1.
The Discourse on Bones
202.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
Now at that time the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna were dwelling on the Vulture's Peak mountain.
Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, approached the Venerable Lakkhaṇa;
having approached, he said this to the Venerable Lakkhaṇa -
"Come, friend Lakkhaṇa, let us enter Rājagaha for almsfood."
"Yes, friend," the Venerable Lakkhaṇa assented to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.
Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, manifested a smile at a certain spot.
Then the Venerable Lakkhaṇa said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna -
"What now, friend Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of a smile?"
"It is not the right time, friend Lakkhaṇa, for this question.
Ask me this question in the presence of the Blessed One."
Then the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having walked for almsfood in Rājagaha, after the meal, having returned from their alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Lakkhaṇa said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna - "Here the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, manifested a smile at a certain spot. What now, friend Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of a smile?"
"Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a skeleton going through the sky. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were pecking at it, tearing at it, and pulling it apart between the ribs. It was making a cry of distress. This occurred to me, friend - 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! There will be such a being! There will be such a demon! There will be such an acquisition of individual existence!'"
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Disciples indeed dwell possessing vision, monks; disciples indeed dwell possessing knowledge, monks, since a disciple will know or see or bear witness to such a thing. That being was seen by me before, monks, but I did not explain. If I had explained this, others would not have believed me. Those who would not believe me, that would be for their harm and suffering for a long time. That being, monks, was a cattle butcher in this very Rājagaha. By the result of that action, having been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years, by the remainder of the result of that very action, he experiences such an acquisition of individual existence." The first.