Visiting the Devas (c)

Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids

[1] THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Now the Exalted One,
just as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm,
or draw in his outstretched arm, -
even so did he vanish from Jeta Grove
and appear among the Devas of the Thirty-Three.

Then a number of the Devas of the Thirty-Three
came to see the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
saluted him
and stood at one side.

As they thus stood
the Exalted One said this to those Devas:

"It is a good thing, friends, to be blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Buddha
thus:

'He it is the Exalted One,
Arahant,
a fully Enlightened One,
perfect in knowledge and practice,
a Happy One,
world-knower,
unsurpassed charioteer
of men to be tamed,
teacher of devas and mankind,
a Buddha,
an Exalted One.'

As a result of being blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Buddha
some beings here,
when body breaks up,
after death
are stream-winners,
not doomed to the Downfall,
assured,
bound for enlightenment.

■

"It is a good thing, friends, to be blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Norm
thus:

'Well proclaimed by the Exalted One
is the Norm,
seen in this very life,
a thing not involving time,
inviting one to come and see,
leading onward,
to be known for themselves
by the wise.'

As a result of being blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Norm
some beings here,
when body breaks up,
after death
are stream-winners,
not doomed to the Downfall,
assured,
bound for enlightenment.

■

"It is a good thing, friends, to be blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Order
thus:

'Walking righteously is the Exalted One's Order,
walking uprightly,
walking in the right way,
walking dutifully
is the Exalted One's Order of Disciples:
namely,
the four pairs of men,
the eight sorts of men.

That is the Exalted One's Order of Disciples.

Worthy of honour are they,
worthy of reverence,
worthy of offerings,
worthy of salutations with clasped hands, -
a field of merit unsurpassed for the world.'

As a result of being blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Order
some beings here,
when body breaks up,
after death
are stream-winners,
not doomed to the Downfall,
assured,
bound for enlightenment.

■

"It is a good thing, friends, to be blessed
with the virtues dear to the Ariyans,
virtues unbroken,
whole,
unspotted,
untarnished,
giving freedom,
praised by the wise:
virtues untainted,
which lead to concentration of the mind.

As a result of being blessed with the virtues dear to the Ariyans,
some beings here,
when body breaks up,
after death
are stream-winners,
not doomed to the Downfall,
assured,
bound for enlightenment."

"It is indeed a good thing, most worthy sir, -
this winning of unwavering loyalty to the Buddha,
thus:

True it is that as a result of being blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Buddha
some beings here,
when body breaks up,
after death
are stream-winners,
not doomed to the Downfall,
assured,
bound for enlightenment.

■

"It is indeed a good thing, most worthy sir, -
this winning of unwavering loyalty to the Norm
thus:

'Well proclaimed by the Exalted One
is the Norm,
seen in this very life,
a thing not involving time,
inviting one to come and see,
leading onward,
to be known for themselves
by the wise.'

True it is that as a result of being blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Norm
some beings here,
when body breaks up,
after death
are stream-winners,
not doomed to the Downfall,
assured,
bound for enlightenment.

■

"It is indeed a good thing, most worthy sir, -
this winning of unwavering loyalty to the Order
thus:

That is the Exalted One's Order of Disciples.

Worthy of honour are they,
worthy of reverence,
worthy of offerings,
worthy of salutations with clasped hands, -
a field of merit unsurpassed for the world.'

True it is that as a result of being blessed with unwavering loyalty to the Order
some beings here,
when body breaks up,
after death
are stream-winners,
not doomed to the Downfall,
assured,
bound for enlightenment.

■

"It is indeed a good thing, most worthy sir, -
this winning of virtues dear to the Ariyans,
virtues unbroken,
whole,
unspotted,
untarnished,
giving freedom,
praised by the wise:
virtues untainted,
which lead to concentration of the mind.

True it is that as a result of being blessed with the virtues dear to the Ariyans,
some beings here,
when body breaks up,
after death
are stream-winners,
not doomed to the Downfall,
assured,
bound for enlightenment."

Saṃyutta Nikāya 5. Mahā-Vagga 55. Sot'Āpatti Saṃyutta 2. Sahassaka or Rājakārama Vagga

The Book of the Kindred Sayings 5. The Great Chapter 55. Kindred Sayings on Streamwinning 2. Thousandfold or Royal Park

Sutta 20

Tatiya Deva-Cārika Suttaṃ

Visiting the Devas (c)

Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
55. Sot'Āpatti Saṃyutta
2. Sahassaka or Rājakārama Vagga

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
55. Kindred Sayings on Streamwinning
2. Thousandfold or Royal Park