Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c8.s3.8

v1.c8.s3.8

After existing for aeons, there appeared a palace of Brahmā (Brahma-vimāna). One of the Ābhassarā gods came to be reborn in the Brahmavimāna or the Brahma-world at the exhaustion of his merits or the span of his life.¹ But he felt very lonely and wished for companions. Like him other Ābhassarā gods also made their appearances in the Brahma-world.² The first Ābhassarā god, however, regarded himself as Brahmā or Mahābrahmā thinking that as it was by means of his reflection that other beings appeared in the Brahma-world, he must be their creator. The other beings were also under the impression that the first Ābhassarā god, Mahā-brahmā, having been in existence before them, must have been their lord and originator (issaro kattā nimmātā).³