Kevaddha's Request

One day, when the Blessed One was staying in the village of Nalanda, a layman named Kevaddha approached him. Kevaddha asked the Buddha to perform a miracle for the laypeople of Nalanda, either himself or by delegating one of his disciples. Kevaddha explained that Nalanda, a large village abundant in forests, water, livestock, and grain, had many followers of the Buddha. If the Buddha or his disciple performed a miracle, the people of Nalanda would become even more convinced of the Blessed One's teachings.
The Buddha refused Kevaddha, but he asked again. The Buddha refused again, and Kevaddha again asked Him. Then the Buddha explained the reason for the refusal.

Three miracles

The Buddha explains to Kevaddha that there are three miracles: the supernatural, the miracle of revelation, and the miracle of instruction.

Supernatural miracle

Supernatural miracles include: turning a single body into many, and many bodies into one; becoming visible or hidden from the eye; passing unhindered through walls, fences, and mountains; ascending into the sky and plunging into the earth as if into water; touching and grasping the sun and moon with one's hand; and even reaching the world of Brahma.
The Buddha asks Kevaddha: "What if a believer relates such a miracle to a non-believer, and the non-believer replies that this miracle is produced by the magic of the gandharvas (spirits capable of creating mirages and enchanting the mind)? Will the believer have anything to say in response?"

Kevaddha agrees that the believer will have nothing to say in response. Therefore, the Buddha explains, I fear, am ashamed, and avoid the supernatural miracle.

The Miracle of Revelation

The miracle of revelation is the ability to know the thoughts and aspirations of others. "What will happen if a believer tells a non-believer about this miracle, and the non-believer objects, saying that this miracle was performed by the art of manic?" (apparently referring to a mediumistic state)

Kevaddha reaffirms that the believer will have no valid objection. And the Buddha again explains that for this reason he fears, avoids, and is ashamed of the miracle of revelation.

The Miracle of Instruction

The miracle of instruction is that a knowledgeable person explains the truth about the cessation of suffering.

1) there is dissatisfaction, anxiety, a state of unhappiness, birth in the lower realms, 2) there is a cause of suffering, consisting of bad behavior of the body, bad behavior of speech, bad behavior of the mind; 3) there is destruction of the vicious qualities of the mind, liberation from birth and death; 4) there is a perfect Path leading to liberation, which consists of purification of behavior of the body, purification of speech, purification of the mind; (this sutta presents a complete exposition of the three sets of instructions: on morality, concentration and attainment, which make up the main part of the text ;for a detailed exposition of them, see Subha Sutta, Digha Nikaya 10).

The Buddha explains that, having experienced all three miracles and realized them, he is neither ashamed nor afraid, nor does he avoid the miracle of instruction alone. He illustrates this attitude, rather ironically, with the story of one of his disciples, which happened in an earlier time.

The Journey of Buddha's Disciple to the Kingdom of Brahma

In former times, one of the hermits in the Buddha's Sangha sought to discover the answer to the question of where and how the four great beginnings—air, fire, water, and earth—disappear. The hermit's concentration was so intense that the gates of the higher realms opened before him, and he entered them to receive the answer to his question.

Approaching Mount Sumeru, towering above existence, the yogi saw four great kings guarding the cardinal directions. He asked them his question about the disappearance of the great beginnings, but the great kings, who protect the heavenly worlds from the asuras (demons who fight against light), did not know the answer and suggested that he ask the thirty-three gods who dwell at the summit of Mount Sumeru. The hermit entered the abode of the gods and asked them the same question. But the gods did not know what to answer and suggested that he learn the answer from their leader, Shakra. Shakra, too, did not know the answer. Further, step by step, the hermit traverses the ladder of the worlds of Kamaloka (Kamaloka is the world of the gods who govern the desires of beings): 1) the world of Yama, where battles cease, ruled by the son of the gods, Suyama. This is the first of the worlds completely separated from the world of people; 2) the world of Tusita, where the joyful gods live, filled with spiritual rapture. From this world came Buddha Shakyamuni, and according to prophecy, Buddha Maitreya is destined to come. This world is ruled by the son of the gods, Santusita; 3) the world of Nirmanarati, ruled by the son of the gods, Sunirmita. The gods in these heavens possess unlimited magical powers and are able to create whatever they need for satisfaction; 4) the world of Parinirmita, ruled by the son of the gods, Vasavartin. The gods in these heavens govern other beings, who perform all kinds of work for them. In addition to deities of sublime wisdom, Maras are also born in these heavens, who, in order to control people, try to keep them dependent on the activity of the senses.

In all these worlds, however, no one can be found who could answer the hermit's question. He then reaches the world of Brahma, located beyond kamaloka (the world of Brahma corresponds to the first jhana, i.e., the stage of concentration free from sensory activity). The gods surrounding Brahma are unable to answer the hermit's question, and he goes to Brahma himself. After the hermit asks Brahma about the disappearance of the four great beginnings—earth, water, fire, and air—Brahma replies: "I am the great lord, the invincible, all-seeing, the best, the master, the father of the past and the future." The hermit replies: "I am not asking, venerable sir, whether you are the great and all-powerful lord, the father of the past and the future. I am asking where the four great beginnings—earth, water, fire, and air—are completely annihilated."

Brahma again answers: "I am the great lord, invincible, all-seeing, the best, the master, the father of the past and the future." And again the hermit returns Brahma to his question. And the third time, the same thing happened.

Then Brahma took the hermit by the hands, led him aside, and said, "(You see), these gods think there is nothing that Brahma cannot or does not know. Therefore, I did not answer in their presence. I do not know the answer to your question. Therefore, you acted wickedly in that, ignoring the Blessed One, you went elsewhere to seek an answer to the question you should have asked Him."

Then the ascetic, as quickly as one stretches out or bends one's hand, returned to the Buddha and asked Him his question.

The Buddha told his disciple that merchants sailing took with them a bird that could see the shore from a height. When they set out on the open sea, they released the bird. If it saw the shore, it flew toward it, guiding the ship. If it couldn't see the shore, it returned to the ship. By the ship, the Buddha meant Himself; by the bird, the disciple. Having circled the higher realms and not finding the shore (the answer to his question), the disciple returned to the Buddha.

Answer to the hermit's question

In answering the question itself, the Buddha says that the question is posed incorrectly. It should be asked this way: "Where are water and earth, fire and air, devoid of foundation (devoid of reality)? Where are long and short, subtle and gross, pleasant and unpleasant, devoid of foundation? Where are name and form completely destroyed?"

There is an infinite, unveiled wisdom (understanding). It has no attributes, and earth, water, fire, and air have no support in it. It has no basis for long and short, subtle and gross, pleasant and unpleasant. Here, name and form are completely destroyed.

Conclusion of the Sutta

After listening to the Buddha, Kevaddha experiences joy. This means that he needed not the satisfaction of his desire (which was denied to him), but, on the contrary, the deliverance from this desire. His need for supernatural arguments arose from an unclear understanding of the purpose of the Teaching; when clarity is restored, Kevaddha experiences satisfaction.