On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then the male lay follower Vāseṭṭha approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:
“Vāseṭṭha, observed complete in eight factors, the uposatha is of great fruit and benefit, extraordinarily brilliant and pervasive. And how is the uposatha observed complete in eight factors, so that it is of great fruit and benefit, extraordinarily brilliant and pervasive?”
All as in 8:42, including the verses.
When this was said, the male lay follower Vāseṭṭha said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, if my beloved relatives and family members would observe the uposatha complete in eight factors, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. If all khattiyas would observe the uposatha complete in eight factors, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. If all brahmins … vessas … suddas would observe the uposatha complete in eight factors, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time.”
“So it is, Vāseṭṭha, so it is! If all khattiyas would observe the uposatha complete in eight factors, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. If all brahmins … vessas … suddas would observe the uposatha complete in eight factors, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. If the world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, would observe the uposatha complete in eight factors, that would lead to the welfare and happiness of the world for a long time. If these great sal trees would observe the uposatha complete in eight factors, that would lead to the welfare and happiness of these great sal trees for a long time, if they could choose. How much more then for a human being!”