One day, the Elder Sāriputta, who had just arisen from spending seven days in absorption (nirodha samāpatti), wished to bestow a blessing on Puṇṇa. He went to the field where Puṇṇa was working and stood there gazing at a bush. The elder waited a while until Puṇṇa’s wife had set off from home, then walked into the village for alms. Seeing the elder, she paid homage to him and offered the rice she had brought for her husband. She then returned home to cook more rice for her husband. Arriving late, she told Puṇṇa not to be angry, explaining why she was late. He was pleased. Exhausted from working the whole morning without food, after eating his meal he fell asleep in his wife’s lap. When he woke up, the field that he had ploughed had turned to gold. Seeing that it was gold, he filled a basket with the earth and went to the king’s palace. He suggested to the king that the gold should be fetched to the palace. The king appointed Puṇṇa as his chief treasurer and gave him a site to build a ho