The Bhikṣuṇī Maṇimēkhalai

242 - Good and Bad Deeds
of evil, and, as their consequences are evil, the wise ones shun them. If
these are not avoided carefully, the result is being born as an animal
or evil spirit or an inhabitant of Hell, and suffer that which gives
agony of mind.
Good deeds consist in the avoidance of the ten evils detailed above,
the adopting of the five prescribed lines of conduct and making gifts
of charity as the best action in life. Those that do so are born either as
divine beings or as human beings or among the Brahmas, and enjoy
the result of their good action. Those of you that are attendants upon
the queen, listen with attention to this faultless good Dharma; you
Maṇimēkhalai that know your previous birth already, if you will go
to me after learning the teachings of other religions, I shall be glad to
explain to you more of this.’
So saying the venerable one got up to leave when Maṇimēkhalai
made a profound obeisance and exhorted the queen, her attendants
and Chitrāpatī to bear in mind the teachings of the venerable one and
save this city.
‘If I should continue to remain in the city, people would still talk of
me as having been death to the prince. Therefore I shall proceed to
the [180] kingdom of Āputra and therefrom to Maṇipallavam where I
shall again offer worship at the Buddha-seat and then proceed to
Vañji. There I shall spend some time in doing deeds of charity in
devotion to the chaste one Kaṇṇakī. Do not be anxious as to what
would happen to me, my friends.’
Having said this and made her profound obeisance to the company,
she started up in the air like a stream of molten gold, as the sun was
sinking below the horizon.