[13] "Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world (aggañña); and I understand what is higher than that; and understanding it, I do not misapprehend that very understanding. Since I do not misapprehend it, the quenching (nibbuti) has been known by me personally, within myself — directly knowing which, the Tathāgata does not come to ruin.
Bhaggava, there are some ascetics and brahmins who, according to their teachers' tradition, declare the origin of the world to be the creation of the Lord (issara), the creation of Brahmā. I approach them and say: 'Is it true, as it seems, that you venerable ones declare, according to your teachers' tradition, the origin of the world to be the creation of the Lord, the creation of Brahmā?' Asked thus by me, they affirm: 'Yes.' I say to them: 'But in what manner do you venerable ones declare, according to your teachers' tradition, that the origin of the world came about as the creation of the Lord, the creation of Brahmā?' Questioned by me, they cannot explain; unable to explain, they question me in return; and being questioned, I answer them:
'Friends, there comes a time when, now and then, after the passing of a long stretch of time, this world contracts. While the world is contracting, beings are for the most part bound for the Ābhassara realm. There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture (pīti), self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory; and they remain thus for a long, long stretch of time.
'Friends, there comes a time when, now and then, after the passing of a long stretch of time, this world expands. While the world is expanding, an empty mansion of Brahmā appears. Then a certain being, through the exhaustion of life-span or through the exhaustion of merit, passes away from the company of the Ābhassara gods and arises in the empty mansion of Brahmā. There he is mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory; and he remains thus for a long, long stretch of time. Because he has dwelt there alone for a long time, dissatisfaction and agitation arise in him: "Oh, that other beings too might come to this state!" Then other beings also, through the exhaustion of life-span or through the exhaustion of merit, pass away from the company of the Ābhassara gods and arise in the empty mansion of Brahmā, in companionship with that being. There they too are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory; and they remain thus for a long, long stretch of time.
'Therein, friends, the being who arose first thinks thus: "I am Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the All-Seeing, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker, the Creator, the Best, the Ordainer, the Master, the Father of those who have been and of those who are to be. By me these beings were created. Why is that? Because formerly this thought occurred to me: 'Oh, that other beings too might come to this state!' Such was my mind's aspiration, and these beings have come to this state." And the beings who arose afterward also think thus: "This honored one must be Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the All-Seeing, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker, the Creator, the Best, the Ordainer, the Master, the Father of those who have been and of those who are to be. By this honored Brahmā we were created. Why is that? Because we saw that he arose here first, while we arose afterward."
'Therein, friends, the being who arose first is longer-lived, more beautiful, and of greater authority; but the beings who arose afterward are shorter-lived, less beautiful, and of lesser authority. Now this is possible, friends: that a certain being, having passed away from that company, comes to this state. Having come to this state, he goes forth from home into homelessness. Having gone forth from home into homelessness, by means of ardor, by means of exertion, by means of application, by means of diligence, by means of right attention, he attains such concentration of mind (cetosamādhi) that, with mind thus concentrated, he recollects that former abode, but recollects nothing beyond that. He says: "He who is that honored Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the All-Seeing, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker, the Creator, the Best, the Ordainer, the Master, the Father of those who have been and of those who are to be — that honored Brahmā by whom we were created is permanent, stable, eternal, long-lived, of a nature not to change, and will remain just the same for all eternity. But we who were created by that honored Brahmā are impermanent, unstable, not eternal, short-lived, subject to passing away, and have come to this state."
'Is it in such a manner, sirs, that you venerable ones declare, according to your teachers' tradition, the origin of the world to be the creation of the Lord, the creation of Brahmā?' They say: 'That is just what we have heard, friend Gotama, even as the venerable Gotama says.'
Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world … — directly knowing which, the Tathāgata does not come to ruin."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.