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SN 29.11–201 min read

Ten Discourses On How Giving Helps to Become Egg-Born

Aṇḍajadānūpakārasuttadasaka

One becomes an egg born dragon due to ambivalent deeds in a past life, the appropriate aspiration, and giving various gifts.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 29.11–20Linked Discourses 29.11–20
  • 0.21. Nāgavagga1. Dragons

0.3AṇḍajadānūpakārasuttadasakaTen Discourses On How Giving Helps to Become Egg-Born

1.1PTS 3.245Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha:

1.2“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?“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 egg-born dragons?”

2.1“Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena dvayakārī hoti, vācāya dvayakārī, manasā dvayakārī.“Mendicant, it’s when someone does both kinds of deeds by body, speech, and mind.2.2Tassa sutaṁ hoti:And they’ve heard:2.3‘aṇḍajā nāgā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti.‘The egg-born dragons are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’2.4Tassa evaṁ hoti:They think:2.5‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti.‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the egg-born dragons!’2.6So annaṁ deti.They give food …2.7So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.2.8Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu …pe… upapajjatīti …pe…2.9so pānaṁ deti …pe…drink …2.10vatthaṁ deti …pe…clothing …2.11yānaṁ deti …pe…a vehicle …2.12mālaṁ deti …pe…a garland …2.13gandhaṁ deti …pe…fragrance …2.14vilepanaṁ deti …pe…makeup …2.15seyyaṁ deti …pe…a bed …2.16āvasathaṁ deti …pe…a house …2.17padīpeyyaṁ deti.a lamp.2.18So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the egg-born dragons.2.19Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti.This is the cause, this is the reason why someone, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the egg-born dragons.”

2.20Vīsatimaṁ.