Poor
Daḷidda Sutta (SN 11:14)
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. There he addressed the monks: “Monks!”
“Yes, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said, “Monks, once there was a man living in this very Rājagaha—a poor, pitiful wretch of a person.1 He undertook conviction in the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Blessed One, undertook virtue, undertook learning, undertook relinquishment, undertook discernment. He—having undertaken conviction in the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Blessed One, having undertaken virtue, having undertaken learning, having undertaken relinquishment, having undertaken discernment—on the breakup of the body, after death, reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the company of the devas of the Thirty-three. There he outshone the other devas in beauty & in rank.
“Then the devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, & complained: ‘Isn’t it amazing, good sirs! Isn’t it astounding! Before, this young deva, when he was a human being, was a poor, pitiful wretch of a person. But now, with the breakup of the body, after death, he has reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the company of the devas of the Thirty-three. There he outshines the other devas in beauty & in rank.’
“Then Sakka the deva-king addressed the devas of the Thirty-three, ‘Dear sirs, don’t be indignant with this young deva. Before, this young deva, when he was a human being, undertook conviction in the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Blessed One, undertook virtue, undertook learning, undertook relinquishment, undertook discernment. He—having undertaken conviction in the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Blessed One, having undertaken virtue, having undertaken learning, having undertaken relinquishment, having undertaken discernment—on the breakup of the body, after death, has reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the company of the devas of the Thirty-three. There he outshines the other devas in beauty & in rank.’
“Then, conciliating the devas of the Thirty-three, Sakka the deva-king on that occasion recited these verses:
‘One whose conviction in the Tathāgata
is well-established, unshakable;
whose virtue is admirable,
appealing to the noble ones, praised;
who has confidence in the Saṅgha,
& vision made straight:
“Not poor,” they say of him.
Not in vain his life.
So conviction & virtue,
confidence & Dhamma-vision
should be cultivated by the intelligent,
remembering the Buddhas’ teachings.’”2
