Needle Mansion

Moggallana Bhante:

Dear Devata, your mansion is way up in the sky and spreads over one hundred and twenty kilometers. Pillars of beryl and other gemstones, and seven hundred pinnacled buildings are in your estate. It is very beautiful. Inside the mansion, you drink and eat and enjoy the sweetness of heavenly food. Guitars play sweet music. You have the five kinds of sensual pleasures. Devatas wearing gold jewelry dance for you.

What are the meritorious deeds that led to this happiness?

Tell me Devata, what kind of meritorious action did you do when you were in the human world to have gained this beauty that shines in all directions, and to have earned all these wonderful things?

Narrator:

That devata, delighted at being questioned by Arahant Moggallana, gladly explained what she had done that resulted in such great happiness.

Devata:

The size of the result is not equal to the size of the offering given. Giving is always great. I offered a needle to sew robes. That small offering of a needle became great.

Because of this meritorious deed, I have been born as a very beautiful devata and enjoy all the wonderful things that delight my heart.

Great Bhante, that was the meritorious action I did to have such a beautiful body which shines in all directions.