It so happened that two yakkhas who were companions were flying from north to south on some business or other. They saw Ven. Sariputta -- his head newly shaven -- sitting in the open air. Seeing him, the first yakkha said to the second, "I'm inspired to give this contemplative a blow on the head."

When this was said, the second yakkha said to the first, "Enough of that, my good friend. Don't lay a hand on the contemplative. He's an outstanding contemplative, of great power and great might."

A second time, the first yakkha said to the second, "I'm inspired to give this contemplative a blow on the head."

A second time, the second yakkha said to the first, "Enough of that, my good friend. Don't lay a hand on the contemplative. He's an outstanding contemplative, of great power and great might."

A third time, the first yakkha said to the second, "I'm inspired to give this contemplative a blow on the head."

A third time, the second yakkha said to the first, "Enough of that, my good friend. Don't lay a hand on the contemplative. He's an outstanding contemplative, of great power and great might."

Then the first yakkha, ignoring the second yakkha, gave Ven. Sariputta a blow on the head. And with that blow he might have knocked over an elephant seven or eight cubits tall, or split a rocky crag. But right there the yakkha -- yelling, "I'm burning!" -- fell into the Great Hell.

Now, Ven. Moggallana -- with his divine eye, pure and surpassing the human -- saw the yakkha give Ven. Sariputta a blow on the head. Seeing this, he went to Ven. Sariputta and, on arrival, said to him, "I hope you are well, friend Sariputta. I hope you are comfortable. I hope you are feeling no pain."

"I am well, friend Moggallana. I am comfortable. But I do have a slight headache."

"How amazing, friend Sariputta! How awesome! How great your power and might! Just now a yakkha gave you a blow on the head. So great was that blow that he might have knocked over an elephant seven or eight cubits tall, or split a rocky crag. But all you say is this: 'I am well, friend Moggallana. I am comfortable. But I do have a slight headache'!"

"How amazing, friend Moggallana! How awesome! How great your power and might! Where you saw a yakkha just now, I didn't even see a dust devil!"

The Blessed One -- with his divine ear, pure and surpassing the human -- heard those two great beings speak in praise of one another in this way. Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

Whose mind is like rock,
    steady,
    unmoved,
dispassionate for things that spark passion,
unangered by things that spark anger:
    When one's mind is developed like this,
    from where can there come
    suffering & stress?