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By Root 5928 0

earth and were disgusted with earth,502 who condemned water and were disgusted with water, who condemned fire and were disgusted with fire, who condemned air and were disgusted with air, who condemned beings and were disgusted with beings, who condemned gods and were disgusted with gods, who condemned Pajāpati and were disgusted with Pajāpati, who condemned Brahmā and were disgusted with Brahmā; and on the dissolution of the body, when their life was cut off, they became established in an inferior body.503 Before your time, bhikkhu, there were also recluses and brahmins in the world who lauded earth and delighted in earth,504 who lauded water and delighted in water, who lauded fire and delighted in fire, who lauded air and delighted in air, who lauded beings and delighted in beings, who lauded gods and delighted in gods, who lauded Pajāpati and delighted in Pajāpati, who lauded Brahmā and delighted in Brahmā; and on the dissolution of the body, when their life was cut off, they became established in a superior body.505 So, bhikkhu, I tell you this: Be sure, good sir, to do only as the Brahmā says; never overstep the word of the Brahmā. If you overstep the word of the Brahmā, bhikkhu, then, like a man using a stick to chase away the goddess of luck when she approaches, or like a man missing the earth with his hands and feet as he slips into a deep chasm, so it will befall you, bhikkhu. Be sure, good sir, to do only as the Brahmā says; never overstep the word of the Brahmā. Do you not see the Brahmā’s Assembly seated here, bhikkhu?’ And Māra the Evil One thus called to witness the Brahmā’s Assembly.506

6. “When this was said, I told Māra the Evil One: ‘I know you, Evil One. Do not think: “He does not know me.” You are Māra, Evil One, and the Brahmā and the Brahmā’s Assembly and the members of the Brahmā’s Assembly have all fallen into your hands, they have all fallen into your power. You, Evil One, think: “This one too has fallen into my hands, he too has fallen into my power”; but I have not fallen into your hands, Evil One, I have not fallen into your power.’

7. “When this was said, Baka the Brahmā told me: ‘Good sir, I say of the permanent that it is permanent, [328] of the everlasting that it is everlasting, of the eternal that it is eternal, of the total that it is total, of what is not subject to pass away that it is not subject to pass away, of where one is neither born nor ages nor dies nor passes away nor reappears that here one is neither born nor ages nor dies nor passes away nor reappears; and when there is no escape beyond this, I say that there is no escape beyond this. Before your time, bhikkhu, there were recluses and brahmins in the world whose asceticism lasted as long as your whole life. They knew, when there is another escape beyond, that there is another escape beyond, and when there is no other escape beyond, that there is no other escape beyond. So, bhikkhu, I tell you this: You will find no other escape beyond, and eventually you will reap only weariness and disappointment. If you will hold to earth, you will be close to me, within my domain, for me to work my will upon and punish.507 If you hold to water…to fire…to air…to beings…to gods…to Pajāpati…to Brahmā, you will be close to me, within my domain, for me to work my will upon and punish.’

8. “‘I know that too, Brahmā. If I will hold to earth, I shall be close to you, within your domain, for you to work your will upon and punish. If I will hold to water…to fire…to air…to beings…to gods…to Pajāpati…to Brahmā, I shall be close to you, within your domain, for you to work your will upon and punish. Further, I understand your reach and your sway to extend thus: Baka the Brahmā has this much power, this much might, this much influence.’

“‘Now, good sir, how far do you understand my reach and my sway to extend?’

9. “‘As far as moon and sun revolve

Shining and lighting up the quarters,

Over a thousandfold such world

Does your sovereignty extend.

And there you know the high and low,

And those with lust and free