The Buddha teaches why some egg-born dragons keep the sabbath after transforming their bodies, reflecting on past mixed deeds and resolving to practice good conduct for a better rebirth.

SN 29.3 Sabbath

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce aṇḍajā nāgā uposathaṁ upavasanti vossaṭṭhakāyā ca bhavantī”ti?

“Idha, bhikkhu, ekaccānaṁ aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘mayaṁ kho pubbe kāyena dvayakārino ahumha, vācāya dvayakārino, manasā dvayakārino. Te mayaṁ kāyena dvayakārino, vācāya dvayakārino, manasā dvayakārino, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapannā. Sacajja mayaṁ kāyena sucaritaṁ careyyāma, vācāya sucaritaṁ careyyāma, manasā sucaritaṁ careyyāma, evaṁ mayaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyāma. Handa mayaṁ etarahi kāyena sucaritaṁ carāma, vācāya sucaritaṁ carāma, manasā sucaritaṁ carāmā’ti. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce aṇḍajā nāgā uposathaṁ upavasanti vossaṭṭhakāyā ca bhavantī”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce aṇḍajā nāgā uposathaṁ upavasanti vossaṭṭhakāyā ca bhavantī”ti?

“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why some egg-born dragons keep the sabbath, having transformed their bodies?”

“Idha, bhikkhu, ekaccānaṁ aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ evaṁ hoti:

“Mendicant, it’s when some egg-born dragons think:

‘mayaṁ kho pubbe kāyena dvayakārino ahumha, vācāya dvayakārino, manasā dvayakārino.

‘In the past we did both kinds of deeds by body, speech, and mind.

Te mayaṁ kāyena dvayakārino, vācāya dvayakārino, manasā dvayakārino, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā aṇḍajānaṁ nāgānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapannā.

When the body broke up, after death, we were reborn in the company of the egg-born dragons.

Sacajja mayaṁ kāyena sucaritaṁ careyyāma, vācāya sucaritaṁ careyyāma, manasā sucaritaṁ careyyāma, evaṁ mayaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyāma.

If today we do good things by body, speech, and mind, when the body breaks up, after death, we may be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Handa mayaṁ etarahi kāyena sucaritaṁ carāma, vācāya sucaritaṁ carāma, manasā sucaritaṁ carāmā’ti.

Come, let us do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.’

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce aṇḍajā nāgā uposathaṁ upavasanti vossaṭṭhakāyā ca bhavantī”ti.

This is the cause, this is the reason why some egg-born dragons keep the sabbath, having transformed their bodies.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

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
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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
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Last updated on July 27, 2026