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The state that is thus and otherwise,

The coming and going of beings.

Brahmā, I understand your reach and your sway to extend thus: Baka the Brahmā has this much power, this much might, [329] this much influence.508

10. “‘But, Brahmā, there are three other bodies, which you neither know nor see, and which I know and see. There is the body called [the gods of] Streaming Radiance, from which you passed away and reappeared here.509 Because you have dwelt here long, your memory of that has lapsed, and hence you do not know or see it, but I know and see it. Thus, Brahmā, in regard to direct knowledge I do not stand merely at the same level as you, how then could I know less? Rather, I know more than you.510

“‘There is the body called [the gods of] Refulgent Glory… There is the body called [the gods of] Great Fruit. You do not know or see that, but I know and see it. Thus, Brahmā, in regard to direct knowledge I do not stand merely at the same level as you, how then could I know less? Rather, I know more than you.

11. “‘Brahmā, having directly known earth as earth, and having directly known that which is not partaken of the earthness of earth, I did not claim to be earth, I did not claim to be in earth, I did not claim to be apart from earth, I did not claim earth to be “mine,” I did not affirm earth.511 Thus, Brahmā, in regard to direct knowledge I do not stand merely at the same level as you, how then could I know less? Rather, I know more than you.

12-23. “‘Brahmā, having directly known water as water…fire as fire…air as air…beings as beings…gods as gods…Pajāpati as Pajāpati…Brahmā as Brahmā…the gods of Streaming Radiance as the gods of Streaming Radiance…the gods of Refulgent Glory as the gods of Refulgent Glory…the gods of Great Fruit as the gods of Great Fruit…the Overlord as the Overlord…all as all, and having directly known that which is not partaken of the allness of all, I did not claim to be all, I did not claim to be in all, I did not claim to be apart from all, I did not claim all to be “mine,” I did not affirm all. Thus, Brahmā, in regard to direct knowledge, I do not stand merely at the same level as you, how then could I know less? Rather, I know more than you.’

24. “‘Good sir, if that is not partaken of by the allness of all, may it not turn out to be vacuous and empty for you!’512

25. “‘Consciousness non-manifesting,

Boundless, luminous all-round:513

that is not partaken of by the earthness of earth, that is not partaken of by the waterness of water…[330]…that is not partaken of by the allness of all.’

26. “‘Good sir, I shall vanish from you.’

“‘Vanish from me if you can, Brahmā.’

“Then Baka the Brahmā, saying: ‘I shall vanish from the recluse Gotama, I shall vanish from the recluse Gotama,’ was unable to vanish. Thereupon I said: ‘Brahmā, I shall vanish from you.’

“‘Vanish from me if you can, good sir.’

“Then I performed such a feat of supernormal power that the Brahmā and the Brahmā’s Assembly and the members of the Brahmā’s Assembly could hear my voice but could not see me. After I had vanished, I uttered this stanza:

27. “‘Having seen fear in being

And [having seen] that being will cease to be,

I did not welcome any kind of being,

Nor did I cling to delight.’514

28. “At that the Brahmā and the Brahmā’s Assembly and the members of the Brahmā’s Assembly were struck with wonder and amazement, saying: ‘It is wonderful, sirs, it is marvellous, the great power and great might of the recluse Gotama! We have never before seen or heard of any other recluse or brahmin who had such great power and such great might as has this recluse Gotama, who went forth from a Sakyan clan. Sirs, though living in a generation that delights in being, that takes delight in being, that rejoices in being, he has extirpated being together with its root.’

29. “Then Māra the Evil One took possession of a member of the Brahmā’s Assembly, and he said to me: ‘Good sir, if that is what you know, if that is what you have discovered, do not guide your