I recall having approached an assembly of hundreds of brahmins … householders … ascetics … the gods of the four great kings … the gods of the thirty-three … Māras … divinities. There too I used to sit with them, converse, and engage in discussion. And my appearance and voice became just like theirs. I educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired them with a Dhamma talk. But when I spoke they didn’t know: ‘Who is this that speaks? Is it a god or a human?’ And when my Dhamma talk was finished I vanished. But when I vanished they didn’t know: ‘Who was that who vanished? Was it a god or a human?’ These are the eight assemblies.”
Numbered Discourses 8.70 7. Earthquakes Earthquakes
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.
Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, get your sitting cloth. Let’s go to the Cāpāla Shrine for the day’s meditation.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his sitting cloth he followed behind the Buddha.
Then the Buddha went up to the Cāpāla Shrine, where he sat down on the seat spread out. When he was seated he said to Venerable Ānanda:
“Ānanda, Vesālī is lovely. And the Udena, Gotamaka, Seven Maidens, Many Sons, Sārandada, and Cāpāla Shrines are all lovely. Whoever has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power—made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them—may, if they wish, live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it. The Realized One has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power, made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them. If he wished, the Realized One could live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it.”