[262] Thus Sakka, lord of gods, having delighted in and approved of the Blessed One's utterance, said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, agitation (ejā) is a disease, agitation is a boil, agitation is a dart; agitation drags this person along toward rebirth in this or that very state of existence; therefore this person comes to states high and low. Those questions for which I did not obtain even the granting of an opportunity among other ascetics and brahmins outside of here — those the Blessed One, whose vision extends over the long course of time, has answered for me; and the dart of doubt (vicikicchā) and uncertainty that was in me, that the Blessed One has drawn out."
"Do you recall, lord of gods, having asked these questions of other ascetics and brahmins?"
"I do recall, venerable sir, having asked these questions of other ascetics and brahmins."
"But how, lord of gods, did they answer? If it is no trouble for you, please speak."
"It is no trouble for me, venerable sir, where the Blessed One is seated, or one of the Blessed One's stature."
"Well then, lord of gods, speak."
"Venerable sir, those whom I supposed to be ascetics and brahmins dwelling in the forest, in remote lodgings — I approached them and asked these questions. Being asked by me, they could not answer; unable to answer, they questioned me in return: 'What is the venerable one's name?' Being asked by them, I answered: 'I, dear sirs, am Sakka, lord of gods.' They questioned me yet further: 'But what deed, venerable lord of gods, did you do to attain this station?' I taught them the Dhamma as I had heard it, as I had learned it. And they were pleased with just so much as this: 'We have seen Sakka, lord of gods, and what we asked him, that he has answered for us!' Invariably it is they who become my disciples, and not I theirs. But I, venerable sir, am a disciple of the Blessed One — a stream-enterer (sotāpanna), no longer subject to falling into states of woe, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as my destination."
"Do you recall, lord of gods, ever before this having obtained such an acquisition of joy, such an acquisition of gladness?"
"I do recall, venerable sir, before this having obtained such an acquisition of joy, such an acquisition of gladness."
"But in what way, lord of gods, do you recall having obtained, before this, such an acquisition of joy, such an acquisition of gladness?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.