Then Venerable Ānanda thought, “But there were also Magadhan devotees—many, and of long standing too—who have passed away. You’d think that Aṅga and Magadha were empty of devotees who have passed away! But they too had confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and had fulfilled their ethics. The Buddha hasn’t declared their passing. It would be good to do so, for many people would gain confidence, and so be reborn in a good place.

That King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha was a just and principled king who benefited the brahmins and householders of town and country. People still sing his praises: ‘That just and principled king, who made us so happy, has passed away. Life was good under his dominion.’ He too had confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and had fulfilled his ethics. People say: ‘Until his dying day, King Bimbisāra sang the Buddha’s praises!’ The Buddha hasn’t declared his passing. It would be good to do so, for many people would gain confidence, and so be reborn in a good place.

Besides, the Buddha was awakened in Magadha; so why hasn’t he declared the rebirth of the Magadhan devotees? If he fails to do so, they will be dejected.”

After pondering the fate of the Magadhan devotees alone in private, Ānanda rose at the crack of dawn and went to see the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and told the Buddha of his concerns, finishing by saying, “Why hasn’t the Buddha declared the rebirth of the Magadhan devotees? If he fails to do so, they will be dejected.” Then Ānanda, after making this suggestion regarding the Magadhan devotees, got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Soon after Ānanda had left, the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Nādika for alms. He wandered for alms in Nādika. After the meal, on his return from alms-round, he washed his feet and entered the brick house. He paid heed, paid attention, and concentrated wholeheartedly on the fate of Magadhan devotees, and sat on the seat spread out, thinking, “I shall know their destiny, where they are reborn in the next life.” And he saw where they had been reborn.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat. Emerging from the brick house, he sat on the seat spread out in the shade of the porch.

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, you look so serene; your face seems to shine owing to the clarity of your faculties. Have you been abiding in a peaceful meditation today, sir?”

The Buddha then recounted what had happened since speaking to Ānanda, revealing that he had seen the destiny of the Magadhan devotees. He continued: