[295] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Veḷuvana, at the Squirrels' Feeding Ground (Kalandakanivāpa). Now at that time the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna were dwelling on Mount Gijjhakūṭa. Then in the morning the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having dressed and taking his bowl and robe, approached the Venerable Lakkhaṇa; having approached, he said this to the Venerable Lakkhaṇa: "Come, friend Lakkhaṇa, we shall enter Rājagaha for alms." "Yes, friend," the Venerable Lakkhaṇa assented to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna. Then, as the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, at a certain spot he displayed a smile. Then the Venerable Lakkhaṇa said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "What now, friend Mahāmoggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition, for the display of this smile?" "It is not the time, friend Lakkhaṇa, for answering this question. Ask me this question in the presence of the Blessed One."
Then, when the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna had walked for alms in Rājagaha and, after the meal, had returned from the alms round, they approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Lakkhaṇa said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "Just now the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, while descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, displayed a smile at a certain spot. What now, friend Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition, for the display of that smile?"
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a skeleton going through the air; vultures, herons, and hawks, swooping down upon it again and again, pecked at it in the spaces between the ribs, tore at it, and plucked at it, while it uttered cries of anguish. Friend, it occurred to me: 'It is wonderful indeed, sirs! It is marvellous indeed, sirs, that there should be such a being, that there should be such a yakkha, that there should be such a peta, that there should be such an acquisition of individuality!'"
The bhikkhus complained, criticized, and spread it about: "The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna is laying claim to a superhuman state (uttarimanussadhamma)."
Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, truly disciples dwell having become vision; truly, bhikkhus, disciples dwell having become knowledge (ñāṇa), in that a disciple will know, or see, or witness such a thing. Formerly, bhikkhus, that being was seen by me also, yet I did not declare it. Had I declared it, others would not have believed me; and for those who would not have believed me, that would have been for their harm and suffering (dukkha) for a long time. That being, bhikkhus, was a cattle-butcher in this very Rājagaha. Through the ripening of that kamma, having been tormented in hell (niraya) for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years, through the remaining result of that very kamma he experiences such an acquisition of individuality. Moggallāna spoke the truth, bhikkhus. There is no offence (āpatti) for Moggallāna." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a piece of flesh going through the air; vultures, herons, and hawks, swooping down upon it again and again, pecked at it, tore at it, and plucked at it, while it uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a cattle-butcher in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a lump of flesh going through the air; vultures, herons, and hawks, swooping down upon it again and again, pecked at it, tore at it, and plucked at it, while it uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a fowler in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a flayed man going through the air; vultures, herons, and hawks, swooping down upon him again and again, pecked at him, tore at him, and plucked at him, while he uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a sheep-butcher in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a man with body-hairs of swords going through the air; those swords of his, rising up again and again, fell back upon his very own body, while he uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a pig-butcher in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a man with body-hairs of spears going through the air; those spears of his, rising up again and again, fell back upon his very own body, while he uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a deer-hunter in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a man with body-hairs of arrows going through the air; those arrows of his, rising up again and again, fell back upon his very own body, while he uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a torturer in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a man with body-hairs of needles going through the air; those needles of his, rising up again and again, fell back upon his very own body, while he uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a charioteer in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a man with body-hairs of needles going through the air; those needles of his, having entered his head, came out from his mouth; having entered his mouth, they came out from his chest; having entered his chest, they came out from his belly; having entered his belly, they came out from his thighs; having entered his thighs, they came out from his calves; having entered his calves, they came out from his feet, while he uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was an informer in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a pot-testicled man going through the air; when going, he went having lifted those very testicles onto his shoulder; when sitting, he sat upon those very testicles; vultures, herons, and hawks, swooping down upon him again and again, pecked at him, tore at him, and plucked at him, while he uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a corrupt village magistrate in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a man plunged head and all into a pit of dung." … "That being, bhikkhus, was an adulterer with others' wives in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a man plunged head and all into a pit of dung, eating dung with both hands." … "That being, bhikkhus, was a wicked brahmin in this very Rājagaha. In the dispensation of Kassapa the Perfectly Awakened One, having invited the Saṅgha of bhikkhus to a meal, having had a trough filled with dung and having had the mealtime announced, he said this: 'Sirs, eat from this as much as you wish, and carry some away as well.' Through the ripening of that kamma, having been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years, through the remaining result of that very kamma he experiences such an acquisition of individuality. Moggallāna spoke the truth, bhikkhus. There is no offence for Moggallāna." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a flayed woman going through the air; vultures, herons, and hawks, swooping down upon her again and again, pecked at her, tore at her, and plucked at her, while she uttered cries of anguish." "That woman, bhikkhus, was an adulteress in this very Rājagaha." … "Moggallāna spoke the truth, bhikkhus. There is no offence for Moggallāna."
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a foul-smelling, hideous woman going through the air; vultures, herons, and hawks, swooping down upon her again and again, pecked at her, tore at her, and plucked at her, while she uttered cries of anguish." … "That woman, bhikkhus, was a fortune-teller in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a woman—scorched, sweltering, besprinkled with embers—going through the air, while she uttered cries of anguish." … "That woman, bhikkhus, was the chief queen of the king of Kāliṅga. Overcome by jealousy, she showered her co-wife with a brazier of coals." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a headless trunk going through the air; its eyes and its mouth were upon its chest; vultures, herons, and hawks, swooping down upon it again and again, pecked at it, tore at it, and plucked at it, while it uttered cries of anguish." … "That being, bhikkhus, was an executioner of thieves named Dāmarika in this very Rājagaha." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a bhikkhu going through the air; his outer robe (saṅghāṭi) was burning, blazing, and glowing; his bowl too was burning, blazing, and glowing; his waistband too was burning, blazing, and glowing; his body too was burning, blazing, and glowing, while he uttered cries of anguish." … "That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, was an evil bhikkhu in the dispensation of Kassapa the Perfectly Awakened One." …
"Here, friend, as I was descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa, I saw a bhikkhunī …; I saw a sikkhamānā …; I saw a sāmaṇera …; I saw a sāmaṇerī going through the air; her outer robe was burning, blazing, and glowing; her bowl too was burning, blazing, and glowing; her waistband too was burning, blazing, and glowing; her body too was burning, blazing, and glowing, while she uttered cries of anguish. Friend, it occurred to me: 'It is wonderful indeed, sirs! It is marvellous indeed, sirs, that there should be such a being, that there should be such a yakkha, that there should be such a peta, that there should be such an acquisition of individuality!'"
The bhikkhus complained, criticized, and spread it about: "The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna is laying claim to a superhuman state."
Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, truly disciples dwell having become vision; truly, bhikkhus, disciples dwell having become knowledge, in that a disciple will know, or see, or witness such a thing. Formerly, bhikkhus, that sāmaṇerī was seen by me also, yet I did not declare it. Had I declared it, others would not have believed me; and for those who would not have believed me, that would have been for their harm and suffering for a long time. That sāmaṇerī, bhikkhus, was an evil sāmaṇerī in the dispensation of Kassapa the Perfectly Awakened One. Through the ripening of that kamma, having been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years, through the remaining result of that very kamma she experiences such an acquisition of individuality. Moggallāna spoke the truth, bhikkhus. There is no offence for Moggallāna."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.