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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

I. Fairies — SN31.13-22: Ten Discourses On How Giving Helps to Become a Fragrant Root Fairy

1At Sāvatthī.

Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha:

“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why someone, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the gods of fairykind who live in fragrant roots?”

“Mendicant, it’s when someone does good things by way of body, speech, and mind. And they’ve heard: ‘The gods of fairykind who live in fragrant roots are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’ They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the gods of fairykind who live in fragrant roots!’ They give food … drink … clothing … a vehicle … a garland … fragrance … makeup … a bed … a house … a lamp. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of fairykind who live in fragrant roots.

This is the cause, this is the reason why someone, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the gods of fairykind who live on fragrant scents.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā mūlagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī"ti?

"Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘mūlagandhe adhivatthā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti.

Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā mūlagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So annaṁ deti … pe … pānaṁ deti … vatthaṁ deti … yānaṁ deti … mālaṁ deti … gandhaṁ deti … vilepanaṁ deti … seyyaṁ deti … āvasathaṁ deti … padīpeyyaṁ deti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā mūlagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā mūlagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī"ti.

Bāvīsatimaṁ.