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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

32. Valāhakasaṁyutta: On Cloud Gods

I. Gods of the Clouds — SN32.3-12: Ten Discourses On How Giving Helps to Become a Cool Cloud God

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 cool clouds?”

“Mendicant, it’s when someone does good things by way of body, speech, and mind. And they’ve heard: ‘The gods of cool clouds 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 cool clouds!’ They give food … a lamp. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of cool clouds. 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 cool clouds.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

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

"Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘sītavalāhakā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sītavalāhakānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So annaṁ deti … pe … padīpeyyaṁ deti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sītavalāhakānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sītavalāhakānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī"ti.

Dvādasamaṁ.