4. Devatāvagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.33

Numbered Discourses 6.33

4. Devatāvagga

4. Deities

Dutiyaaparihānasutta

Non-decline (2nd)

“Imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhikkhave, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca:

“Tonight, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, came to me, bowed, stood to one side, and said to me:

‘chayime, bhante, dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti.

‘Sir, these six things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.

Katame cha?

What six?

Satthugāravatā, dhammagāravatā, saṅghagāravatā, sikkhāgāravatā, hirigāravatā, ottappagāravatā—

Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training, for conscience, and for prudence.

ime kho, bhante, cha dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī’ti.

These six things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.’

Idamavoca, bhikkhave, sā devatā.

That is what that deity said.

Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there.

Satthugaru dhammagaru,

One respectful of the Teacher and the teaching,

saṅghe ca tibbagāravo;

keenly respecting the Saṅgha;

Hiriottappasampanno,

endowed with conscience and prudence,

sappatisso sagāravo;

reverential and respectful—

Abhabbo parihānāya,

it is impossible for them to decline;

nibbānasseva santike”ti.

they have drawn near to extinguishment.”

Tatiyaṁ.