One day, the Buddha went up to the Trayastrimsas heaven to preach to his deceased mother and the heavenly beings, and that lecture later became the famous Earth Treasure Sutra. After some time, the disciples missed the Buddha very much, so they went to visit Maudgalyayana in the Jetavana Garden. They paid their respects to him, sat down and asked,"Venerable One, do you know where the Buddha is?"

"Yes, I know where he is," Maudgalyayana replied."He is now in heaven, preaching to his mother and the celestials." The disciples were happy to hear this, so they got up and went back to their monastery.

Three months passed, and they went to Maudgalyayana again, "Venerable One, you know that we have not seen the Buddha for a long time and we miss him very much. We would like you to go to heaven for us and bring our best regards to the Buddha. Please also tell him that we miss him very much and that we would like to see him. We do not have the power to go up to visit him, whereas the heavenly beings have the power to travel down here to see him. So we hope the Buddha will return to earth as soon as possible."

Maudgalyayana agreed. After they all left, he went into meditation and immediately ascended to heaven. When he arrived there, he saw the Buddha preaching with all the heavenly beings around him.

Maudgalyayana protrated himself before the Buddha. "All the celestials here once heard sermons by other buddhas, so they were able to reach this heaven after they died. Isn't that true?"

"Yes, you are right," the Buddha said to him."All of them came here that way."

When the sermon was over, the celestials prostrated themselves before the Buddha and left. Maudgalyayana again spoke to the Buddha."Buddha, the monks asked me to bring their best regards to you. They miss you very much and would like to see you. However, they do not have the power to come up to see you in person, so they hope that you will return to our congregation as soon as possible."

The Buddha smiled. "Maudgalyayana, just tell them that in seven days I will return to the udumbara tree outside the city of Sankasya."

After the Buddha finished talking. Maudgalyayana prostrated himself before him one more time and returned to the congregation. He then told all the disciples what had happened. Seven days later, the Buddha returned as he had promised.