SA-2 109（一〇九）

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī. At that time, a brahman had a great wrong view, saying, "I have never seen anyone born in my palace here, let alone surpassing me."

At that time, the World-Honored One entered samādhi, disappeared from Jambudvīpa, and appeared sitting in the sky above the Brahma-top. Venerable Ānanda, with his pure divine eye, looked for where the World-Honored One had gone and knew that the Tathāgata was sitting in the sky above the Brahma-top. Then Ānanda also entered that samādhi, disappeared from here, appeared above the Brahma-top, below the Tathāgata, in the eastern direction.

At that time, Venerable Mahākāśyapa, with his pure divine eye, looked for where the Tathāgata had gone and knew that the World-Honored One was above the Brahma-top. He also entered that samādhi, disappeared from here, appeared below the Tathāgata above the Brahma-top, in the southern direction.

Venerable Maudgalyāyana, with his pure divine eye, looked for where the Tathāgata had gone and knew that the World-Honored One was above the Brahma-top. He also entered that samādhi, disappeared from here, appeared below the Tathāgata above the Brahma-top, in the western direction.

At that time, Venerable Aniruddha also looked with his pure divine eye for where the Tathāgata had gone and knew that the World-Honored One was above the Brahma-top. He also entered that samādhi, disappeared from here, appeared below the Tathāgata above the Brahma-top, in the northern direction.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Brahma, "Have you given up what you saw before?" He further said to Brahma, "You previously thought, 'I do not see anyone who can give birth to my palace, let alone surpass it.' Now, look at these heavenly bodies, their appearance and radiance, are they not superior to yours?" Brahma said to the Buddha, "Yes, I have seen it. Now, seeing this, their radiance is something I have never seen before. Now, seeing this, their radiance is truly extraordinary. From now on, I dare not say that this place is permanent, unchanging, and eternal."

The Buddha told Brahma, "This place is impermanent, empty, and not self-controlled." The Buddha taught the Dharma for Brahma in various ways, showing, teaching, benefiting, and delighting him. He entered this samādhi, disappeared from there, and returned to Jetavana. Venerable Kāśyapa, Mahākāśyapa, Aniruddha, and others also taught the Dharma for Brahma in various ways, showing, teaching, benefiting, and delighting him. They also entered this samādhi, disappeared from there, and returned to Jetavana; only Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana remained sitting there.

At that time, the Brahma asked Maudgalyāyana, "Does the World-Honored One's disciple have anyone with great power and supernatural feet like you?" Maudgalyāyana replied, "The other śrāvakas also have such power and supernatural feet." Venerable Maudgalyāyana then spoke a verse:

The great arhats of the Muni's disciples have great power and the three insights. They
have exhausted all taints and know the minds of others. They can manifest supernatural transformations
for sentient beings. There are many such śrāvakas. Therefore, you should now pay respect to them.

At that time, after Venerable Maudgalyāyana spoke this verse, he taught the Dharma in various ways, benefiting and delighting them. He also entered this samādhi. He then disappeared from that Brahma realm and returned to Jetavana.