1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Great Wood, together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred mendicants, all of whom were perfected ones. And most of the deities from ten solar systems had gathered to see the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants.

Then four deities of the Pure Abodes, aware of what was happening, thought: “Why don’t we go to the Buddha and each recite a verse in his presence?”

2Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, they vanished from the Pure Abodes and reappeared in front of the Buddha. They bowed to the Buddha and stood to one side. Standing to one side, one deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

3“There’s a great congregation in the woods,
a host of gods have assembled.
We’ve come to this righteous congregation
to see the invincible Saṅgha!”

4Then another deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“The mendicants there have immersion,
they’ve straightened out their own minds.
Like a charioteer who has taken the reins,
the astute ones protect their senses.”

6Then another deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

7“Having cut the stake and cut the bar,
they’re unstirred, with boundary post uprooted.
They live pure and immaculate,
the young dragons tamed by the seer.”

8Then another deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

9“Anyone who has gone to the Buddha for refuge
won’t go to a plane of loss.
After giving up this human body,
they swell the hosts of gods.”

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu vihārati kapilavatthusmiṁ mahāvane mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi; dasahi ca lokadhātūhi devatā yebhuyyena sannipatitā honti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya bhikkhusaṅghañca.

Atha kho catunnaṁ suddhāvāsakāyikānaṁ devatānaṁ etadahosi: "Ayaṁ kho bhagavā sakkesu vihārati kapilavatthusmiṁ mahāvane mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi; dasahi ca lokadhātūhi devatā yebhuyyena sannipatitā honti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya bhikkhusaṅghañca. Yannūna mayampi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike paccekaṁ gāthaṁ bhāseyyāmā"ti.

2Atha kho tā devatā – seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva – suddhāvāsesu devesu antarahitā bhagavato purato pāturahesuṁ. Atha kho tā devatā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

3"Mahāsamayo pavanasmiṁ,
Devakāyā samāgatā;
Āgatamha imaṁ dhammasamayaṁ,
Dakkhitāye aparājitasaṅghan"ti.

4Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

5"Tatra bhikkhavo samādahaṁsu,
Cittamattano ujukaṁ akaṁsu;
Sārathīva nettāni gahetvā,
Indriyāni rakkhanti paṇḍitā"ti.

6Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

7"Chetvā khīlaṁ chetvā palighaṁ,
Indakhīlaṁ ūhacca manejā;
Te caranti suddhā vimalā,
Cakkhumatā sudantā susunāgā"ti.

8Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

9"Ye keci buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatāse,
Na te gamissanti apāyabhūmiṁ;
Pahāya mānusaṁ dehaṁ,
Devakāyaṁ paripūressantī"ti.