Vimānavatthu

Vimānavatthu -  Stories of the Vimāna / Divine Mansions / Heavenly Abodes

An anthology of 85 short stories written in verse, divided into seven chapters.

In the first four chapters, celestial females give an account of the acts of merit they have performed in previous existences as human beings and of their rebirth in deva realms where magnificent mansions await their appearance. In the last three chapters the celestial males tell their stories.

Note: some translations contain 83 rather than 85 stories.

Each story describes the life and deeds of a character who has attained residence in a heavenly mansion, the "Vimāna", due to their meritorious deeds.

The Chapter on Thrones (verses 1 - 17)

The Chapter with the Creeper (verses 18 - 28)

The Chapter with the Coral Tree (verses 29 to 38)

The Chapter with the Crimson Mansion (verses 39 - 50)

The Chapter of the Great Chariot (verses 51 - 64)

The Chapter with Pāyāsi (verses 65 - 74)

The Chapter with Sunikkhitta (verses 75 - 85)

• 5 stories concern those who have been reborn in the deva world having developed themselves to the stage of sotāpanna in their previous existences

• 2 stories on those who have paid homage to the Buddha with clasped hands

• 1 story on those who had expressed words of jubilation at the ceremony of building a monastery for the Sangha

• 2 stories on those who have observed the moral precepts

• 2 stories on those who have observed the precepts and given alms

• and the rest deal with those who have been reborn in the deva world as the wholesome result of giving alms only

These discourses were given with a view to bring out the fact that the human world offers plenty of opportunities for performing meritorious acts. The objective for such discourses was to refute the wrong views of those who believe that nothing exists after this life (the annihilationists) and those who maintain that there is no resultant effect to any action. Essence of Tipitaka, U Ko Lay p.176