Dhammapada 1.2.2_44

1.2.2_44

Taṃ kathetvā ca pana ‘‘na kho, brāhmaṇa, ekasataṃ vā na dvesataṃ, atha kho mayi manaṃ pasādetvā sagge nibbattānaṃ gaṇanā nāma natthī’’ti āha. Atha mahājano na nibbematiko hoti, athassa anibbematikabhāvaṃ viditvā satthā ‘‘maṭṭhakuṇḍalidevaputto vimāneneva saddhiṃ āgacchatū’’ti adhiṭṭhāsi. So tigāvutappamāṇeneva dibbābharaṇapaṭimaṇḍitena attabhāvena āgantvā vimānato oruyha satthāraṃ vanditvā ekamantaṃ aṭṭhāsi. Atha naṃ satthā ‘‘tvaṃ imaṃ sampattiṃ kiṃ kammaṃ katvā paṭilabhī’’ti pucchanto –

For this very reason the Teacher pronounced this Word of the Buddha, “Brahman, it is not a question of one hundred or two hundred — there is no counting the number of those who have been reborn in Heaven by reposing faith in me.” The multitude were not free from doubt. The Teacher, perceiving that they were not free from doubt, commanded, “Let the deity Maṭṭhakuṇḍali come hither in his mansion.” Thereupon Maṭṭhakuṇḍali drew near, three-quarters of a league in height, his person adorned with celestial adornments. Descending from his mansion, he paid obeisance to the Teacher and stood respectfully on one side. The Teacher asked him, “What work of merit did you perform to attain this glory?”