On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c15.52

v1.c15.52

To the north-west of the ārāma, we are next told, was a small tope which marked the spot at which Maudgala-putra (Maudgalyāyana or Moggallāno) made an ineffectual attempt to raise the girdle (or belt) of Śāriputra against the will of the latter. Once, the pilgrim relates, when the Buddha was at the Anavatapta Lake with a congregation of men and devas he discovered that Śāriputra was absent, and he sent Maudgalaputra through the air to summon him to the meeting. In a trice Maudgalaputra was in the Jetavana Vihāra where he found Śāriputra mending his canonical robes. When the Master's request was communicated to him Śāriputra said he would go as soon as his mending was finished, but Maudgalaputra threatened to carry him off by his supernormal powers. Śāriputra then cast his girdle on the floor and challenged his friend to lift it. Maudgalaputra tried all his magical powers; but although he produced an earthquake he could not move the girdle. So he went back alone through the air to Buddha, and on his arrival found Śāriputra already seated in the congregation. Thereupon Maudgalaputra declared that he had learned from this occurrence that the potency of *riddhi* (possession of supernormal physical powers) was inferior to that of *prajñā* (spiritual intuition or transcendental wisdom).