[161] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Gayā, on Gayāsīsa. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus!" … The Blessed One said this:
"Bhikkhus, before my full awakening, while I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, I perceived only a light (obhāsa), but I did not see forms. It occurred to me, bhikkhus: 'If I were both to perceive a light and to see forms, in that way this knowledge and vision (ñāṇadassana) of mine would be more fully purified.' So then, bhikkhus, at a later time, as I dwelt diligent, ardent, and resolute, I both perceived a light and saw forms; but I did not stand together with those deities, converse with them, or enter into discussion with them.
"It occurred to me, bhikkhus: 'If I were to perceive a light and to see forms, and were to stand together with those deities, converse with them, and enter into discussion with them, in that way this knowledge and vision of mine would be more fully purified.' So then, bhikkhus, at a later time, as I dwelt diligent, ardent, and resolute, I perceived a light and saw forms, and I stood together with those deities, conversed with them, and entered into discussion with them; but I did not know of those deities: 'These deities are from such and such a company of devas.'
"It occurred to me, bhikkhus: 'If I were to perceive a light and to see forms, and were to stand together with those deities, converse with them, and enter into discussion with them, and were to know of those deities: "These deities are from such and such a company of devas," in that way this knowledge and vision of mine would be more fully purified.' So then, bhikkhus, at a later time, as I dwelt diligent, ardent, and resolute, I perceived a light and saw forms, I stood together with those deities, conversed with them, and entered into discussion with them, and I knew of those deities: 'These deities are from such and such a company of devas'; but I did not know of those deities: 'These deities, as the result of this kamma, passed away from here and were reborn there.'
"And though I came to know of those deities: 'These deities, as the result of this kamma, passed away from here and were reborn there,' yet I did not know of those deities: 'These deities have such food, and they experience such pleasure and pain.' And though I came to know of those deities: 'These deities have such food, and they experience such pleasure and pain,' yet I did not know of those deities: 'These deities have such a long life span, they endure for so long.' And though I came to know of those deities: 'These deities have such a long life span, they endure for so long,' yet I did not know of those deities whether or not I had previously dwelt together with these deities.
"It occurred to me, bhikkhus: 'If I were to perceive a light and to see forms; and were to stand together with those deities, converse with them, and enter into discussion with them; and were to know of those deities: "These deities are from such and such a company of devas"; and were to know of those deities: "These deities, as the result of this kamma, passed away from here and were reborn there"; and were to know of those deities: "These deities have such food, and they experience such pleasure and pain"; and were to know of those deities: "These deities have such a long life span, they endure for so long"; and were to know of those deities whether or not I had previously dwelt together with these deities — in that way this knowledge and vision of mine would be more fully purified.'
"So then, bhikkhus, at a later time, as I dwelt diligent, ardent, and resolute, I perceived a light and saw forms; I stood together with those deities, conversed with them, and entered into discussion with them; I knew of those deities: 'These deities are from such and such a company of devas'; I knew of those deities: 'These deities, as the result of this kamma, passed away from here and were reborn there'; I knew of those deities: 'These deities have such food, and they experience such pleasure and pain'; I knew of those deities: 'These deities have such a long life span, they endure for so long'; and I knew of those deities whether or not I had previously dwelt together with those deities.
"So long, bhikkhus, as this knowledge and vision pertaining to the devas (adhidevañāṇadassana), with its eight rounds, was not thoroughly purified in me, I did not claim, bhikkhus, to have fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect awakening in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans. But when, bhikkhus, this knowledge and vision pertaining to the devas, with its eight rounds, was thoroughly purified in me, then, bhikkhus, I claimed to have fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect awakening in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans. And the knowledge (ñāṇa) and vision arose in me: 'Unshakable is my deliverance of mind (cetovimutti); this is my final birth; now there is no renewed existence.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.