At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha: Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why someone, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the gods of the clouds?” “ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā valāhakakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?

“Mendicant, it’s when someone does good things by way of body, speech, and mind. “Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati. And they’ve heard: Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘The gods of the clouds are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’ ‘valāhakakāyikā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti. They think: Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the gods of the clouds!’ ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā valāhakakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the clouds. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā valāhakakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. This is the cause, this is the reason why someone, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the gods of the clouds.” Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā valāhakakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.