ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 26.12

26.12

They noticed two lion thrones surrounded by a great number of goddesses, but no young gods sat upon them. They were amazed by this sight, and asked, “How could these lion thrones be empty, with no young gods seated upon them?”

The emanations said, “Ānanda’s sister’s two sons went forth and have now begun exerting themselves. When they die and transmigrate, they will take rebirth here, and we will enjoy ourselves with them, coupling on these lion thrones.”

Seeing this, the boys experienced a surge of happiness. “Our efforts will bring great results! Not only are we free from rebirth as hell beings, but now we shall achieve rebirth as gods.” In their happiness they returned to Venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana. When he saw them Mahā­maudgalyāyana asked, “Boys, where was that sound coming from?”

The two boys related everything in detail to Venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, whereupon Maudgalyāyana advised them, “Boys, if I had told you this, you would not have believed me. Now that both of you have seen it with your own eyes, you must be particularly diligent.”

Upon hearing this, the boys immediately began to study with extra diligence again.

Then one day they heard the discourse on the Wheel-like Compendium and thought, “Since we’ve been circling in saṃsāra over and over again like buckets on a waterwheel—as hell beings, animals, anguished spirits, gods, and humans—there’s no need for us to take rebirth as gods, nor is there any need for us to take rebirth as humans. Let us put our efforts into achieving non-existence.”

Venerable