“Relatives and friends joyfully welcome the safe return of someone they haven’t seen for a long time. Similarly merit is waiting to greet a merit maker.”

Mr. Nantiya’s story

Once upon a time the parents of a young man of Banares city, Nantiya, wanted him to marry a young woman called Reavadee who lived opposite to their house. As Reavadee didn’t have faith in Buddhism Nantiya didn’t want to marry her.

Nantiya’s parents wanted him to marry the young girl so they asked Raevadee to take good care of the monks who came for lunch at their house by laying rugs, placing the bowls in the right places, inviting them to sit down and filtering drinking water for them. After their lunch she would wash their bowls. All this was to make believe that she had faith in the Triple Gem.

Raevadee wished to marry Nantiya, so she followed his parents’ request. Finally Nantiya agreed to marry her.

Eventually they had two children together. After Nantiya’s parents passed away Raevadee became head of the household.

Nantiya then donated even more and became a great sponsor to the monks and provided funds for orphans and travellers.

Later, after having heard the Buddha’s teaching about the fruit of merit from offering building construction, he built a hall that included four rooms. He fully furnished it and offered it to the Buddha.

Subsequently his celestial palace, including celestial retinues, arose and was waiting for him in the heaven.

One day the elder monk Phra Mogallana travelled to the heaven by means of his power and stood not far away from Nantiya’s palace.  The monk asked those celestial beings about the owner.

Those celestial beings said that the palace and retinues emerged for Nantiya who offered to the Buddha the great hall in Isipatana forest.

Female celestial retinues came down to greet the elder monk and said:” we were born here to attend to Mr Nantiya and it’s been a long wait, it’s so boring here. When you go back to the human realm, please tell him to let go of human wealth that is similar to a clay pot and to come and enjoy celestial wealth which is comparable to a golden pot.

Phra Mogallana came down to the human realm and asked the Lord Buddha about the possibilities of the arising of celestial wealth while the merit maker is still alive.

The Lord Buddha said “ Mogallana you have seen with your own eyes the celestial palace that emerged in heaven for Nantiya, so why do you still ask me?

The Buddha’s proverb was cited above.