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SN 55.36PTS SN 5.3941 min read

In Common With the Gods

Devasabhāgatasutta

When a person possesses the four factors of stream-entry, the gods regard them as similar to themselves.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 55.36Linked Discourses 55.36
  • 0.24. Puññābhisandavagga4. Overflowing Merit

0.3DevasabhāgatasuttaIn Common With the Gods

1.1“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgataṁ attamanā devā sabhāgataṁ kathenti.“Mendicants, when someone possesses four things the gods are pleased and speak of what they have in common.1.2Katamehi catūhi?What four?1.3Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—Firstly, a noble disciple possesses experiential confidence in the Buddha …1.4itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.1.5Yā tā devatā buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatā ito cutā tatrūpapannā tāsaṁ evaṁ hoti:There are deities who possess experiential confidence in the Buddha who passed away from here and were reborn there. They think:1.6‘yathārūpena kho mayaṁ buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatā tato cutā idhūpapannā, ariyasāvakopi tathārūpena buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato ehīti devānaṁ santike’ti.‘Possessing such experiential confidence in the Buddha, we passed away from there and were reborn here. That noble disciple possesses the same kind of experiential confidence in the Buddha, so they will come into the presence of the gods.’1

2.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme …pe…Furthermore, a noble disciple possesses experiential confidence in the teaching …2.2saṅghe …pe…the Saṅgha …2.3ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi.And they possess the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.2.4Yā tā devatā ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgatā ito cutā tatrūpapannā tāsaṁ evaṁ hoti:There are deities who possess the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones who passed away from here and were reborn there. They think:2.5‘yathārūpehi kho mayaṁ ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgatā tato cutā idhūpapannā, ariyasāvakopi tathārūpehi ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato ehīti devānaṁ santike’ti.‘Possessing such ethical conduct loved by the noble ones, we passed away from there and were reborn here. That noble disciple possesses the same kind of ethical conduct loved by the noble ones, so they will come into the presence of the gods.’2.6Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ attamanā devā sabhāgataṁ kathentī”ti.When someone possesses four things the gods are pleased and speak of what they have in common.”

2.7Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. MS reads the imperative ehīti (“do come!”), but I follow Bodhi’s emendation to the future ehiti (“will come”).

    ↩ sn55.36:1.6