1At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Then, late at night, several glorious deities of the Satullapa Group, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Standing to one side, one deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

2“Faith is a person’s partner.
If faithlessness doesn’t linger,
fame and renown are theirs,
and when they discard this corpse they go to heaven.”

3Then another deity recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

4“Give up anger, get rid of conceit,
and get past all the fetters.
Clingings don’t torment one who has nothing,
not clinging to name and form.”

5“Fools and unintelligent people
devote themselves to negligence.
But the intelligent protect diligence
as their best treasure.

6Don’t devote yourself to negligence,
or delight in sexual intimacy.
For if you’re diligent and practice absorption,
you’ll attain the highest happiness.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Atha kho sambahulā satullapakāyikā devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

2"Saddhā dutiyā purisassa hoti,
No ce assaddhiyaṁ avatiṭṭhati;
Yaso ca kittī ca tatvassa hoti,
Saggañca so gacchati sarīraṁ vihāyā"ti.

3Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi: 

4"Kodhaṁ jahe vippajaheyya mānaṁ,
Saṁyojanaṁ sabbamatikkameyya;
Taṁ nāmarūpasmimasajjamānaṁ,
Akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti saṅgā"ti.

5"Pamādamanuyuñjanti,
bālā dummedhino janā;
Appamādañca medhāvī,
dhanaṁ seṭṭhaṁva rakkhati.

6Mā pamādamanuyuñjetha,
mā kāmarati santhavaṁ;
Appamatto hi jhāyanto,
pappoti paramaṁ sukhan"ti.