The Buddha teaches a repeated formula on how doing both kinds of deeds, hearing of the womb-born, moisture-born and spontaneously-born dragons, aspiring to their rebirth, and giving generously leads to rebirth in their company, applied across this grouped discourse.

SN 29.21-50 Thirty Discourses On How Giving Helps to Become Womb-Born, Etc. -

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā jalābujānaṁ nāgānaṁ …pe… saṁsedajānaṁ nāgānaṁ …pe… opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?

“Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena dvayakārī hoti, vācāya dvayakārī, manasā dvayakārī. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘opapātikā nāgā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So annaṁ deti …pe… pānaṁ deti …pe… padīpeyyaṁ deti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti.

(Iminā peyyālena dasa dasa suttantā kātabbā. Evaṁ catūsu yonīsu cattālīsaṁ veyyākaraṇā honti. Purimehi pana dasahi suttantehi saha honti paṇṇāsasuttantāti.)

Nāgavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Suddhikaṁ paṇītataraṁ,
caturo ca uposathā;
Tassa sutaṁ caturo ca,
dānūpakārā ca tālīsaṁ;
Paṇṇāsa piṇḍato suttā,
nāgamhi suppakāsitāti.

Nāgasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā jalābujānaṁ nāgānaṁ …pe…

“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 womb-born dragons …

saṁsedajānaṁ nāgānaṁ …pe…

moisture-born dragons …

opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?

spontaneously-born dragons?”

“Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena dvayakārī hoti, vācāya dvayakārī, manasā dvayakārī.

“Mendicant, it’s when someone does both kinds of deeds by body, speech, and mind.

Tassa sutaṁ hoti:

And they’ve heard:

‘opapātikā nāgā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti.

‘The spontaneously-born dragons are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

They think:

‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti.

‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born dragons!’

So annaṁ deti …pe…

They give food …

pānaṁ deti …pe…

drink …

padīpeyyaṁ deti.

a lamp.

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born dragons.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti.

This is the cause, this is the reason why someone, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born dragons.”

(Iminā peyyālena dasa dasa suttantā kātabbā.

(Each set of ten discourses of this series should be told in full the same way.)

Evaṁ catūsu yonīsu cattālīsaṁ veyyākaraṇā honti.

Purimehi pana dasahi suttantehi saha honti paṇṇāsasuttantāti.)

Nāgavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Suddhikaṁ paṇītataraṁ,

caturo ca uposathā;

Tassa sutaṁ caturo ca,

dānūpakārā ca tālīsaṁ;

Paṇṇāsa piṇḍato suttā,

nāgamhi suppakāsitāti.

Nāgasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

The Linked Discourses on dragons are complete.

Topics & Qualities:

Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026