長阿含經 21.21

21.21

"Furthermore, there is another illumination of the profound and subtle great Dharma that causes noble disciples to praise the Tathāgata in truth and impartiality. What is it? Certain śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, raising doctrines concerning the past kalpas and speculative views of the past, say: 'The self and the world are partly eternal and partly impermanent.' Due to this, concerning the past kalpas and speculative views of the past, those śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas hold that the self and the world are partly eternal and partly impermanent; within these four views, none goes beyond or surpasses them. There comes a time when this kalpa begins to form. Other sentient beings, whose merit is exhausted, whose lifespans are exhausted, and whose actions are exhausted, die in the Ābhāsvara Heaven and are reborn in the empty Brahma Heaven. There, a desire and attachment arises in [that first being], and he further wishes: 'May other sentient beings also be born in this place!' When this sentient being has formed this desire, attachment, and wish, there are other sentient beings whose lifespans, actions, and merit are exhausted, who die in the Ābhāsvara Heaven and come to be reborn in the empty Brahma Heaven. The sentient being who was born first then thinks: 'In this place, I am Brahmā, Mahābrahmā. I exist spontaneously; no one was able to create me. I fully know all meanings and texts; I have mastery within the thousand worlds; I am supreme and most honored; I can make transformations; I am subtle and foremost. I am the father of sentient beings. I alone existed first, and the other sentient beings came later. The sentient beings who came later were transformed and created by me.' The sentient beings who arrived later also think: 'He is Mahābrahmā; he was able to create himself, and no one created him. He fully knows all meanings and texts; he has mastery within the thousand worlds; he is supreme and most honored; he can make transformations; he is subtle and foremost. He is the father of sentient beings. He alone existed first, and we existed afterward. We sentient beings were transformed and created by him.' When those Brahma beings' lifespans and actions are exhausted, they come to be reborn in the human world. As they gradually grow older, they shave off their hair and beards, put on the three robes of the Dharma, go forth into the homeless life to practice the path, and enter the samādhi of mental composure. Following the mind of samādhi, they remember their own former births, and they then say: 'That Mahābrahmā is able to create himself, and no one created him. He fully knows all meanings and texts; he has mastery within the thousand worlds; he is supreme and most honored; he can make transformations; he is subtle and foremost. He is the father of sentient beings. He is eternal, abiding, and unchanging, whereas that Brahmā transformed and created us; we are impermanent, subject to change, and cannot remain for long. Therefore, one should know: the self and the world are partly eternal and partly impermanent; this is true and the rest is false.' This is called the first view. It is because of this that śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas raise doctrines concerning the past kalpas and speculative views of the past, [holding them to be] partly eternal and partly impermanent; within these four views, they do not go beyond this.