← Saṃyutta NikāyaSN6.5Connected Discourses 6.5SuttaCentral (Bhikkhu Sujato translation)Select any verse to keep it — saved passages go to your Dhamma Deck, the same one the app uses.Linked Discourses 6.51. The AppealA Certain DivinityAt Sāvatthī.Now at that time a certain divinity had the following harmful misconception:“No ascetic or brahmin can come here!”Then the Buddha knew what that divinity was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from Jeta’s Grove and reappeared in that realm of divinity.Then the Buddha sat cross-legged in the air above that Divinity, having entered upon the fire element.Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thought,“Where is the Buddha staying at present?”With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, he saw the Buddha seated cross-legged in the air above that Divinity, having entered upon the fire element.Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from Jeta’s Grove and reappeared in that realm of divinity.Then Mahāmoggallāna—positioning himself in the east, below the Buddha—sat cross-legged in the air above that Divinity, having entered upon the fire element.Then Venerable Mahākassapa …positioned himself in the south …Venerable Mahākappina …positioned himself in the west …Venerable Anuruddha …positioned himself in the north, below the Buddha, sitting cross-legged in the air above that Divinity, having entered upon the fire element.Then Mahāmoggallāna addressed that Divinity in verse:“Good sir, do you still have the same viewthat you had in the past?Or do you see the radiancetranscending the realm of divinity?”“Good fellow, I don’t have that viewthat I had in the past.I see the radiancetranscending the realm of divinity.So how could I say todaythat I am permanent and eternal?”Having inspired a sense of awe in the Divinity, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, the Buddha vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in Jeta’s Grove.Then that Divinity addressed a member of his retinue,“Please, good fellow, go up to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and say to him:‘Moggallāna my good fellow, are there any other disciples of the Buddha who have power and mightcomparable to the worthies Moggallāna, Kassapa, Kappina, and Anuruddha?’”“Yes, good fellow,” replied that retinue member. He went to Moggallāna and asked as instructed.Then Mahāmoggallāna addressed that member of the retinue of Divinity in verse:“There are many disciples of the Buddhawho have the three knowledges,and have attained psychic power,expert in reading minds,they’re perfected ones with defilements ended.”Then that member of the retinue of Divinity, having approved and agreed with what Mahāmoggallāna said, went to that Divinity and said to him,“Good fellow, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:‘There are many disciples of the Buddhawho have the three knowledges,and have attained psychic power,expert in reading minds,they’re perfected ones with defilements ended.’”That’s what that member of the retinue of Divinity said.Satisfied, that Divinity approved what the member of his retinue said.