3.
The Discourse on Ghaṭa
237.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Now at that time the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna were dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground, in a single dwelling.
Then the Venerable Sāriputta, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna -
"Your faculties are indeed very clear, friend Moggallāna; your complexion is pure and bright. Surely the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna has today dwelt with a peaceful abiding." "I have today dwelt with a gross abiding, friend. But I had a talk on the Teaching." "With whom did the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna have a talk on the Teaching?" "I had a talk on the Teaching with the Blessed One, friend." "The Blessed One is far away, friend, dwelling now at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Did the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna approach the Blessed One by supernormal power; or did the Blessed One approach the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna by supernormal power?" "I did not approach the Blessed One by supernormal power, friend; nor did the Blessed One approach me by supernormal power. But my divine eye became pure as far as the Blessed One, and the divine ear-element. And for the Blessed One too, as far as I am, the divine eye became pure and the divine ear-element." "In what way did the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna have a talk on the Teaching with the Blessed One?"
"Here I, friend, said this to the Blessed One - 'One who has aroused energy, one who has aroused energy, venerable sir, is said. In what way, venerable sir, is one who has aroused energy?' When this was said, friend, the Blessed One said this to me - 'Here, Moggallāna, a monk dwells putting forth strenuous energy - Let only skin and sinews and bones remain, let the flesh and blood in the body dry up, but what is to be attained by manly strength, by manly energy, by manly effort - without attaining that, there will be no cessation of energy. Thus, Moggallāna, is one who has aroused energy.' Thus, friend, I had a talk on the Teaching with the Blessed One."
"Just as, friend, small stone pebbles compared to the Himalaya, the king of mountains, are only for the purpose of placing beside; so too we compared to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna are only for the purpose of placing beside. For the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna is of great supernormal power, of great might; if he wishes, he could remain for a cosmic cycle."
"Just as, friend, small crystals of salt compared to a great pot of salt are only for the purpose of placing beside; so too we compared to the Venerable Sāriputta are only for the purpose of placing beside. For the Venerable Sāriputta has been praised, commended, and extolled by the Blessed One in many ways -
Even a monk who has gone beyond, this would be his highest."
Thus those two great beings gave thanks to each other's well-spoken and well-said words. The third.