1 At one time the Auspicious One was dwelling in Rajagaha at the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel's feeding place. At that place the Auspicious One addressed the bhikkhus. “Bhikkhus.”

2 “Bhante.” those bhikkhus replied to the Auspicious One. the Auspicious One said this:

3 Formally, O bhikkhus, a certain man in this very Rajagaha, was a poor man, a wretched man, a miserable man. He undertook faith, undertook virtue, undertook learning, undertook generosity, undertook wisdom in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata. Having undertaken faith, having undertaken virtue, having undertaken learning, having undertaken generosity, having undertaken wisdom in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, with the breakup of the body, after death, he arose in a happy destination, a heavenly world, in companionship with the devas of Tavatimsa. [There] he clearly outshines the other devas with beauty and with glory.

4 Therein, O bhikkhus, the Tavatimsa devas protesting, being dejected, speaking in dispraise [said]: “It is marvellous indeed, Sir, it is unprecedented indeed, Sir. Indeed this son of the devas, formally, while he was a human being, he was a poor man, a wretched man, a miserable man. With the breakup of the body, after death, he arose in a happy destination, a heavenly world, in companionship with the devas of Tavatimsa. [Here] he clearly outshines the other devas with beauty and with glory.”

5 So then, O bhikkhus, Sakka, ruler of the devas, addressed the Tavatimsa devas: “Do not, dear sirs, find fault with this son of the devas. This son of the devas, dear sirs, formerly, while he was a human being, undertook faith, undertook virtue, undertook learning, undertook generosity, undertook wisdom in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata. Having undertaken faith, having undertaken virtue, having undertaken learning, having undertaken generosity, having undertaken wisdom in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, with the breakup of the body, after death, he arose in a happy destination, a heavenly world, in companionship with the devas of Tavatimsa. [Here] he clearly outshines the other devas with beauty and with glory.”

6 Then, O bhikkhus, Sakka, ruler of the devas, persuading the Tavatimsa devas, at that point in time, spoke these verses:

“Of whom faith in the Tathagata,
is well established, unshakable;
of whom there is goodness and virtue,
pleasing and agreeable to the noble ones.

Of whom there is faith in the Sangha,
and view that has come to be straight;
they say that “such a one is not poor,”
that such one's life is not lived in vain.

Therefore faith and virtue,
confidence and vision of the Dhamma;
the wise ones devote themselves to,
recollecting the Buddha's teaching.”

1 ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi bhikkhavoti.

2 bhadanteti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ. bhagavā etadavoca:

3 bhūtapubbaṃ bhikkhave aññataro puriso imasmiṃ yeva rājagahe manussadaḷiddo ahosi, manussakapaṇo manussavarāko. so tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye saddhaṃ samādiyi. sīlaṃ samādiyi. sutaṃ samādiyi. cāgaṃ samādiyi. paññaṃ samādiyi. so tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye saddhaṃ samādiyitvā sīlaṃ samādiyitvā sutaṃ samādiyitvā cāgaṃ samādiyitvā paññaṃ samādiyitvā kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapajji devānaṃ tāvatiṃsānaṃ sahavyataṃ. so aññe deve atirocati vaṇṇena ceva yasasā ca.

4 tatra sudaṃ bhikkhave devā tāvatiṃsā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: acchariyaṃ vata bho abbhutaṃ vata bho ayaṃ hi devaputto pubbe manussabhūto samāno manussadaḷiddo ahosi, manussakapaṇo manussavarāko. so kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapanno devānaṃ tāvatiṃsānaṃ sahavyataṃ. so aññe deve atirocati vaṇṇena ceva yasasā cāti.

5 atha kho bhikkhave sakko devānamindo deve tāvatiṃse āmantesi: mā kho tumhe mārisā etassa devaputtassa ujjhāyittha. eso kho mārisā devaputto pubbe manussabhūto samāno tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye saddhaṃ samādiyi. sīlaṃ samādiyi. sutaṃ samādiyi. cāgaṃ samādiyi. paññaṃ samādiyi. so tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye saddhaṃ samādiyitvā sīlaṃ samādiyitvā sutaṃ samādiyitvā cāgaṃ samādiyitvā paññaṃ samādiyitvā kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapanno devānaṃ tāvatiṃsānaṃ sahavyataṃ. so aññe deve atirocati vaṇṇena ceva yasasā cāti.

6 atha kho bhikkhave sakko devānamindo deve tāvatiṃse anunayamāno tāyaṃ velāyaṃ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

yassa saddhā tathāgate,
acalā suppatiṭṭhitā;
sīlañca yassa kalyāṇaṃ
ariyakantaṃ pasaṃsitaṃ.

saṅghe pasādo yassati,
ujubhūtañca dassanaṃ;
adaḷiddoti taṃ āhu,
amoghaṃ tassa jīvitaṃ.

tasmā saddhañca sīlañca,
pasādaṃ dhammadassanaṃ;
anuyuñjetha medhāvī,
saraṃ buddhāna sāsananti.