4.
The Discourse to Mahāmoggallāna
34.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Then when the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna had gone to a private place and was in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind:
"Which gods have such knowledge:
'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment'?"
Now at that time a monk named Tissa, having recently died, was reborn in a certain Brahma world.
There too they know him thus -
"Tissa the Brahmā is of great supernormal power, of great might."
Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from Jeta's Grove, appeared in that Brahma world. Tissa the Brahmā saw the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna coming from afar. Having seen, he said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "Come, dear Moggallāna; welcome, dear Moggallāna; it has been a long time, dear Moggallāna, since you made this occasion, that is to say, for coming here. Sit down, dear Moggallāna, this seat is laid down." The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna sat down on the prepared seat. Tissa the Brahmā too, having paid respect to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, sat down to one side. To Tissa the Brahmā seated to one side, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:
"Which gods, Tissa, have such knowledge: 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment'?" "The gods ruled by the four great kings, dear Moggallāna, have such knowledge: 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment.'"
"Do all the gods ruled by the four great kings, Tissa, have such knowledge: 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment'?" "Not all the gods ruled by the four great kings, dear Moggallāna, have such knowledge: 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment.' Those gods ruled by the four great kings, dear Moggallāna, who are not endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha, not endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, not endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community, not endowed with morality pleasing to the noble ones - those gods do not have such knowledge: 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment.' But those gods ruled by the four great kings, dear Moggallāna, who are endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha, endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community, endowed with morality pleasing to the noble ones - they have such knowledge: 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment.'"
"Is it only the gods of the Four Great Kings, Tissa, who have such knowledge - 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment' - or do the gods of the Thirty-three also... etc. the Yāma gods also... the Tusita gods also... the Nimmānaratī gods also... do the gods who control what is created by others also have such knowledge - 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment'?" "The gods who control what is created by others also indeed, dear Moggallāna, have such knowledge - 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment.'"
"Do all the gods who control what is created by others, Tissa, have such knowledge - 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment'?" "Not all the gods who control what is created by others, dear Moggallāna, have such knowledge - 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment.' Those gods who control what is created by others, dear Moggallāna, who are not endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha, not endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, not endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community, not endowed with morality pleasing to the noble ones - those gods do not have such knowledge - 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment.' But those gods who control what is created by others, dear Moggallāna, who are endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha, endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching, endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community, endowed with morality pleasing to the noble ones - they have such knowledge - 'Stream-enterers are no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment.'"
Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having delighted in and given thanks for what Tissa the Brahmā had said - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from the Brahma world, he appeared in Jeta's Grove. The fourth.