‘Lion’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. When the Realized One teaches Dhamma to an assembly, this is his lion’s roar. When the Realized One teaches the monks … nuns … laymen … laywomen … or ordinary people—even food-carriers and hunters—he teaches them carefully, not carelessly. Why is that? Because the Realized One has respect and reverence for the teaching.”

Numbered Discourses 5.100 10. With Kakudha With Kakudha

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery.

At that time the Koliyan named Kakudha—Venerable Mahāmoggallāna’s supporter—had recently passed away and been reborn in a certain host of mind-made gods. His incarnation was two or three times the size of a Magadhan village with its fields. But with that incarnation he didn’t obstruct himself or others.

Then the godling Kakudha went up to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, “Sir, this fixed desire arose in Devadatta: ‘I shall lead the mendicant Saṅgha.’ And as that thought arose, Devadatta lost that psychic power.”

That is what the godling Kakudha said. Then he bowed and respectfully circled Mahāmoggallāna, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.