Verses on Dhamma 6.4.p4

6.4.p4

Gāmavāsinopi idaṃ puññakammaṃ katvā ito cutā tāvatiṃsabhavane nibbattitvā gaṇadevaputtā nāma ahesuṃ. Te tattha dibbasampattiṃ anubhavitvā kassapasammāsambuddhakāle bārāṇasiyaṃ kuṭumbikagehesu nibbattiṃsu. Jeṭṭhakapesakāro jeṭṭhakakuṭumbikassa putto ahosi. Bhariyāpissa jeṭṭhakakuṭumbikasseva dhītā ahosi. Tā sabbāpi vayappattā parakulaṃ gacchantiyo tesaṃ tesaṃyeva gehāni agamiṃsu. Athekadivasaṃ vihāre dhammassavanaṃ saṅghuṭṭhaṃ. ‘‘Satthā dhammaṃ desessatī’’ti sutvā sabbepi te kuṭumbikā ‘‘dhammaṃ sossāmā’’ti bhariyāhi saddhiṃ vihāraṃ agamiṃsu. Tesaṃ vihāramajjhaṃ paviṭṭhakkhaṇe vassaṃ uṭṭhahi. Yesaṃ kulūpakā vā ñātisāmaṇerādayo vā atthi, te tesaṃ pariveṇāni pavisiṃsu. Te pana tathārūpānaṃ natthitāya katthaci, pavisituṃ avisahantā vihāramajjheyeva aṭṭhaṃsu. Atha ne jeṭṭhakakuṭumbiko āha – ‘‘passatha amhākaṃ vippakāraṃ, kulaputtehi nāma ettakena lajjituṃ yutta’’nti. ‘‘Ayya, kiṃ pana karomā’’ti? ‘‘Mayaṃ vissāsikaṭṭhānassa abhāvena imaṃ vippakāraṃ pattā, sabbe dhanaṃ saṃharitvā pariveṇaṃ karomā’’ti. ‘‘Sādhu, ayyā’’ti jeṭṭhako sahassaṃ adāsi, sesā pañca pañca satāni. Itthiyo aḍḍhateyyāni aḍḍhateyyāni satāni. Te taṃ dhanaṃ saṃharitvā sahassakūṭāgāraparivāraṃ satthu vasanatthāya mahāpariveṇaṃ nāma ārabhiṃsu. Navakammassa mahantatāya dhane appahonte pubbe dinnadhanato puna upaḍḍhūpaḍḍhaṃ adaṃsu. Niṭṭhite pariveṇe vihāramahaṃ karontā buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa sattāhaṃ mahādānaṃ datvā vīsatiyā bhikkhusahassānaṃ cīvarāni sajjiṃsu.

Having performed this work of merit, the villagers passed from that state of existence and were reborn as a troop of deities in the World of the Thirty-three. After enjoying celestial glory in that state of existence, they were reborn in the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa as householders of Benāres. The senior weaver was the son of the senior householder, and the wife of the senior weaver was the daughter of the senior householder. All of those women also, on reaching marriageable age, married their former husbands.

Now one day those householders heard the announcement that the Teacher was to preach the Law at the monastery; therefore all of them, accompanied by their wives, went to the monastery to hear the Law. Scarcely had they entered the inclosure of the monastery when it began to rain. Persons who had intimate friends or kinsmen among the novices or monks found shelter in their cells; but the company of householders, having no friends or relatives at the monastery, were unable to gain entrance and were obliged to remain unprotected in the monastery inclosure.

The senior householder said to them, “See what a plight we are in; respectable persons ought to be ashamed to be in such a plight.” “But, sir, what are we to do?” “We have fallen into this plight because we are not on terms of intimacy with the monks; let us contribute money and build a monastery.” “Very well, sir.” The senior householder gave a thousand pieces of money, the other householders five hundred apiece, and each of the women two hundred and fifty. Having collected the money, they began the erection of what is called a Great Monastery, crowned with a thousand pinnacles, to serve as a place of residence for the Teacher; and when, by reason of the great extent of the work they had undertaken, the money proved to be insufficient, each of those who had contributed before gave half as much again. When the monastery was completed, they held a festival in honor of the opening of the monastery and for seven days gave rich gifts to the congregation of monks presided over by the Buddha, presenting each of the twenty thousand monks with a set of robes.