Verses on Dhamma 6.4.p5

6.4.p5

Jeṭṭhakakuṭumbikassa pana bhariyā sabbehi samānaṃ akatvā attano paññāya ṭhitā ‘‘atirekataraṃ katvā satthāraṃ pūjessāmī’’ti anojapupphavaṇṇena sahassamūlena sāṭakena saddhiṃ anojapupphacaṅkoṭakaṃ gahetvā anumodanakāle satthāraṃ anojapupphehi pūjetvā taṃ sāṭakaṃ satthu pādamūle ṭhapetvā, ‘‘bhante, nibbattanibbattaṭṭhāne anojapupphavaṇṇaṃyeva me sarīraṃ hotu, anojā eva ca me nāmaṃ hotū’’ti patthanaṃ paṭṭhapesi. Satthā ‘‘evaṃ hotū’’ti anumodanaṃ akāsi. Te sabbepi yāvatāyukaṃ ṭhatvā tato cutā devaloke nibbattitvā imasmiṃ buddhuppāde devalokā cavitvā jeṭṭhakakuṭumbiko kukkuṭavatīnagare rājakule nibbattitvā vayappatto mahākappinarājā nāma ahosi, sesā amaccakule nibbattiṃsu. Jeṭṭhakakuṭumbikassa bhariyā maddaraṭṭhe sāgalanagare rājakule nibbatti, anojapupphavaṇṇamevassā sarīraṃ ahosi, anojātvevassā nāmaṃ kariṃsu. Sā vayappattā mahākappinarañño gehaṃ gantvā anojādevī nāma ahosi. Sesitthiyopi amaccakulesu nibbattitvā vayappattā tesaṃyeva amaccaputtānaṃ gehāni agamaṃsu. Te sabbe rañño sampattisadisaṃ sampattiṃ anubhaviṃsu. Yadā rājā sabbālaṅkārapaṭimaṇḍito hatthiṃ abhiruhitvā vicari, tadā tepi tatheva vicaranti. Tasmiṃ assena vā rathena vā vicarante tepi tatheva vicaranti? Evaṃ te ekato hutvā katānaṃ puññānaṃ ānubhāvena ekatova sampattiṃ anubhaviṃsu. Rañño pana balo, balavāhano, puppho, pupphavāhano, supattoti pañca assā honti. Rājā tesu supattaṃ assaṃ sayaṃ ārohati, itare cattāro assārohānaṃ sāsanāharaṇatthāya adāsi. Rājā te pātova bhojetvā ‘‘gacchatha dve vā tīṇi vā yojanāni āhiṇḍitvā buddhassa vā dhammassa vā saṅghassa vā uppannabhāvaṃ ñatvā mayhaṃ sukhasāsanaṃ āharathā’’ti pesesi. Te catūhi dvārehi nikkhamitvā tīṇi yojanāni āhiṇḍitvā sāsanaṃ alabhitvā paccāgacchanti.

But the wife of the senior householder, although she had already done the same as the rest had done, determined in her wisdom to do yet more. Said she, “I will do honor to the Teacher.” Accordingly she took a garment of the color of anoja flowers, worth a thousand pieces of money, and a casket of anoja flowers, and when it was time for the Teacher to return thanks, she honored him with a present of the anoja flowers; and then casting the garment at his feet, made this Earnest Wish, “Reverend Sir, in my future states of existence may my body be of the hue of the anoja flower and may my name be ‘Anojā.’” “So be it,” replied the Teacher, returning thanks. Having lived out their allotted term of life, all of them passed from that state of existence and were reborn in the World of the Gods.

Passing from the World of the Gods, the senior householder was reborn in the royal household of the city Kukkuṭavatī. King Kappina the Great was his name. The rest of the company were reborn in the households of courtiers. The wife of the senior householder was reborn in the royal household of the kingdom of Maddā in the city of Sāgala. Her body was of the hue of the anoja flower, and “Anojā” was the name they gave her. When she reached marriageable age she was married to King Kappina and became known as Queen Anojā. The rest of the women were reborn in the households of courtiers, and when they reached marriageable age were married to the sons of those same courtiers.

All of them enjoyed glory like the glory of the king. Whenever the king rode in procession, mounted on his elephant and adorned with all his adornments, they also rode in procession in like state; whenever the king went about on his horse or in his chariot, they also went about in like manner. Thus it was that since as one company they had performed works of merit, as one company also they enjoyed equal glory.

Now the king had five horses, Vāla, Puppha, Vaḷavāhana, Pupphavāhana, and Supatta. One of these horses, Supatta, he alone rode; the other four he allowed riders to use for carrying messages. Early one morning after breakfast he sent out the four riders with this command, “Ride forth and scour the country for two or three leagues about and if you learn of the appearance of the Buddha or the Law or the Order, come back and bring me the good news.” The riders rode forth from the four gates and scoured the country for two or three leagues about, but returned with no news.