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SN 29.21–501 min read

Thirty Discourses On How Giving Helps to Become Womb-Born, Etc.

Jalābujādidānūpakārasuttattiṁsaka

One becomes a womb born, moisture born, or spontaneously 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 29.21–50Linked Discourses 29.21–50
  • 0.21. Nāgavagga1. Dragons

0.3JalābujādidānūpakārasuttattiṁsakaThirty Discourses On How Giving Helps to Become Womb-Born, Etc.

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha:

1.3“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā jalābujānaṁ nāgānaṁ …pe…“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 womb-born dragons …1.4saṁsedajānaṁ nāgānaṁ …pe…moisture-born dragons …1.5opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?spontaneously-born dragons?”

2.1PTS 3.246“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‘opapātikā nāgā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti.‘The spontaneously-born dragons are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’2.4Tassa evaṁ hoti:They think:2.5‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti.‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born dragons!’2.6So annaṁ deti …pe…They give food …2.7pānaṁ deti …pe…drink …2.8padīpeyyaṁ deti.a lamp.2.9So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born dragons.2.10Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ 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 spontaneously-born dragons.”

3.1(Iminā peyyālena dasa dasa suttantā kātabbā.(Each set of ten discourses of this series should be told in full the same way.)3.2Evaṁ catūsu yonīsu cattālīsaṁ veyyākaraṇā honti.3.3Purimehi pana dasahi suttantehi saha honti paṇṇāsasuttantāti.)

3.4Nāgavaggo paṭhamo.

4.0Tassuddānaṁ

4.1Suddhikaṁ paṇītataraṁ,4.2caturo ca uposathā;4.3Tassa sutaṁ caturo ca,4.4dānūpakārā ca tālīsaṁ;4.5Paṇṇāsa piṇḍato suttā,4.6nāgamhi suppakāsitāti.

4.7Nāgasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.The Linked Discourses on dragons are complete.