So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Good fellow, how did you cross the flood?” “kathaṁ nu tvaṁ, mārisa, oghamatarī”ti?

“Neither standing nor swimming, good sir, I crossed the flood.” “Appatiṭṭhaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.

“But in what way did you cross the flood neither standing nor swimming?” “Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarī”ti?

“When I stood, I sank under. “Yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, santiṭṭhāmi tadāssu saṁsīdāmi; When I swam, I was swept away. yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, āyūhāmi tadāssu nibbuyhāmi. That’s how I crossed the flood neither standing nor swimming.” Evaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.

“After a long time I see “Cirassaṁ vata passāmi, a brahmin fully quenched. brāhmaṇaṁ parinibbutaṁ; Neither standing nor swimming, Appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ, he’s crossed over clinging to the world.” tiṇṇaṁ loke visattikan”ti.

This is what that deity said, Idamavoca sā devatā. and the teacher approved. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho sā devatā: Then that deity, knowing that the teacher approved, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there. “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.