ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 28.4

28.4

thought, ‘My disciples have realized all the instructions that I myself have pondered, but what use are my studies to me if, because of arrogance and pride about them, I have not achieved anything?’ Then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges.

“O monks, what do you think? The one who was Foremost Kāśyapa then is none other than this sage. At that time, because of his arrogance and pride, he did not achieve anything, and then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. Now, as well, because of his arrogance and pride he did not achieve anything, and then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship.”

The monks inquired of the Blessed Buddha, “What action did the sage and his disciples take that ripened such that they pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”

“It came about by the power of their prayers,” replied the Blessed One.

“Lord, where did they make these prayers?”

“Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as forty thousand years, and the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha