SN 55.36

Devasabhāgatasutta

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgataṁ attamanā devā sabhāgataṁ kathenti. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Yā tā devatā buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatā ito cutā tatrūpapannā tāsaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘yathārūpena kho mayaṁ buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatā tato cutā idhūpapannā, ariyasāvakopi tathārūpena buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato ehīti devānaṁ santike’ti.

In Common With the Gods

“Mendicants, when someone possesses four things the gods are pleased and speak of what they have in common. What four? Firstly, a noble disciple possesses experiential confidence in the Buddha … There are deities who possess experiential confidence in the Buddha who passed away from here and were reborn there. They think: ‘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.’

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Yā tā devatā ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgatā ito cutā tatrūpapannā tāsaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘yathārūpehi kho mayaṁ ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgatā tato cutā idhūpapannā, ariyasāvakopi tathārūpehi ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato ehīti devānaṁ santike’ti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ attamanā devā sabhāgataṁ kathentī”ti.

Furthermore, a noble disciple possesses experiential confidence in the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they possess the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. There are deities who possess the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones who passed away from here and were reborn there. They think: ‘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.’ When someone possesses four things the gods are pleased and speak of what they have in common.”