This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard. Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Mendicants, don’t fear good deeds. “Mā, bhikkhave, puññānaṁ bhāyittha. For ‘good deeds’ is a term for happiness, for what is likable, desirable, and agreeable. Sukhassetaṁ, bhikkhave, adhivacanaṁ iṭṭhassa kantassa piyassa manāpassa yadidaṁ puññāni. I recall undergoing for a long time the likable, desirable, and agreeable results of good deeds performed over a long time. Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ puññānaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ piyaṁ manāpaṁ vipākaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ. Having developed a mind of love for seven years, for seven eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding I didn’t return to this world again. Satta vassāni mettacittaṁ bhāvetvā satta saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe nayimaṁ lokaṁ punarāgamāsiṁ. As the eon contracted I went to the realm of streaming radiance. Saṁvaṭṭamāne sudaṁ, bhikkhave, kappe ābhassarūpago homi; As it expanded I was reborn in an empty mansion of divinity. vivaṭṭamāne kappe suññaṁ brahmavimānaṁ upapajjāmi.

There I was the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the vanquisher, the unvanquished, the universal seer, the wielder of power. Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā homi mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī. I was Sakka, lord of gods, thirty-six times. Chattiṁsakkhattuṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko ahosiṁ devānamindo; Many hundreds of times I was a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. My dominion extended to all four sides, I achieved stability in the country, and I possessed the seven treasures. anekasatakkhattuṁ rājā ahosiṁ cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto sattaratanasamannāgato. Not to mention regional kingship! Ko pana vādo padesarajjassa.

Then I thought, Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘Of what deed of mine is this the fruit and result, that I am now so mighty and powerful?’ ‘kissa nu kho me idaṁ kammassa phalaṁ, kissa kammassa vipāko, yenāhaṁ etarahi evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo’ti? Then I thought, Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘It is the fruit and result of three kinds of deeds: ‘tiṇṇaṁ kho me idaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ, tiṇṇaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko, yenāhaṁ etarahi evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvoti, seyyathidaṁ—giving, self-control, and restraint.’” dānassa, damassa, saññamassā’”ti.

The Buddha spoke this matter. Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. On this it is said: Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“One should practice only good deeds, “Puññameva so sikkheyya, whose happy outcome stretches ahead. āyataggaṁ sukhudrayaṁ; Giving and moral conduct, Dānañca samacariyañca, developing a mind of love: mettacittañca bhāvaye.

having developed these Ete dhamme bhāvayitvā, three things yielding happiness, tayo sukhasamuddaye; that astute one is reborn Abyāpajjaṁ sukhaṁ lokaṁ, in a happy, pleasing world.” paṇḍito upapajjatī”ti.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard. Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.