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## 272
## The Scattering of the Eager Refusal
Hearing this, Nanda, having learned the twelve aspects of household dharma, renounced them. He bowed to his master and returned home. He perfectly followed the household dharma, increasing in merit. He considered himself to be a renunciant, freed from the cycle of birth and death.
Even though he was in the company of the un-enlightened, day after day, he remained steadfast in his renunciation. He was content in the company of the liberated, even in the midst of hardship.
During the month of Jyestha, at the time of the Posha festival, Nanda, the wealthy merchant, the best of the Maniyari, was overcome by a desire to build a pond. He was filled with the desire to create a place of peace and tranquility. He thought, "May these good people, these living beings, live long in this world."
He thought, "I will build a pond, a place where people can come to drink cool, clear water, bathe, and play." The wealthy merchant, Prabha, thought, "I will build a pond."
He called upon the skilled architect, Parihiyalakkhavatti, who was skilled in building houses. He requested him to build a pond.
He said, "O Dev! I want to build a pond in this area, a pond that will be a source of joy for the people. I want to build a pond that will be a source of happiness for the people."
The architect, with his skilled hands, built a pond with a beautiful, shady canopy of trees, including the Himtala, Tala, Tali, and Tamala. The pond was filled with clear, pure water, adorned with garlands of pearls. It was a place of beauty and tranquility, with swans swimming gracefully on its surface.
The pond was filled with the fragrance of lotus, kumuda, and kuvalaya flowers. It was a place where bees buzzed happily, attracted by the sweet scent of the flowers. The pond was surrounded by a beautiful grove of trees, with fish, frogs, and turtles swimming in its waters.
Nanda, the wealthy merchant, built this pond, which he named "Nanda." He also built a place where people could come to eat and drink, a place where they could find peace and happiness. He thought, "I will build a place where people can come to find peace and happiness."
People came to the pond to bathe, drink water, and play. They all enjoyed the pond, and they all praised Nanda for his generosity.
Nanda, the wealthy merchant, was a good man. He lived a long and happy life. He built this pond, which was filled with cool, clear water.
Hearing this, Nanda was filled with joy. He thought, "What a wonderful thing I have done! Who in this world would not be happy to have done such a good deed?"
However, after some time, Nanda was afflicted by a terrible illness. He suffered from sixteen different diseases, all of which were very painful.
Five doctors came to treat him, but they were unable to cure him. He was very sick, and he was close to death. He thought, "I am going to die. I will never see my beautiful pond again."
He remembered the joy that he had brought to the people by building the pond. He thought, "I have brought joy to the people. I have made them happy."
He thought about his past deeds, and he was filled with remorse. He thought, "Oh, what have I done? I have neglected my own spiritual development. I have wasted my life on material