SA 505（五〇五） 爱尽

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha. At that time Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana was staying on Vulture Peak.

At that time Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana was alone in a quiet place, absorbed in meditation, and he had this thought: "In the past, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, asked the World-Honored One about the meaning of liberation through the exhaustion of craving. The World-Honored One explained it for him, and upon hearing it, he rejoiced. It seemed like he wanted to ask about something else. I should go now and ask about his joyful intention." Having had this thought, in the time it takes for a strong man to bend and stretch his arm, he disappeared from Vulture Peak and arrived in the Heaven of the Thirty-three, not far from the Airavaṇa Pond.

At that time Śakra, Lord of the Devas, was playing in the pond with five hundred celestial maidens, and the celestial maidens had beautiful and melodious voices. At that time Śakra, Lord of the Devas, saw from afar Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana and said to the celestial maidens, "Do not sing. Do not sing." The celestial maidens then fell silent. Śakra, Lord of the Devas, then went to where Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana was, bowed his head at his feet, and stood to one side.

Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana asked Śakra, Lord of the Devas, "You previously asked the World-Honored One about the meaning of liberation through the exhaustion of craving at the mountain cave in the boundary-separating mountain. Upon hearing it, you rejoiced. What is your intention? Do you rejoice because you heard the explanation? Or do you rejoice because you want to ask something else?"

Śakra, Lord of the Devas, said to Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, "The thirty-three heavens are often attached to the pleasures of indulgence, and sometimes I remember past events, and sometimes I do not. The World-Honored One is now in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha. Venerable One, if you want to know the matter I asked about at the mountain cave in the boundary-separating mountain, you should go ask the World-Honored One now. You should uphold it as the World-Honored One explains it. However, there is a good pavilion here that was newly built not long ago. You can enter and take a look."

At that time, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana silently accepted the invitation and entered the pavilion with Śakra, Lord of the Devas. When the heavenly maidens saw Śakra coming from afar, they all played heavenly music, singing and dancing. The heavenly maidens wore necklaces and ornaments on their bodies, producing wonderful sounds, combining the five kinds of music, like well-played music, without any difference in sound. When the heavenly maidens saw Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, they all felt ashamed and hid in the room.

At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, said to Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, "Look at this pavilion. The ground is good and level, and the walls, pillars, beams, multi-storied pavilions, windows, lattices, curtains, and screens are all beautifully adorned."

Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas, "Kauśika! It is due to the causes and conditions of cultivating good dharmas and meritorious virtues in the past that this wonderful fruit is attained."

In this way, Śakra praised himself three times, and asked Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana. Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana also answered him three times.

At that time, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana thought, "Now this Śakra is extremely self-indulgent, attached to the divine abodes, praising this hall. I shall cause him to give rise to disgust." He then entered concentration and, with his supernormal powers, kicked the hall with one toe, causing it to shake. Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana then disappeared.

The assembly of goddesses saw the hall shaking and swaying, and were terrified, running around in all directions. They said to Śakra, "Is this the great power of your master, Kauśika?"

At that time, Śakra said to the goddesses, "This is not my master, but a disciple of the great master, Mahāmaudgalyāyana. He is pure in conduct, of great virtue and great power."

The goddesses said, "Excellent! Kauśika! You have such a pure conduct, great virtue, and great power as a fellow student. How much greater must be the virtue and power of your master!"