The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [333]
“King Nimi consented in silence. Then, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Sakka, ruler of gods, vanished in the presence of King Nimi and appeared among the gods of the Thirty-three.
14. “Then Sakka, ruler of gods, addressed the charioteer Mātali thus: ‘Come, good Mātali, prepare a chariot harnessed to a thousand thoroughbreds, and go to King Nimi and say: “Great king, this chariot harnessed to a thousand thoroughbreds has been sent for you by Sakka, ruler of gods. Great king, mount the divine [80] chariot without misgiving.”’
“‘Yes, your honour,’ the charioteer Mātali replied. And having prepared a chariot harnessed to a thousand thoroughbreds, he went to King Nimi and said: ‘Great king, this chariot harnessed to a thousand thoroughbreds has been sent for you by Sakka, ruler of gods. Great king, mount the divine chariot without misgiving. But, great king, by which route shall I drive you: by that on which doers of evil experience the results of evil actions, or by that on which doers of good experience the results of good actions?’—‘Drive me by both routes, Mātali.’812
15. “Mātali brought King Nimi to the Sudhamma Assembly. Sakka, ruler of gods, saw King Nimi coming in the distance and said to him: ‘Come, great king! Welcome, great king! The gods of the Thirty-three, great king, seated in the Sudhamma Assembly, have expressed themselves thus: “It is a gain, sirs, for the people of Videha…eighth of the fortnight.” Great king, the gods of the Thirty-three want to see you. Great king, enjoy divine might among the gods.’
“‘Enough, good sir. Let the charioteer drive me back to Mithilā. There I will conduct myself by the Dhamma among to brahmins and householders, among town-dwellers and countryfolk; there I will observe the Uposatha days on the fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighth of the fortnight.’
16. “Then Sakka, ruler of gods, told the charioteer Mātali: ‘Come, good Mātali, prepare the chariot harnessed to a thousand thoroughbreds and drive King Nimi back to Mithilā.’
“‘Yes, your honour,’ the charioteer Mātali replied. And having prepared the chariot harnessed to a thousand thoroughbreds, he drove King Nimi back to Mithilā. And there, indeed, King Nimi conducted himself by the Dhamma among brahmins and householders, among town-dwellers and countryfolk; and there [81] he observed the Uposatha days on the fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighth of the fortnight.
17–19. “Then at the end of many years, many hundred years, many thousand years, King Nimi addressed his barber thus: ...(as above, §§4–6, reading “King Nimi” throughout)...[82]...By developing the four divine abodes, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he passed on to the Brahma-world.
20. “Now King Nimi had a son named Kaḷārajanaka. He did not go forth from the home life into homelessness. He broke that good practice. He was the last man among them.
21. “Now, Ānanda, it may be that you think thus: ‘Certainly, on that occasion someone else was King Makhādeva, who instituted that good practice.’ But it should not be regarded thus. I was King Makhādeva on that occasion. I instituted that good practice and later generations continued that good practice instituted by me. But that kind of good practice does not lead to disenchantment,