SN 2.10 belongs to the group that are chanted by monastics for devotional and ceremonial purposes. The intent of the sutta revolves around the Buddha’s intervention on a level capable of moving the spheres, which is supposed to illustrate his powers. This is to assist in the recollection of the Buddha, a devotional theme. While such a recollection does have a subsidiary place in western Buddhism, that particular image would not be appropriate in the scientific cultural context.
The images used for recollection of the Buddha in the western school depend on bringing to mind that he achieved enlightenment through his own efforts and that the path has been shown and can be experienced:
"But I tell you this: If — when you have gone into the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — there should arise fear, terror, or horripilation, then on that occasion you should recollect me: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.’ For when you have recollected me, whatever fear, terror, or horripilation there is will be abandoned.”
"If you can’t recollect me, then you should recollect the Dhamma: ‘The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.’ For when you have recollected the Dhamma, whatever fear, terror, or horripilation there is will be abandoned.”—-SN 11.3
The image of the Buddha intervening to have the sun and moon manipulated refers to the epithet “an expert with regard to the world,” where “world” refers to all three spheres of conditioned existence: Buddhanussati: Meditation on the Buddha - Theravada Buddhism & Meditation in Nicosia, Cyprus
