5.
The Discourse About Hatthaka
128.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Then Hatthaka the young god, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated almost the entire Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One;
having approached -
"I will stand before the Blessed One," he kept sinking down, kept subsiding, and was not able to stand firm.
Just as ghee or oil poured on sand keeps sinking down, keeps subsiding, and does not stand firm;
just so Hatthaka the young god -
"I will stand before the Blessed One," he kept sinking down, kept subsiding, and was not able to stand firm.
Then the Blessed One said this to Hatthaka the young god - "Create a gross body, Hatthaka." "Yes, venerable sir," Hatthaka the young god, having assented to the Blessed One, having created a gross body, having paid respect to the Blessed One, stood to one side. To Hatthaka the young god standing to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Those teachings, Hatthaka, that were occurring for you formerly when you were a human being, are those teachings still occurring for you now?" "Those teachings, venerable sir, that were occurring for me formerly when I was a human being, those teachings are still occurring for me now; and those teachings, venerable sir, that were not occurring for me formerly when I was a human being, those teachings are now occurring for me. Just as, venerable sir, the Blessed One now dwells crowded by monks, nuns, male lay followers, female lay followers, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, and disciples of sectarians; so too, venerable sir, I dwell crowded by young gods. Even from afar, venerable sir, young gods come to the presence of Hatthaka the young god, thinking 'We will hear the Teaching.' I died unsatisfied and discontent with three things, venerable sir. Which three? I died unsatisfied and discontent with seeing the Blessed One, venerable sir; I died unsatisfied and discontent with hearing the Good Teaching, venerable sir; I died unsatisfied and discontent with attending upon the Community, venerable sir. I died unsatisfied and discontent with these three things, venerable sir."
With attending upon the Community, and with hearing the Good Teaching.
Unsatisfied with three things, Hatthaka has gone to Aviha." The fifth.