At one time the Buddha was staying on the slopes of Isigili at the Black Rock, together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred mendicants, all of whom were perfected ones. Thereupon, with his mind, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna checked to see whose mind was liberated and free of attachments.

Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought, “The Buddha is staying on the slopes of Isigili … with five hundred perfected ones. Mahāmoggallāna is checking to see whose mind is liberated and free of attachments. Why don’t I extoll him in the Buddha’s presence with fitting verses?”

Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said, “I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”

“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.

Then Vaṅgīsa extolled Mahāmoggallāna in his presence with fitting verses:

“As the sage, who has gone beyond suffering,
sits upon the mountain slope,
he is revered by disciples with the three knowledges,
destroyers of death.

Moggallāna, of great psychic power,
comprehends with his mind,
scrutinizing their minds,
liberated, free of attachments.

So they revere Gotama,
the sage gone beyond suffering,
who is endowed with all path factors,
and with a multitude of attributes.”