Brahmalokasuttaṃ [SN 6.6, PTS 1.147–1.148]

6.

The Discourse on the Brahmā World

177. At Sāvatthī. Now at that time the Blessed One had gone for his day residence and was in seclusion. Then Subrahmā, an individual Brahmā, and Suddhāvāsa, an individual Brahmā, approached the Blessed One; having approached, they stood each leaning against a door-post. Then Subrahmā, the individual Brahmā, said this to Suddhāvāsa, the individual Brahmā: "It is not the right time yet, sir, to attend upon the Blessed One; the Blessed One has gone for his day residence and is in seclusion. Such and such a Brahma world is prosperous and flourishing, and the Brahmā there dwells in heedless abiding. Come, sir, let us go to that Brahma world; having approached, let us stir up that Brahmā." "Yes, sir," Suddhāvāsa, the individual Brahmā, assented to Subrahmā, the individual Brahmā.

Then Subrahmā, the individual Brahmā, and Suddhāvāsa, the individual Brahmā - just as a strong man might etc. even so - having vanished from before the Blessed One, appeared in that Brahma world. That Brahmā saw those Brahmās coming from afar. Having seen them, he said this to those Brahmās: "Well now, from where are you coming, sirs?" "We have come, sir, from the presence of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. Would you go, sir, to attend upon that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One?"

When this was said, that Brahmā, not consenting to that statement, having created a thousand forms of himself, said this to Subrahmā, the individual Brahmā: "Do you see, sir, this supernormal power of mine of such a kind?" "I see indeed, sir, this supernormal power of yours of such a kind." "Being so powerful, being of such great might, to what other ascetic or brahmin should I go to attend upon?"

Then Subrahmā, the individual Brahmā, having created two thousand forms of himself, said this to that Brahmā: "Do you see, sir, this supernormal power of mine of such a kind?" "I see indeed, sir, this supernormal power of yours of such a kind." "Than both you, sir, and me, the Blessed One is of greater supernormal power and of greater might. Would you go, sir, to attend upon that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One?" Then that Brahmā addressed Subrahmā, the individual Brahmā, in verse:

Then Subrahmā the individual Brahmā and Suddhāvāsa the individual Brahmā, having stirred that Brahmā, disappeared right there. And that Brahmā, at a later time, went to the presence of the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One.