Mahapadanasutta 3.23

3.23.1

Atha kho, bhikkhave, aññataro mahābrahmā vipassissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṃ vā bāhaṃ pasāreyya, pasāritaṃ vā bāhaṃ samiñjeyya; evameva—brahmaloke antarahito vipassissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa purato pāturahosi.

Then a certain Great Divinity, knowing the Buddha Vipassī’s train of thought, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of the Buddha Vipassī.

3.23.2

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, mahābrahmā ekaṃsaṃ uttarāsaṅgaṃ karitvā yena vipassī bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho tenañjaliṃ paṇāmetvā vipassiṃ bhagavantaṃ arahantaṃ sammāsambuddhaṃ etadavoca:

He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha Vipassī, and said,

3.23.3

‘evametaṃ, bhagavā, evametaṃ, sugata.

‘That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!

3.23.4

Mahā kho, bhante, etarahi bhikkhusaṅgho bandhumatiyā rājadhāniyā paṭivasati aṭṭhasaṭṭhibhikkhusatasahassaṃ, anujānātu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhū:

The Saṅgha residing at Bandhumatī now is large. Please urge them to wander, as you thought.

3.23.5

“caratha, bhikkhave, cārikaṃ bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṃ;

3.23.6

mā ekena dve agamittha;

3.23.7

desetha, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ ādikalyāṇaṃ majjhekalyāṇaṃ pariyosānakalyāṇaṃ sātthaṃ sabyañjanaṃ kevalaparipuṇṇaṃ parisuddhaṃ brahmacariyaṃ pakāsetha.

3.23.8

Santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti, bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro”ti.

3.23.9

Api ca, bhante, mayaṃ tathā karissāma yathā bhikkhū channaṃ channaṃ vassānaṃ accayena bandhumatiṃ rājadhāniṃ upasaṅkamissanti pātimokkhuddesāyā’ti.

And sir, I’ll make sure that when six years have passed the mendicants will return to Bandhumatī to recite the monastic code.’

3.23.10

Idamavoca, bhikkhave, so mahābrahmā.

That is what that Great Divinity said.

3.23.11

Idaṃ vatvā vipassiṃ bhagavantaṃ arahantaṃ sammāsambuddhaṃ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṃ katvā tattheva antaradhāyi.

Then he bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha Vipassī, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.