SA 1196（一一九六） 邪见

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, a certain Brahmā god, dwelling in the Brahma Heaven, gave rise to this wrong view, saying: “This place is permanent, constant, and unchanging. It is pure and solitary. I have never seen anyone come to this place, let alone go beyond it.”

At that time, the World-Honored One knew the thoughts of that Brahmā god. He then entered samādhi. As he was absorbed in samādhi, he disappeared from Śrāvastī and appeared in the palace of the Brahmā Heaven, sitting cross-legged in the sky above the head of that Brahmā god, with his body straight and focused.

At that time, Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya thought, "Where is the World-Honored One now?" He then used his heavenly eye, pure and surpassing human, to see the World-Honored One in the Brahma Heaven. Having seen, he then entered samādhi. As he was absorbed in samādhi, he disappeared from Śrāvastī and appeared in the Brahma Heaven, sitting cross-legged in the east, facing west towards the Buddha, with his body straight and focused, below the Buddha's seat and above the Brahma seat.

At that time, Venerable Mahākāśyapa thought, "Where is the World-Honored One now?" He then used his heavenly eye, pure and surpassing human, to see the World-Honored One in the Brahma Heaven. Having seen, he then entered samādhi. As he was absorbed in samādhi, he disappeared from Śrāvastī and appeared in the Brahma Heaven, sitting cross-legged in the south, facing north towards the Buddha, with his body straight and focused, below the Buddha's seat and above the Brahma seat.

At that time, Venerable Śāriputra thought, "Where is the World-Honored One now?" He then used his heavenly eye, pure and surpassing human, to see the World-Honored One in the Brahma Heaven. Having seen, he then entered samādhi. As he was absorbed in samādhi, he disappeared from Śrāvastī and appeared in the Brahma Heaven, sitting cross-legged in the west, facing east towards the Buddha, with his body straight and focused, below the Buddha's seat and above the Brahma seat.

At that time, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana thought, "Where is the World-Honored One now?" He then used his heavenly eye, pure and surpassing human, to see the World-Honored One in the Brahma Heaven. Having seen, he then entered samādhi. As he was absorbed in samādhi, he disappeared from Śrāvastī and appeared in the Brahma Heaven, sitting cross-legged in the north, facing south towards the Buddha, with his body straight and focused, below the Buddha's seat and above the Brahma seat.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Brahmā, "Do you now again have this view: 'From the beginning, I have never seen anyone superior to me'?"

Brahmā said to the Buddha, "I now dare not say again: 'I have never seen anyone superior to me.' I only see that the light of Brahmā is obstructed." At that time, the World-Honored One, having taught, shown, instructed, and delighted Brahmā in various ways, then entered samādhi. As he was absorbed in samādhi, he disappeared from the Brahma Heaven and returned to Śrāvastī.

Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya, Mahākāśyapa, and Śāriputra taught, showed, instructed, and delighted Brahmā in various ways, then entered samādhi. As they were absorbed in samādhi, they disappeared from the Brahma Heaven and returned to Śrāvastī. Only Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana remained there.

At that time, Brahmā asked Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, "Do all the other disciples of the World-Honored One have such great virtue and great power?"

At that time, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana spoke a verse, saying:

The great virtuous ones possess the three knowledges, penetrate and observe others'
minds, and have exhausted the taints, the number of arhats is immeasurable.

At that time, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana spoke the Dharma for that Brahma-king in various ways, showing, teaching, illuminating, and delighting him. Having done so, he then entered samadhi. In accordance with his samadhi, he disappeared from the Brahma-realm and returned to the country of Shravasti.