In Common With the Gods (SN55.36)

Linked Discourses 55.36

4. Overflowing Merit

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.’¹

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.”