[252] Then the Blessed One said this to Sakka, lord of gods: "It is marvellous of the venerable Kosiya, it is astonishing of the venerable Kosiya, that you, who have many duties, many things to be done, should come here."
"Venerable sir, for a long time I have wished to come to see the Blessed One, but being occupied with certain duties and affairs of the Tāvatiṃsa gods, I was unable to come to see the Blessed One. On one occasion, venerable sir, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Salaḷa-tree hut (salaḷāgāraka). Then, venerable sir, I went to Sāvatthī to see the Blessed One. Now on that occasion the Blessed One was seated in a certain concentration (samādhi), and Bhujagī, an attendant of the Great King Vessavaṇa, was waiting upon the Blessed One; she stood paying homage with joined palms. Then, venerable sir, I said this to Bhujagī: 'Sister, bow down to the Blessed One in my name: "Venerable sir, Sakka, lord of gods, together with his ministers and retinue, bows with his head at the Blessed One's feet."' When this was said, venerable sir, Bhujagī said this to me: 'It is not the time, dear sir, to see the Blessed One; the Blessed One is in seclusion.' 'Then, sister, when the Blessed One has emerged from that concentration, bow down to the Blessed One in my name: "Venerable sir, Sakka, lord of gods, together with his ministers and retinue, bows with his head at the Blessed One's feet."' Venerable sir, did that sister bow down to the Blessed One for me? Does the Blessed One remember that sister's words?"
"She did bow down to me, lord of gods; I remember that sister's words. And moreover, it was at the sound of the venerable one's chariot-wheel that I emerged from that concentration."
"Venerable sir, from those gods who were reborn into the Tāvatiṃsa host before us I have heard face to face, received face to face: 'When Tathāgatas, Arahants, Fully Awakened Ones arise in the world, the heavenly hosts swell and the asura hosts dwindle.' This, venerable sir, I have seen as an eyewitness: since the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Awakened One arose in the world, the heavenly hosts swell and the asura hosts dwindle.
"Right here in Kapilavatthu, venerable sir, there was a Sakyan daughter named Gopikā, who had confidence in the Buddha, confidence in the Dhamma, confidence in the Saṅgha, and who fulfilled the precepts. Having faded out a woman's mind (citta) and developed a man's mind, with the breaking up of the body, after death, she was reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the companionship of the Tāvatiṃsa gods, attaining the state of a son of ours. There too they know him thus: 'the god-son Gopaka, the god-son Gopaka.' And three other bhikkhus, venerable sir, having lived the holy life under the Blessed One, were reborn in the inferior gandhabba host. Supplied and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure, being entertained, they come to attend upon us, to serve us. When they had come to attend upon us and serve us, the god-son Gopaka rebuked them: 'With faces turned where, dear sirs, did you take up (āyūhittha) the Dhamma of that Blessed One? For I, being but a woman, having confidence in the Buddha, confidence in the Dhamma, confidence in the Saṅgha, fulfilling the precepts, having faded out a woman's mind and developed a man's mind, with the breaking up of the body, after death, was reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the companionship of the Tāvatiṃsa gods, attaining the state of a son of Sakka, lord of gods. Here too they know me thus: "the god-son Gopaka, the god-son Gopaka." But you, dear sirs, having lived the holy life under the Blessed One, were reborn in the inferior gandhabba host. A sorry sight indeed, sirs, have we seen, in that we saw fellows in the Dhamma reborn in the inferior gandhabba host.' Of those rebuked by the god-son Gopaka, venerable sir, two gods regained mindfulness in that very life [and passed to] the Brahmapurohita body, but one god remained dwelling in sensual pleasures."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.