The Story of Lajadevadhita

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (118) of this
book, with reference to Laja, a female deva.

1) The Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery.

2) The Buddha uttered Verse (118) of this book,
3) with reference to Laja, a female deva.

At one time Thera Mahakassapa stayed in the Pippali cave and remained
in sustained absorption in concentration (samapatti) for seven days.

1) At one time Thera Mahakassapa stayed in the Pippali cave.

2) Thera Mahakassapa remained in sustained absorption in concentration
(samapatti) for seven days.

Soon after he had arisen from samapatti, wishing to give someone a

chance of offering something to a thera just arisen from samapatti, he looked out
and found a young maid frying corn in a field-hut. /kɔ:n//fi:ld//hʌt/

1) He had arisen from samapatti.

2) He wished to give someone a chance of offering something to a thera just
arisen from samapatti.
3) He looked out.
4) He found a young maid. (find, found, found)
5) A young maid was frying corn in a field-hut. (fry, fried, fried)
Look out – owdxm;/ eg. Look out! There is a car coming.
Look out for + Sb/Sth - owdxm;/ eg. You should look out for pickpockets.
Look out for + Sb/Sth - &Smonf/ eg. I'll look out for you at the conference.
 So he stood at her door for alms-food and she put all the pop corn into the
bawl of the thera.

1) He stood at her door for alms-food. /a:mz/

2) She put all the pop corn into the bawl of the thera. /bəʊl/

As she turned back after offering pop corn to the thera, she was bitten by a
poisonous snake and died.

1) She turned back.

2) She offered pop corn to the thera.
3) She was bitten by a poisonous snake.
4) She died.

She was reborn in Tavatimsa deva world and was known as Laja (pop
corn) devadhita.

1) She was reborn in Tavatimsa deva world.

2) She was known as Laja (pop corn) devadhita.

Laja realized that she was reborn in Tavatimsa because she had offered
pop corn to Thera Mahakassapa and felt very grateful to him.

1) Laja realized that.

2) She was reborn in Tavatimsa.
3) She had offered pop corn to Thera Mahakassapa.
4) She felt very grateful to him. (feel, felt, felt)

Then she concluded that she should keep on doing some services to the
thera in order to make her good fortune more enduring.

1) Then she concluded that.

2) She should keep on doing some services to the thera in order to make her
good fortune more enduring.

So, every morning she went to the monastery of the thera, swept the
premises, filled up water pots, and did other services.

1) Every morning she went to the monastery of the thera.

2) Every morning she swept the premises. /'premɪsɪz/
3) Every morning she filled up water pots. /'wɔ:tə(r)/
4) Every morning she did other services.

At first, the thera thought that young samaneras had done those services;
but one day, he found out that a female deva had been performing those services.

1) At first, the thera thought that.

2) Young samaneras had done those services.
3) One day, he found out that.
4) A female deva had been performing those services.

So he told her not to come to the monastery any more, as people might
start talking if she kept on coming to the monastery.

1) So he told her not to come to the monastery any more.

2) People might start talking.
3) She kept on coming to the monastery. (keep, kept, kept)

Lajadevadhita was very upset; she pleaded with the thera and cried,
"Please do not destroy my riches, my wealth."

1) Lajadevadhita was very upset.

2) She pleaded with the thera. (plead, pleaded, pleaded / plead, pled, pled)
3) She cried.
4) Please do not destroy my riches.
5) Please do not destroy my wealth.

Plead with + Sb – toem;cHonf/ eg. She pleaded with him not to leave her.

The Buddha heard her cries and sent forth the radiance from his chamber
and said to the female deva, "Devadhita, it is the duty of my son Kassapa to stop
your coming to the monastery; to do good deeds is the duty of one who is
anxious to gain merit."

1) The Buddha heard her cries.

2) The Buddha sent forth the radiance from his chamber.
3) The Buddha said to the female deva.
4) Devadhita, it is the duty of my son Kassapa to stop your coming to the
monastery.
5) To do good deeds is the duty of one who is anxious to gain merit.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 118: If a man does what is good, he should do it again and again; he
should take delight in it; the accumulation of merit leads to
happiness.
1) A man does what is good.
2) He should do it again and again.
3) He should take delight in it;
4) the accumulation of merit leads to happiness.

At the end of the discourse, Lajadevadhita attained Sotapatti Fruition.

-----------------------------------------------