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SN 32.57PTS SN 3.2571 min read

Gods of the Rainy Thunderclouds

Vassavalāhakasutta

When the rain cloud gods decide to revel in their own element, the weather becomes rainy.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 32.57Linked Discourses 32.57
  • 0.21. Valāhakavagga1. Gods of the Thunderclouds

0.3VassavalāhakasuttaGods of the Rainy Thunderclouds

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, yenekadā devo vassatī”ti?“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why sometimes the heavens rain?”

1.4“Santi, bhikkhu, vassavalāhakā nāma devā.“Mendicant, there are what are called gods of the rainy thunderclouds.1.5Tesaṁ yadā evaṁ hoti:Sometimes they think:1.6‘yannūna mayaṁ sakāya ratiyā vaseyyāmā’ti, tesaṁ taṁ cetopaṇidhimanvāya devo vassati.‘Why don’t we revel in our own kind of enjoyment?’ Then, in accordance with their wish, the heavens rain down.11.7Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yenekadā devo vassatī”ti.This is the cause, this is the reason why sometimes the heavens rain.”

1.8Sattapaññāsamaṁ.

1.9Sattapaññāsasuttantaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

1.10Valāhakavaggo paṭhamo.

2.0Tassuddānaṁ

2.1Suddhikaṁ sucaritañca,2.2dānūpakārapaññāsaṁ;2.3Sītaṁ uṇhañca abbhañca,2.4vātavassavalāhakāti.

2.5Valāhakasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.The Linked Discourses on gods of the clouds are complete.

Translator’s notes

  1. The “gods” of the rainy thunderclouds are distinct from the “god” (singular) who sends rain. This is lost in translation, as I use the plural form “heavens” in the latter case. It seems the revels of the gods of the rainy clouds induce Indra to send forth rain.

    ↩ sn32.57:1.6