[III. The Miracles at Uruvelā]
[33: The Sacred Fire Miracles]
Then at that time those yogis who wanted to tend the sacred fires were not able to chop the firewood. Then this occurred to those yogis: “No doubt it is because of the Great Ascetic’s psychic power that we are not able to chop the firewood.” Then the Fortunate One said this to the yogi Uruvelakassapa: “Let the firewood be chopped, Kassapa.” “Let it be chopped, Great Ascetic,” and more than five hundred pieces of firewood were chopped.
Then this occurred to the yogi Uruvelakassapa: “Powerful and majestic is this Great Ascetic, since (on his say so) firewood can be chopped, but he is surely not a Worthy One like I am.”
* * *
Then at that time those yogis who wanted to tend the sacred fires were not able to light the fires. Then this occurred to those yogis: “No doubt it is because of the Great Ascetic’s psychic power that we are not able to light the sacred fires.” Then the Fortunate One said this to the yogi Uruvelakassapa: “Let the sacred fires be lit, Kassapa.” “Let them be lit, Great Ascetic,” and more than five hundred sacred fires were lit.
Then this occurred to the yogi Uruvelakassapa: “Powerful and majestic is this Great Ascetic, since (on his say so) sacred fires can be lit, but he is surely not a Worthy One like I am.”
* * *
Then at that time those yogis, after tending the sacred fires, were not able to put the sacred fires out. Then this occurred to those yogis: “No doubt it is because of the Great Ascetic’s psychic power that we are not able to put out the sacred fires.” Then the Fortunate One said this to the yogi Uruvelakassapa: “Let the sacred fires be put out, Kassapa.” “Let them be put out, Great Ascetic,” and more than five hundred sacred fires were put out.
Then this occurred to the yogi Uruvelakassapa: “Powerful and majestic is this Great Ascetic, since (on his say so) sacred fires can be put out, but he is surely not a Worthy One like I am.”