1At Sāvatthī … . Sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said to the Blessed One:

"Venerable sir, what is the cause and reason why someone here, with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in the company of the devas of the cloud-dwelling order?"

"Here, bhikkhu, someone practises good conduct of body, speech, and mind.[n.290] Rebirth as a cloud-dwelling is considered favourable and is thus the direct result of good conduct, unlike rebirth as a nāga or supaṇṇa, which is of mixed status and thus the result of ambivalent kamma.

He has heard: ‘The devas of the cloud-dwelling order are long-lived, beautiful, and abound in happiness.’

He thinks: ‘Oh, with the breakup of the body, after death, may I be reborn in the company of the devas of the cloud-dwelling order!’

Then, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the devas of the cloud-dwelling order.

"This, bhikkhu, is the cause and reason why someone here, with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in the company of the devas of the cloud-dwelling order."

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

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

"Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘valāhakakāyikā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti.

Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā valāhakakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti.

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā valāhakakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

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

Dutiyaṁ.