{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn6.5/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn6.5","id":"suttacentral_sn6.5","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn6.5/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At S\u0101vatth\u012b. Now at that time a certain divinity had the following harmful misconception: \u201cNo ascetic or brahmin can come here!\u201d Then the Buddha knew that divinity\u2019s train of thought. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from Jeta\u2019s 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. Then Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na thought, \u201cWhere is the Buddha staying at present?\u201d 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\u2019s Grove and reappeared in that realm of divinity. Then Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na\u2014positioning himself in the east, below the Buddha\u2014sat cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element. Then Venerable Mah\u0101kassapa \u2026 positioned himself in the south \u2026 Venerable Mah\u0101kappina \u2026 positioned himself in the west \u2026 Venerable Anuruddha \u2026 positioned himself in the north, below the Buddha, sitting cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element. Then Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na addressed that divinity in verse: \u201cReverend, do you still have the same view that you had in the past? Or do you see the radiance surpassing the realm of divinity?\u201d \u201cGood fellow, I don\u2019t 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?\u201d Having 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\u2019s Grove. Then that divinity addressed a member of his retinue, \u201cPlease, good fellow, go up to Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na and say to him: \u2018Moggall\u0101na my good fellow, are there any other disciples of the Buddha who have power and might comparable to the worthies Moggall\u0101na, Kassapa, Kappina, and Anuruddha?\u2019\u201d \u201cYes, good fellow,\u201d replied that retinue member. He went to Moggall\u0101na and asked as instructed. Then Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na addressed that member of the retinue of Divinity in verse: \u201cThere are many disciples of the Buddha who have the three knowledges, and have attained psychic power, <j>expert in encompassing minds, they\u2019re perfected ones with defilements ended.\u201d Then that member of the retinue of Divinity, having approved and agreed with what Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na said, went to that divinity and said to him, \u201cGood fellow, Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na said this: \u2018There are many disciples of the Buddha who have the three knowledges, and have attained psychic power, <j>expert in encompassing minds, they\u2019re perfected ones with defilements ended.\u2019\u201d That is what that member of the retinue of Divinity said. Satisfied, that divinity approved what the member of his retinue said.","title":"A Certain Divinity","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":478}