[31] Bhikkhus, there are some ascetics and brahmins who are partial-eternalists and partial-non-eternalists, who declare the self (attā) and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal, on four grounds. And owing to what, with reference to what, do those honorable ascetics and brahmins, being partial-eternalists and partial-non-eternalists, declare the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal, on four grounds?
(1) Bhikkhus, there comes a time when, at some period or other, after the lapse 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 time.
Bhikkhus, there comes a time when, at some period or other, after the lapse 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 lifespan or through the exhaustion of merit, passes away from the Ābhassara host and arises in the empty Brahmā-mansion. There he too is mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory; and he remains thus for a long, long time.
Then, because he has dwelt there alone for a long time, there arises in him dissatisfaction and agitation: "Oh, that other beings too might come to this state!" Then other beings also, through the exhaustion of lifespan or through the exhaustion of merit, pass away from the Ābhassara host and arise in the Brahmā-mansion, in companionship with that being. 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 time.
Thereupon, bhikkhus, the being who arose there 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 that have been and of those that shall be. These beings were created by me. And why is that? Because formerly this thought occurred to me: 'Oh, that other beings too might come to this state!' Such was the aspiration of my mind, and these beings have come to this state."
And the beings who arose later also think thus: "This must be the honorable 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 that have been and of those that shall be. By this honorable Brahmā have we been created. And why is that? Because we saw that he had arisen here first, while we arose later."
Therein, bhikkhus, the being who arose first is longer-lived, more beautiful, and of greater power; while those beings who arose later are shorter-lived, less beautiful, and of lesser power.
Now this is possible, bhikkhus: that some being or other, having passed away from that host, comes to this state. Having come to this state, he goes forth from home into homelessness. Having gone forth from home into homelessness, then—by means of ardor, by means of striving, by means of application, by means of diligence, by means of right attention—he attains such concentration of mind (cetosamādhi) that, with the mind (citta) concentrated, he recollects that former abode, but recollects nothing beyond it. He speaks thus: "He who is that honorable 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 that have been and of those that shall be—the honorable Brahmā by whom we were created—he is permanent, stable, eternal, of a nature not to change, and will stand fast just so for ever and ever. But we, who were created by that honorable Brahmā—we are impermanent, unstable, short-lived, subject to passing away, and have come to this state."
This, bhikkhus, is the first ground, owing to which, with reference to which, some ascetics and brahmins, being partial-eternalists and partial-non-eternalists, declare the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.