And then, after giving Venerable Vakkali this advice, the Buddha rose from his seat and went to the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Then Venerable Vakkali addressed his carers, “Come on, reverends, lift my cot and take me to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili. For how on earth could one such as I imagine dying in an inhabited area!” “Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants, and did as he asked. Meanwhile, the Buddha spent the rest of that night and day on Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Then, late at night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. One deity said to him, “Sir, the mendicant Vakkali is intent on liberation!” And another deity said to him, “He’ll definitely be well freed!” This is what those deities said. Then they bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right side, before vanishing right there.

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Come, mendicants, go to the mendicant Vakkali and tell him: