Saṁyutta Nikāya — Discursos Conectados — 6.5 — A Certain Divinity

1At Sāvatthī.

2Now at that time a certain divinity had the following harmful misconception: “No ascetic or brahmin can come here!”

3Then the Buddha knew that divinity’s train of thought. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from Jeta’s Grove and reappeared in that realm of divinity. Then the Buddha sat cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element.

4Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thought, “Where is the Buddha staying at present?” With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, he saw the Buddha seated cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element. Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from Jeta’s Grove and reappeared in that realm of divinity. Then Mahāmoggallāna—positioning himself in the east, below the Buddha—sat cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element.

5Then Venerable Mahākassapa … positioned himself in the south …

6Venerable Mahākappina … positioned himself in the west …

7Venerable Anuruddha … positioned himself in the north, below the Buddha, sitting cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element.

8Then Mahāmoggallāna addressed that divinity in verse:

9“Reverend, do you still have the same view
that you had in the past?
Or do you see the radiance
surpassing the realm of divinity?”

10“Good fellow, I don’t have that view
that I had in the past.
I see the radiance
surpassing the realm of divinity.
So how could I say today
that I am permanent and eternal?”

11Having inspired a sense of awe in the Divinity, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, the Buddha vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in Jeta’s Grove.

12Then that divinity addressed a member of his retinue, “Please, good fellow, go up to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and say to him: ‘Moggallāna my good fellow, are there any other disciples of the Buddha who have power and might comparable to the worthies Moggallāna, Kassapa, Kappina, and Anuruddha?’”

13“Yes, good fellow,” replied that retinue member. He went to Moggallāna and asked as instructed.

14Then Mahāmoggallāna addressed that member of the retinue of Divinity in verse:

15“There are many disciples of the Buddha
who have the three knowledges,
and have attained psychic power, <j>expert in encompassing minds,
they’re perfected ones with defilements ended.”

16Then that member of the retinue of Divinity, having approved and agreed with what Mahāmoggallāna said, went to that divinity and said to him, “Good fellow, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:

17‘There are many disciples of the Buddha
who have the three knowledges,
and have attained psychic power, <j>expert in encompassing minds,
they’re perfected ones with defilements ended.’”

18That is what that member of the retinue of Divinity said. Satisfied, that divinity approved what the member of his retinue said.