Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
55. Sot'Āpatti Saṃyutta
4. Puññ-ā-bhisanda Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
55. Kindred Sayings on Streamwinning
4. Flood of Merit
Sutta 34
Paṭhama Devapada Suttaṃ
The Path to the Devas (a)
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these four deva-paths to the Devas,[1]
for the purification of impure beings,
for the cleansing of foul beings.
What four?
Herein, monks, the Ariyan disciple has unwavering loyalty to the Buddha thus:
'He it is, the Exalted One,
Arahant,
a fully Enlightened One,
perfect in knowledge and practice,
a Happy One,
world-knower,
unsurpsassed charioteer of men to be tamed,
teacher of devas and mankind,
a Buddha,
an Exalted One.'
This is the first deva-path to the Devas,
for the purification of impure beings,
for the cleansing of foul beings.
Again, monks, he has unwavering loyalty to the Norm, thus:
'Well proclaimed by the Exalted One is the Norm,
seen in this very life,
a thing not involving time,
inviting one to come and see,
leading onward,
to be known for themselves by the wise.'
This is the second deva-path to the Devas,
for the purification of impure beings,
for the cleansing of foul beings.
Again, monks, he has unwavering loyalty to the Order, thus:
'Walking righteously is the Exalted One's Order,
walking uprightly,
walking in the right way,
walking dutifully
is the Exalted One's Order of Disciples:
namely,
the four pairs of men,
the eight sorts of men.
That is the Exalted One's Order of Disciples.
Worthy of honour are they,
worthy of reverence,
worthy of offerings,
worthy of salutations with clasped hands, -
a field of merit unsurpassed for the world.'
This is the third deva-path to the Devas,
for the purification of impure beings,
for the cleansing of foul beings.
Then again, monks, the Ariyan disciple blessed
with [338] the virtues dear to the Ariyans,
virtues unbroken,
whole,
unspotted,
untarnished,
giving freedom,
praised by the wise:
virtues untainted (by craving or delusion),
which lead to concentration of the mind.
This is the fourth deva-path to the Devas,
for the purification of impure beings,
for the cleansing of foul beings.
These, monks, are the four deva-paths to the Devas,
for the purification of impure beings,
for the cleansing of foul beings."
[1] Devapadaṇ (explained in next Sutta), either 'path to heaven' or 'path trodden by heaven-farers.' Here Comy. devānaṇ ñāṇena, deve vā ñāṇena akkantapadāni, adding 'persons who have these four fruits are reborn as devatā.'
