[40] "Your boat with golden awnings'*. This is the Boat Vimana.

How did it originate?

When the Lord was staying at Savatthi, as many as sixteen monks who had spent the residence of the rainy season dwelling in a certain village dwelling-place were, during the hottest part of the day1, following the highway in the direction of Savatthi with the intention of seeing the Lord and of hearing Dhamma. And on the way there was a waterless wilderness where they, overpowered by the heat, tired, parched and not finding any water, went along nearby2 a certain village.

There a certain woman3 was heading towards the well with a water-vessel with the aim of (fetching some) water.

Now when those monks saw her they, overcome with thirst4, headed in that direction thinking that if they were to go5 where that woman was going they would be able to get some water there, saw the well and stood near her.

The woman drew water therefrom and when she was ready to turn back she saw those monks, realised that those worthy ones were thirsty and in need of water, gave rise to respect and thoughtfulness6 and invited them to (partake of) the water.

They took out7 the water-strainer from the bag used for carrying the bowl, strained it and drank as much water as they needed, cooled down their hands and feet and then voiced their appreciation to that woman as regards her gift of water, thereafter going on their way.

She established that meritorious deed in her heart; recollecting it time and again she later on died and came into being in the realm of the Thiry-three.

Due to the majesty of her meritorious deed there arose for her a great vimana embellished with a wish-granting tree.

Surrounding that vimana8 was a stream conveying water as stainless as a mass of gems and that was banked with pale-coloured sandy mounds sprinkled with sand as though decorated with strings of pearls and silver9. [41]

On both its shores and at the door to her vimana-park there came into being a great lotus pond that was adorned with clusters10 of lotuses of (all) five11 colours together with a golden boat.

She would roam about there experiencing heavenly excellence sporting and dallying in her boat.

Then one day the venerable Mahamoggallana who was conducting a deva-tour saw that devadhita12 sporting in her boat and, enquiring of the meritorious deed done13 by her, said:

1. “You stand, lady, having embarked into your boat with golden awnings;

(then) you plunge into this lotus pond and pick a lotus with your hand14.

2. 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?

3. 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?"

Thereupon this verse was spoken by those performing the rehearsal15 (of the Dhamma) to indicate the manner in which the devata, questioned by the elder, answered:

4. That devata, her heart delighted at being questioned by Moggallana,

explained the question as asked, of what deed this was the fruit.

This is the manner in which that devata answered:

5. uWhen I was human, amongst men 一 in my former birth in the world of men16

一 I saw some monks who were parched and tired; summoning up (energy) I gave them water to drink.

6. Truly, he who, summoning up (energy), gives water to drink to those tired17 and thirsty 一

for him there will be rivers of cool water abounding in flowers and many white lotuses.

7. Water-courses will flow around18 him at all times 一

a river of cool water strewn with sand; [42] there will be mango trees and sala trees19, tilakas and rose-apples20, uddalakas21 and trumpetflowers22 in full blossom.

8. This best of vimanas, exceedingly shining23,

is thus meet with such sections of ground; this here is the result of that deed 一those who have performed meritorious deeds will receive such as this24.

9. 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.

10. I proclaim to you, monk of great majesty, what meritorious deed I did when I was human25.

Due to that am I of such shining majesty and my complexion radiates in all directions”.

Herein:

1. With golden awnings (suvannacchadanam): with golden awnings through its interior being covered over in that both sides are made of shining gold fashioned into decorated walls26 and through being covered27 on top with ornaments that are made of gold that blaze forth28 with various jewels.

Boat (navam): float29;

for it is a float (potd) since it floats (pavati)30y it goes, from this shore to the further shore and is called a boat (nava) since it conducts beings.

Lady (nari)32 is addressing the devadhita.

Since he leads (narati=neti) he is a man (naro), a primate (puriso)33}

for just as the being who is by nature foremost is called a primate (puriso) since he lies prime (puri seti) in the sense that his nature is better than any other, so is he a man (naro) in the sense of leading (nayana)3A.

For the person who is the son, or brother even, stands in the position of father to his mother or elder sister, so how much more so the one who is her husband?

She is a woman (nan) since she belongs to man (narassa)35, whilst this designation that is current in the case of human females36 is similarly used, by extension, in the case of other (non-human) females.

You plunge into this lotus pond (ogahasi pokkharanim): through fondness for diversion in the water you enter this heavenly lake that has acquired the name 'lotus pond' (pokkharant) due to the existence there for the most part37 of lotuses (pokkha，a ), of the heavenly padumas so called, in spite of there being many varieties of blooms, such as that of the red uppala and blue uppaia and so on38, made of jewels springing from the water, [43]

Pick a lotus with your hand (padmam chindasi panind39): break off with your hand, in your desire to get a lotus with which to sport40, a heavenly kamala, its hollow stem made of silver, its cluster of petals made of jewels that are rubies41 and its pericarp42 and hairy filaments made of gold.

5. Who were parched (tasite): who were thirsty.

And tired (kilante): and tired in body due to that thirst and43 travel fatigue.

Summoning up (utthaya): summoning up energy, meaning not slipping into idleness.

6-7. By means of "Truly, he whon and so on she answers in a general way the point as asked by the elder, indicating44 the method of inferring that which is not seen by way of that which is seen saying, "Just as I have, so too can others acquire such fruit as this45 by means of a meritorious deed consisting in a gift of water that has gone to the (correct) sphere46.

In this connection tassa (for him) and tarn (him) refer back47 to the aforementioned performers of meritorious deeds.

Willflow around (anupariyanti): accordingly (anurupavasend) will surround (parikkhipanti);

he too will indeed be surrounded with the surroundings48 that is his dwelling-place.

Tilakas (tilaka): a species of tree whose flowers are similar to the flowers of the bandhujivaka49.

Uddalakas (uddalaka): wind-slayers (yataghataka)y which are also called royal-trees (rdjarukkhd)5^.

8. With such sections of ground (tambhumibhagehi): with sections of ground of such a kind51, meaning with areas of ground possessing the aforementioned lotus pond, river and park.

Is thus meet (upetarupam): is meet through being worthy of praise52; that is to say, by way of these lotus ponds and so on it is of delightful composition.

Exceedingly shining (bhusa sobhamanam): they will receive this best of vimanas, exceedingly, extremely, brilliant - this is how it should be construed.

The rest is exactly the same as already given.

The Exposition of the Boat Vimana is concluded.