The Long Āgama Sūtra 26.36

26.36

「婆悉咤！三明婆羅門亦復如是，不修沙門清淨梵行，更修餘道不清淨行，欲求生梵天者，無有是處。婆悉咤！猶如山水暴起，多漂人民，亦無船栰，又無橋梁，有行人來，欲渡彼岸，見山水暴起，多漂人民，亦無船栰，又無橋梁，彼人自念：『我今寧可多集草木，牢堅縛栰，自以身力渡彼岸耶？』即尋縛栰，自以身力安隱得渡。婆悉咤！此亦如是，若比丘捨非沙門不清淨行，行於沙門清淨梵行，欲生梵天者，則有是處。云何，婆悉咤！梵天有恚心耶？無恚心耶？」

“Vāsiṣṭha, the priests who possess the three Vedas are likewise. They don’t cultivate the ascetic’s pure religious life, instead cultivating other paths that are impure practices. Their goal of being born in Brahmā’s Heaven isn’t possible.

“Vāsiṣṭha, it’s like many people caught in a flash flood in the mountains without boats or a bridge. A traveler comes upon it and wants to cross over to the other shore. Seeing the mountain river’s torrent and the people floating in it, they realize they also lack a boat or bridge. That person thinks, ‘Now, I’d better collect many reeds and branches and bind them into a raft. Perhaps I could then cross to the other shore using my own power?’ They then bind a raft and use their own power to cross over to safety.

“Vāsiṣṭha, this is likewise. If a monk abandons the impure practices of non-ascetics and practices the ascetic’s pure religious practice, then his desire to be born in Brahmā’s Heaven is possible. How is it, Vāsiṣṭha? Does Brahmā have resentment, or does he not?”