This is how I heard. One time the Blessed One was staying in the province of Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s garden, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. Now on that occasion the Blessed One was meditating where he spent the day. Then the independent brahma Subrahma and the independent brahma Suddhāvāsa went to the Blessed One and stood at opposite doorposts. Then the independent brahma Subrahma said to the independent brahma Suddhāvāsa: “It is not the right time, dear sir, to visit the Blessed One. The Blessed One is meditating where he spent the day. In such and such a brahma world there is a very rich and mighty brahma. But he lives in negligence. Come, dear sir, let us go to that brahma world and convince him of the danger of his negligence.”
“Yes, dear sir,” the independent brahma Suddhāvāsa replied to the independent brahma Subrahma. Then, just as quickly as a strong man extends his drawn-in arm or draws in his extended arm, the independent brahma Subrahma and the independent brahma Suddhāvāsa disappeared from in front of the Blessed One and reappeared in that brahma world. That negligent brahma saw those independent brahmās coming in the distance and asked them: “Now, where are you coming from, dear sirs?”
“We have come, dear sir, from the presence of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Supremely Enlightened One. Dear Sir, you also should go to take care of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Supremely Enlightened One.”
When this was said, that brahma got irritated. Having created a thousand replicas of himself, he said to the independent brahma Subrahma: “Do you see, dear sir, how much power and might I have?”
“I see, dear sir, that you have so much power and might.”
“So, dear sir, when I am so powerful and mighty, what monk or other Brahmin should I go to take care of?”
Then the independent brahma Subrahma, having created two thousand replicas of him self, said to that negligent brahma: “Do you see, dear sir, how much power and might I have?”
“I see, dear sir, that you have so much power and might.”
“That Blessed One, dear sir, is still more powerful and mighty than both you and me. So, dear sir, you also should go to take care of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Supremely Enlightened One.”
Then that negligent brahma told the independent brahma Subrahma a verse:
“Hey, brahma, I am a meditator. My palace shines brilliantly in the northern direction. There are three hundred supaṇṇas, four hundred geese, and five hundred falcons.
[“Having owned such a delightful palace, to whom should I go to take care of?”]
Independent brahma Subrahma:
“Even though your palace in the northern direction shines brilliantly, having seen disadvantages of form and chronic trembling of form, the wise person takes no delight in form.”
Then that independent brahma Subrahma and independent brahma Suddhāvāsa, having convinced that negligent brahma of the danger of his negligence, disappeared right there. On a later occasion that formerly negligent brahma also went to take care of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Supremely Enlightened One.
