Verses on Dhamma 2.7.p17

2.7.p17

Maghassa pana gehe nandā, cittā, sudhammā, sujāti catasso itthiyo honti. Tāsu sudhammā vaḍḍhakinā saddhiṃ ekato hutvā, ‘‘bhātika, imissā sālāya maṃ jeṭṭhikaṃ karohī’’ti vatvā lañjaṃ adāsi. So ‘‘sādhū’’ti sampaṭicchitvā paṭhamameva kaṇṇikatthāya rukkhaṃ sukkhāpetvā tacchetvā vijjhitvā kaṇṇikaṃ niṭṭhāpetvā, ‘‘sudhammā nāma ayaṃ sālā’’ti akkharāni chinditvā vatthena paliveṭhetvā ṭhapesi. Atha ne vaḍḍhakī sālaṃ niṭṭhāpetvā kaṇṇikāropanadivase ‘‘aho, ayyā, ekaṃ karaṇīyaṃ na sarimhā’’ti āha. ‘‘Kiṃ nāma, bho’’ti? ‘‘Kaṇṇika’’nti. ‘‘Hotu taṃ āharissāmā’’ti. ‘‘Idāni chinnarukkhena kātuṃ na sakkā, pubbeyeva taṃ chinditvā tacchetvā vijjhitvā ṭhapitakaṇṇikā laddhuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti. ‘‘Idāni kiṃ kātabba’’nti? ‘‘Sace kassaci gehe niṭṭhāpetvā ṭhapitā vikkāyikakaṇṇikā atthi, sā pariyesitabbā’’ti. Te pariyesantā sudhammāya gehe disvā sahassaṃ datvāpi mūlena na labhiṃsu. ‘‘Sace maṃ sālāya pattiṃ karotha, dassāmī’’ti vutte pana ‘‘mayaṃ mātugāmānaṃ pattiṃ na dammā’’ti āhaṃsu.

Now there were four women living in Magha's house, Joy, Thoughtful, Goodness, and Wellborn. Goodness went secretly to the builder, gave him a bribe, and said to him, "Brother, give me the principal share in the building of this hall." "Very well," replied the builder, agreeing to her proposal. Accordingly he first marked a tree out of which to make a pinnacle, felled it, and laid it aside to season. Then he hewed it and planed it and bored it, and having fashioned it in the form of a pinnacle, carved the following inscription on it, "This is the Hall of Goodness." Having so done, he wrapped it in a cloth and laid it aside.

Now when he had completed the hall and the day came to erect the pinnacle, he said to the thirty-three youths, "Noble sirs, there is something we have forgotten." "What is it, sir?" "A pinnacle." "Let us procure one." "It is impossible to make one out of a freshly hewn tree. We should procure for a pinnacle a tree felled long ago and laid away to season." "What had we best do under the circumstances?" "If in anybody's house there is a completed pinnacle which has been laid away to season and which is for sale, that is the thing for you to search for." So they searched everywhere, and finding what they wanted in the house of Goodness, offered her a thousand pieces of money for it. But they were unable to secure it for the price they offered. Said Goodness, "If you will give me a share in the building of the hall, I will give you the pinnacle." But they replied, "We have resolved to give women no share in the building of this hall." Thereupon the builder said to them, "Noble sirs, what are you doing? With the exception of the World of Brahmā, there is no place from which women are excluded. Take the pinnacle, for if you do, our work will speedily be finished." "Very well," said they. So they took the pinnacle and completed the hall. And they divided the hall into three parts, reserving one chamber for kings, another for the poor, and another for the sick.