The Buddha teaches on a god, presenting a sixfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 6.69 A God

Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“chayime, bhante, dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti. Katame cha? Satthugāravatā, dhammagāravatā, saṅghagāravatā, sikkhāgāravatā, sovacassatā, kalyāṇamittatā ime kho, bhante, cha dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī”ti.

Idamavoca devatā. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho devatā “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:

“imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhikkhave, devatā maṁ etadavoca: ‘chayime, bhante, dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti. Katame cha? Satthugāravatā, dhammagāravatā, saṅghagāravatā, sikkhāgāravatā, sovacassatā, kalyāṇamittatā ime kho, bhante, cha dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī’ti.

Idamavoca, bhikkhave, devatā. Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyī”ti.

Evaṁ vutte āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā etadavoca:

“imassa kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Idha, bhante, bhikkhu attanā ca satthugāravo hoti satthugāravatāya ca vaṇṇavādī. Ye caññe bhikkhū na satthugāravā te ca satthugāravatāya samādapeti. Ye caññe bhikkhū satthugāravā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Attanā ca dhammagāravo hotisaṅghagāravo hotisikkhāgāravo hotisuvaco hotikalyāṇamitto hoti kalyāṇamittatāya ca vaṇṇavādī. Ye caññe bhikkhū na kalyāṇamittā te ca kalyāṇamittatāya samādapeti. Ye caññe bhikkhū kalyāṇamittā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Imassa kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī”ti.

“Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, sāriputta, imassa mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi.

Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu attanā ca satthugāravo hoti satthugāravatāya ca vaṇṇavādī. Ye caññe bhikkhū na satthugāravā te ca satthugāravatāya samādapeti. Ye caññe bhikkhū satthugāravā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Attanā ca dhammagāravo hotisaṅghagāravo hotisikkhāgāravo hotisuvaco hotikalyāṇamitto hoti kalyāṇamittatāya ca vaṇṇavādī. Ye caññe bhikkhū na kalyāṇamittā te ca kalyāṇamittatāya samādapeti. Ye caññe bhikkhū kalyāṇamittā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Imassa kho, sāriputta, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

“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, sovacassatā, kalyāṇamittatā

Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training; being easy to admonish, and good friendship.

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

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

Idamavoca devatā.

That’s what that deity said,

Samanuñño satthā ahosi.

and the teacher approved.

Atha kho devatā “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

Then that deity, knowing that the teacher approved, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhikkhave, 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, sovacassatā, kalyāṇamittatā

Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training; being easy to admonish, and good friendship.

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

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

Idamavoca, bhikkhave, devatā.

That is what that deity said.

Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyī”ti.

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

Evaṁ vutte āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā etadavoca:

When he said this, Venerable Sāriputta said to the Buddha:

“imassa kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi.

“Sir, this is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.

Idha, bhante, bhikkhu attanā ca satthugāravo hoti satthugāravatāya ca vaṇṇavādī.

It’s when a mendicant personally respects the Teacher and praises such respect.

Ye caññe bhikkhū na satthugāravā te ca satthugāravatāya samādapeti.

And they encourage other mendicants who lack such respect to respect the Teacher.

Ye caññe bhikkhū satthugāravā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.

And they praise other mendicants who respect the Teacher at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

Attanā ca dhammagāravo hoti

They personally respect the teaching …

saṅghagāravo hoti

They personally respect the Saṅgha …

sikkhāgāravo hoti

They personally respect the training …

suvaco hoti

They are personally easy to admonish …

kalyāṇamitto hoti kalyāṇamittatāya ca vaṇṇavādī.

They personally have good friends, and praise such friendship.

Ye caññe bhikkhū na kalyāṇamittā te ca kalyāṇamittatāya samādapeti.

And they encourage other mendicants who lack good friends to develop good friendship.

Ye caññe bhikkhū kalyāṇamittā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.

And they praise other mendicants who have good friends at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

Imassa kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī”ti.

That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.”

“Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta.

“Good, good, Sāriputta!

Sādhu kho tvaṁ, sāriputta, imassa mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi.

It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of what I’ve said in brief like this.

Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu attanā ca satthugāravo hoti satthugāravatāya ca vaṇṇavādī.

It’s when a mendicant personally respects the Teacher …

Ye caññe bhikkhū na satthugāravā te ca satthugāravatāya samādapeti.

Ye caññe bhikkhū satthugāravā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.

Attanā ca dhammagāravo hoti

They personally respect the teaching …

saṅghagāravo hoti

They personally respect the Saṅgha …

sikkhāgāravo hoti

They personally respect the training …

suvaco hoti

They are personally easy to admonish …

kalyāṇamitto hoti kalyāṇamittatāya ca vaṇṇavādī.

They personally have good friends, and praise such friendship.

Ye caññe bhikkhū na kalyāṇamittā te ca kalyāṇamittatāya samādapeti.

And they encourage other mendicants who lack good friends to develop good friendship.

Ye caññe bhikkhū kalyāṇamittā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.

And they praise other mendicants who have good friends at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

Imassa kho, sāriputta, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo”ti.

This is how to understand the detailed meaning of what I said in brief.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Companionship

Companionship

Companionship is the state of being with others, fostering connection, support, and mutual growth. This topic highlights how our associations influence us, whether positively or negatively, and explores the conditions and choices that lead to different kinds of companionship.

Also known as: fellowship, association, camaraderie, friendship
Pāli: sahāyatā, mittatā
View all discourses →
Good friendship

Good friendship

Association with those who are virtuous and wise, who encourage faith, ethical conduct, and discernment. Good friendship is the chief support for progress on the path, guiding one toward right view and wholesome living.

Also known as: friendship with wholesome persons
Pāli: kalyāṇamittatā
View all discourses →
Respect

Respect

A mental attitude of reverent attentiveness that values goodness and wisdom in oneself and others. It steadies conduct and opens the mind to learning and humility.

Also known as: reverence, veneration, regard, admiration, appreciation, deference, honour, attentiveness
Pāli: gārava, pūjā, sakkāra
View all discourses →
Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026