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pay homage in my name with your head at his feet, and say: ‘Venerable sir, the brahmin Dhānañjāni is afflicted, suffering, and gravely ill; he pays homage with his head at the venerable Sāriputta’s feet.’ Then say thus: ‘It would be good, venerable sir, if the venerable Sāriputta would come to the house of the brahmin Dhānañjāni, out of compassion.’”

“Yes, venerable sir,” the man replied, and he went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side and delivered his message. Then he went to the venerable Sāriputta and after paying homage to the venerable Sāriputta, he delivered his message, saying: “It would be good, venerable sir, if the venerable Sāriputta would come to the residence of the brahmin Dhānañjāni, out of compassion.” The venerable Sāriputta consented in silence.

28. Then the venerable Sāriputta dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he went to the residence of the brahmin Dhānañjāni, sat down on a seat made ready, and said to the brahmin Dhānañjāni: “I hope you are getting well, brahmin, I hope you are comfortable. I hope your painful feelings are subsiding and not increasing, and that their subsiding, not their increase, is apparent.”

29. “Master Sāriputta, I am not getting well, I am not comfortable. My painful feelings are increasing, not subsiding; their increase and not their subsiding is apparent. Just as if [193] a strong man were splitting my head open with a sharp sword, so too, violent winds cut through my head. I am not getting well…Just as if a strong man were tightening a tough leather strap around my head as a headband, so too, there are violent pains in my head. I am not getting well…Just as if a skilled butcher or his apprentice were to carve up an ox’s belly with a sharp butcher’s knife, so too, violent winds are carving up my belly. I am not getting well…Just as if two strong men were to seize a weaker man by both arms and roast him over a pit of hot coals, so too, there is a violent burning in my body. I am not getting well, I am not comfortable. My painful feelings are increasing, not subsiding; their increase and not their subsiding is apparent.”

30. “What do you think, Dhānañjāni? Which is better—hell or the animal realm?”—“The animal realm, Master Sāriputta.”—“Which is better—the animal realm or the realm of ghosts?”—“The realm of ghosts, Master Sāriputta.”—“Which is better—the realm of ghosts or the realm of human beings?”—“Human beings, Master Sāriputta.” [194] “Which is better—human beings or the gods of the heaven of the Four Great Kings?”—“The gods of the heaven of the Four Great Kings, Master Sāriputta.”—“Which is better—the gods of the heaven of the Four Great Kings or the gods of the heaven of the Thirty-three?”—“The gods of the heaven of the Thirty-three, Master Sāriputta.”—“Which is better—the gods of the heaven of the Thirty-three or the Yāma gods?”—“The Yāma gods, Master Sāriputta.”—“Which is better—the Yāma gods or the gods of the Tusita heaven?”—“The gods of the Tusita heaven, Master Sāriputta.”—“Which is better—the gods of the Tusita heaven or the gods who delight in creating?”—“The gods who delight in creating, Master Sāriputta.”—“Which is better—the gods who delight in creating or the gods who wield power over others’ creations?”—“The gods who wield power over others’ creations, Master Sāriputta.”

31. “What do you think, Dhānañjāni? Which is better—the gods who wield power over others’ creations or the Brahma-world?”—“Master Sāriputta said ‘the Brahma-world.’ Master Sāriputta said ‘the Brahma-world.’”

Then the venerable Sāriputta thought: “These brahmins are devoted to the Brahma-world. Suppose I teach the brahmin Dhānañjāni the path to the company of Brahmā?” [And he said:] “Dhānañjāni, I shall teach you the path to the company of Brahmā. Listen and attend closely to what I shall say.”—“Yes, sir,” he replied. [195] The venerable Sāriputta said this:

32. “What is the path to the company of Brahm̄? Here, Dhānañjāni, a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with