Bakabrahmasutta untranslated

Bakabrahmasutta. Relates the story of the Buddha’s visit to Baka and the conversation between Baka and the Buddha on that occasion. The incidents of Baka’s previous life are referred to but without detail (SN.i.142 f). Cp. Brahmanimantikasutta.

This Sutta cannot be identical with the Bakabrahmasutta mentioned in the Theragāthā Commentary and quoted there in full (ii. 185 f). It is stated there that once when the Buddha was at Jetavana a certain Brahma conceived the view that no monk or recluse could come to his world. The Buddha, aware of this, went to the Brahma world and stood in the air enveloped in flame.

He was followed by Moggallāna, Kassapa, Kappina and Anuruddha. Moggallāna asked the Brahma if he still held the same view, to which he replied that he no longer thought that he was eternal (this shows that the Brahma of the story was most probably Baka.)

When the Buddha and his followers had departed, the Brahma sent one of his retinue to Moggallāna to find out if there were other disciples of the Buddha as mighty as he. Moggallāna’s answer was that there were many such (the Sutta is given at SN.i.144 ff., but there the name given is Aparādiṭṭhisutta).