacchandatāya tassā sālāya mātugāmānaṃ pattiṃ nādaṃsu.

As they went about the village, they took counsel together, saying, "It is our duty to perform yet more abundant works of merit. What shall we do?" Thereupon the following thought occurred to them, "Let us build at the crossing of the four highways a rest-house for the multitude, making it secure and strong." So they summoned a builder and ordered him to build a hall for them. And because desire for women had departed from them, they resolved to give women no share in the building of the hall.