Viyahapannatti 16.5.675

16.5.675

And while the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, was narrating this matter to the Venerable Gautama, that god quickly arrived in that place. Then that god circumambulated the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, three times from left to right, praised and bowed to him, and having praised and bowed, spoke thus:

“Indeed, Venerable Sir, in the Mahāśukra kalpa, in the Mahāsāmānika celestial abode, a deceitful wrong-believing god who was reborn there said to me: ‘Pudgalas in the process of transforming are not transformed, they are untransformed; because they are transforming, pudgalas are not transformed, they are untransformed.’ Then I said to that reborn deceitful wrong-believing god: ‘Pudgalas in the process of transforming are transformed, not untransformed; because they are transforming, pudgalas are transformed, not untransformed.’ How is this matter, Venerable Sir?”

“O Gaṅgadatta!” the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra said thus to the god Gaṅgadatta: “I too, O Gaṅgadatta, declare, speak, explain, and set forth thus: ‘Pudgalas in the process of transforming are transformed, not untransformed; because they are transforming, pudgalas are transformed, not untransformed.’ This matter of yours is true.”

Then that god Gaṅgadatta, having heard and grasped this matter in the presence of the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, rejoiced and gratified, praised and bowed to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having praised and bowed, sat neither too near [nor too far], up to revering him.

Then the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, expounded Dharma to the god Gaṅgadatta and to that exceedingly large assembly, up to [the point where he] became an achiever [of righteousness].

Then that god Gaṅgadatta, having heard and grasped Dharma in the presence of the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, rejoiced and gratified, arose from his seat, and having arisen, praised and bowed to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having praised and bowed, spoke thus: “Venerable Sir, am I, the god Gaṅgadatta, capable of liberation or incapable of liberation? Possessed of right view or possessed of wrong view? Having a finite saṃsāra or having an infinite saṃsāra? One for whom enlightenment is easily attained or difficult to attain? An achiever or a non-achiever? In his final birth or not in his final birth?”

“O Gaṅgadatta!” the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra said thus to the god Gaṅgadatta: “Gaṅgadatta! You are capable of liberation, not incapable of liberation. Possessed of right view, not possessed of wrong view. Having a finite saṃsāra, not having an infinite saṃsāra. One for whom enlightenment is easily attained, not difficult to attain. An achiever, not a non-achiever. In your final birth, not not in your final birth.”

Then that god Gaṅgadatta, having been addressed thus by the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, with a mind rejoiced and pleased, delighted, glad at heart, exceedingly cheerful, his heart expanding with joy, praised and bowed to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having praised and bowed, spoke thus: “Venerable Sir, you know all and see all; you know in all respects and see in all respects; you know through all time and see through all time; you know all states and see all states.

Beloved of the gods knows whether before or after I attained, reached, and acquired such divine divine-power, divine divine-radiance, and divine divine-potency; therefore, with devotion toward the Beloved of the gods, I wish to display to the śramaṇas and Nirgranthas headed by Gautama my divine divine-power, divine divine-radiance, divine divine-potency, and the thirty-two-fold theatrical performance.”

Then the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, being spoken to thus by the god Gaṅgadatta, did not heed or take note of this matter of the god Gaṅgadatta, and remained silent.

Then that god Gaṅgadatta spoke thus a second and a third time to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra: “Venerable Sir, you know all and see all; you know in all respects and see in all respects; you know through all time and see through all time; you know all states and see all states.

Beloved of the gods knows whether before or after I attained, reached, and acquired such divine divine-power, divine divine-radiance, and divine divine-potency; therefore, with devotion toward the Beloved of the gods, I wish to display to the śramaṇas and Nirgranthas headed by Gautama my divine divine-power, divine divine-radiance, divine divine-potency, and the thirty-two-fold theatrical performance”—saying so, up to displaying the thirty-two-fold theatrical performance; and having displayed it, up to returned in that very direction.