1.1PTS 4.75Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

1.3Atha kho dve devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then, late at night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. One deity said to him,1.4“etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo vimuttā”ti.“Sir, these nuns are freed!”

1.5Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:The other deity said to him,1.6“etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo anupādisesā suvimuttā”ti.“Sir, these nuns are well freed with no residue!”

1.7Idamavocuṁ tā devatā.This is what those deities said,1.8Samanuñño satthā ahosi.and the Teacher concurred.1.9Atha kho tā devatā “samanuñño satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.Then those deities, knowing that the Teacher concurred, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right, before vanishing right there.

2.1Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened.2.2“imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ dve devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhikkhave, ekā devatā maṁ etadavoca:2.3‘etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo vimuttā’ti.2.4Aparā devatā maṁ etadavoca:2.5‘etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo anupādisesā suvimuttā’ti.2.6Idamavocuṁ, bhikkhave, tā devatā.2.7Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsū”ti.

3.1Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti.Now at that time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was sitting not far from the Buddha.3.2Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi:He thought,3.3“katamesānaṁ kho devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:“Which gods know whether a person has remainder or not?”3.4‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?

3.5Tena kho pana samayena tisso nāma bhikkhu adhunākālaṅkato aññataraṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno hoti.Now, at that time a monk named Tissa had recently passed away and been reborn in a realm of divinity.3.6Tatrāpi naṁ evaṁ jānanti:There they knew that3.7“tisso brahmā mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo”ti.Tissa the Divinity was very mighty and powerful.

4.1PTS 4.76Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—gijjhakūṭe pabbate antarahito tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.And then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the Vulture’s Peak and reappeared in that realm of divinity.

4.2Addasā kho tisso brahmā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.Tissa saw Moggallāna coming off in the distance,4.3Disvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca:and said to him,4.4“ehi kho, mārisa moggallāna;“Come, my good Moggallāna!4.5svāgataṁ, mārisa moggallāna.Welcome, my good Moggallāna!4.6Cirassaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, imaṁ pariyāyamakāsi, yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya.It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here.4.7Nisīda, mārisa moggallāna, idamāsanaṁ paññattan”ti.Sit, my good Moggallāna, here, a seat is ready.”

4.8Nisīdi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno paññatte āsane.Moggallāna sat down on the seat spread out.4.9Tissopi kho brahmā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Then Tissa bowed to Moggallāna and sat to one side.

4.10Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho tissaṁ brahmānaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:Moggallāna said to him,4.11“katamesānaṁ kho, tissa, devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:“Which gods know whether a person has remainder or not?”4.12‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?

4.13“Brahmakāyikānaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:“The gods of the Divinity’s host know this.”4.14‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.

5.1“Sabbesaññeva kho, tissa, brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:“But do all of them know this?”5.2‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?

5.3“Na kho, mārisa moggallāna, sabbesaṁ brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:“No, my good Moggallāna, not all of them.5.4‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

6.1PTS 4.77Ye kho te, mārisa moggallāna, brahmakāyikā devā brahmena āyunā santuṭṭhā brahmena vaṇṇena brahmena sukhena brahmena yasena brahmena ādhipateyyena santuṭṭhā, te uttari nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti.Those gods of the Divinity’s host who are content with the lifespan of the Divinity, with the beauty, happiness, glory, and sovereignty of the Divinity, and who don’t truly understand any escape beyond:6.2Tesaṁ na evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:they don’t know this.6.3‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.6.4Ye ca kho te, mārisa moggallāna, brahmakāyikā devā brahmena āyunā asantuṭṭhā, brahmena vaṇṇena brahmena sukhena brahmena yasena brahmena ādhipateyyena asantuṭṭhā, te ca uttari nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti.But those gods of the Divinity’s host who are not content with the lifespan of the Divinity, with the beauty, happiness, glory, and sovereignty of the Divinity, and who do truly understand any escape beyond:6.5Tesaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:they do know this.6.6‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

7.1Idha, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu ubhatobhāgavimutto hoti.Take a mendicant who is freed both ways.7.2Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:The gods know of them:7.3‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā ubhatobhāgavimutto.‘This venerable is freed both ways.7.4Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā.As long as their body remains they will be seen by gods and humans.7.5Kāyassa bhedā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā’ti.But when their body breaks up gods and humans will see them no more.’7.6Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:This too is how those gods know whether a person has remainder or not.7.7‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

8.1Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu paññāvimutto hoti.Take a mendicant who is freed by wisdom.8.2Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:The gods know of them:8.3‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā paññāvimutto.‘This venerable is freed by wisdom.8.4Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā.As long as their body remains they will be seen by gods and humans.8.5Kāyassa bhedā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā’ti.But when their body breaks up gods and humans will see them no more.’8.6Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:This too is how those gods know whether a person has remainder or not.8.7‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

9.1Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu kāyasakkhī hoti.Take a mendicant who is a direct witness.9.2Tamenaṁ devā evaṁ jānanti:The gods know of them:9.3‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā kāyasakkhī.‘This venerable is a direct witness.9.4Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.9.5yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.Then they might realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’9.6Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:This too is how those gods know whether a person has remainder or not.9.7‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

10.1PTS 4.78Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu diṭṭhippatto hoti …pe…Take a mendicant who is attained to view. …10.2saddhāvimutto hoti …pe…freed by faith …10.3dhammānusārī hoti.a follower of teachings.10.4Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:The gods know of them:10.5‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā dhammānusārī.‘This venerable is a follower of teachings.10.6Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.10.7yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.Then they might realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’10.8Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:This too is how those gods know whether a person has remainder or not.”10.9‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.

11.1Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno tissassa brahmuno bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—brahmaloke antarahito gijjhakūṭe pabbate pāturahosi.Moggallāna approved and agreed with what Tissa the Divinity said. Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared on the Vulture’s Peak.11.2Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Then Mahāmoggallāna went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,11.3Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yāvatako ahosi tissena brahmunā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.and told him what had happened.

12.1“Na hi pana te, moggallāna, tisso brahmā sattamaṁ animittavihāriṁ puggalaṁ deseti”.“But Moggallāna, Tissa the Divinity didn’t teach the seventh individual, the signless meditator.”

12.2“Etassa, bhagavā, kālo, etassa, sugata, kālo.“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One!12.3Yaṁ bhagavā sattamaṁ animittavihāriṁ puggalaṁ deseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.May the Buddha teach the seventh individual, the signless meditator. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

12.4“Tena hi, moggallāna, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.“Well then, Moggallāna, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

12.5“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato paccassosi.“Yes, sir,” Mahāmoggallāna replied.12.6Bhagavā etadavoca:The Buddha said this:

13.1PTS 4.79“Idha, moggallāna, bhikkhu sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati.“Moggallāna, take the case of a mendicant who, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart.13.2Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:The gods know of them:13.3‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati.‘This venerable, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart.13.4Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.13.5yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.Then they might realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’13.6Evaṁ kho, moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:This too is how those gods know whether a person has remainder or not.”13.7‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.

13.8Tatiyaṁ.