The Long Āgama Sūtra 15.22

15.22

「善宿言：『世尊護口，如來護口。』佛告善宿：『汝何故言：世尊護口，如來護口？』善宿言：『彼波梨子有大威神，有大德力，脫當來者將無現世尊虛耶？』佛告善宿：『如來所言頗有二耶？』對曰：『無也。』又告善宿：『若無二者，汝何故言：世尊護口，如來護口？』善宿白佛言：『世尊為自知見彼波梨子，為諸天來語。』佛言：『我亦自知，亦諸天來語故知，此毘舍離阿由大將，身壞命終，生忉利天。彼來語我言：波梨梵志子不知羞慚，犯戒妄語，在毘舍離，於大眾中作如是誹謗言，阿由陀大將身壞命終，生起屍鬼中，然我實身壞命終，生忉利天。波梨子我先自知，亦諸天來語故知。』佛告愚人善宿：『汝不信我言者，入毘舍離，隨汝唱之，我食後當往詣波梨梵志子所。』」

“Sunakṣatra said, ‘Bhagavān, watch what you say! Tathāgata, watch what you say!’

“I asked Sunakṣatra, ‘Why do you say, “Bhagavān, watch what you say! Tathāgata, watch what you say!”?’

“Sunakṣatra said, ‘That Pāṭiputra has great power and great virtue. If he were free to come here, mightn’t he demonstrate that the Bhagavān is false?’

“I told Sunakṣatra, ‘Has the Tathāgata said that there could be two [Buddhas]?’

“He responded, ‘He hasn’t.’

“I told Sunakṣatra, ‘If there couldn’t be two [Buddhas], why are you saying, “Bhagavān, watch what you say! Tathāgata, watch what you say!”?’

“Sunakṣatra said to the Buddha, ‘The Bhagavān knows and sees himself that the gods come and talk to Pāṭiputra.’

“I said, ‘I know for myself, and I also know because gods come and talk to me. When the great Vaiśālī general Ajita’s body broke up and his life ended, he was born in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. He came to me and said, “The wanderer Pāṭiputra knows no modesty and violates the precept against false speech. In a large crowd at Vaiśālī, he thus slandered me, ‘When the great general Ajita’s body broke up and his life ended, he was born as a corporeal demon.’ But when my body broke up and my life ended, I was actually born in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven.” I already knew about Pāṭiputra, and I knew because the gods came to tell me about him.’