The Long Āgama Sūtra 28.43

28.43

「梵志！或有沙門、婆羅門於一處世間，一向說樂，我語彼言：『汝等審說，一處世間一向樂耶？』彼報我言：『如是。』我又語彼言：『汝知見一處世間一向樂耶？』彼答我言：『不知不見。』我復語彼言：『一處世間諸天一向樂，汝曾見不？』彼報我言：『不知不見。』又問彼言：『彼一處世間諸天，汝頗共坐起言語，精進修定不耶？』答我言：『不。』我又問彼言：『彼一處世間諸天一向樂者，頗曾來語汝言：「汝所行質直，當生彼一向樂天。我以所行質直，故得生彼共受樂。」耶？』彼答我言：『不也。』我又問彼言：『汝能於己身起心化作他四大身，身體具足，諸根無闕不？』彼答我言：『不能。』云何，梵志！彼沙門、婆羅門所言為是誠實，為應法不？」

“Wanderer, perhaps an ascetic or priest claims that there’s one abode of the world that’s the only way to happiness. I would say to him, ‘You truly say that there’s one abode in the world that’s the only way to happiness?’

“He replies to me, ‘Yes.’

“I again ask him, ‘Do you know and see this one abode in the world that’s the only way to happiness?’

“He answers me, ‘I don’t know or see it.’

“I again ask him, ‘Are the heavens that one abode in the world that’s the only way to happiness, which you’ve never seen?’

“He replies to me, ‘I don’t know or see it.’

“I again ask him, ‘Have you ever shared a seat, had a conversation, made effort, or cultivated samādhi with the gods of that one abode in the world?’

“He replies to me, ‘No.’

“I again ask him, ‘Do the gods of that one abode in the world that’s the only way to happiness come to tell you, “If you practice honestly, you’ll be born in the only way to heavenly happiness, for I practiced honestly and attained birth where they share that happiness’?”

“He answers me, ‘No.’

“I again ask him, ‘Are you able to produce a mind yourself that transforms into another body of the four elements, a body complete with flawless faculties?’

“He answers me, ‘I’m not able to do that.’

“How is it, wanderer? Would what that ascetic or priest say be honest? Would it be the Dharma?”