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Bakabrahma Sutta

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 (S.i.142 f). Cp. Brahmanimantika Sutta.

This sutta cannot be identical with the Bakabrahma Sutta mentioned in Theragāthā Commentary and quoted there in full (Thag.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 Mahā-Moggallāna, Mahā-Kassapa, Mahā-Kappina, and Anuruddha. Moggallāna asked the Brahmā if he still held the same view, to which he replied that he no longer thought that he was eternal. (This shows that the Brahmā of the story was most probably Baka.)

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