The Buddha teaches a repeated formula on how ethical conduct, hearing of the centaur gods, aspiration, and giving fragrant tree products lead to rebirth among the gods who dwell in fragrant heartwood, softwood, bark, and related tree parts in this grouped discourse.

SN 31.4-12 Nine Discourses On Givers of Fragrant Heartwood, Etc.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sāragandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ …pe… pheggugandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁtacagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁpapaṭikagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁpattagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁpupphagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁphalagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁrasagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁgandhagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?

“Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘sāragandhe adhivatthā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sāragandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ …pe… pheggugandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁtacagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁpapaṭikagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁpattagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁpupphagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁphalagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁrasagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁgandhagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So dātā hoti sāragandhānaṁ …pe… so dātā hoti pheggugandhānaṁso dātā hoti tacagandhānaṁso dātā hoti papaṭikagandhānaṁso dātā hoti pattagandhānaṁso dātā hoti pupphagandhānaṁso dātā hoti phalagandhānaṁso dātā hoti rasagandhānaṁso dātā hoti gandhagandhānaṁ. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā gandhagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā gandhagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti.

Dvādasamaṁ.

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 sāragandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ …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 gods who live in fragrant heartwood …

pheggugandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

softwood …

tacagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

bark …

papaṭikagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

sprouts …

pattagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

leaves …

pupphagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

flowers …

phalagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

fruit …

rasagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

sap …

gandhagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?

fragrant scents?”

“Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

“Mendicant, it’s when someone does good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

Tassa sutaṁ hoti:

And they’ve heard:

‘sāragandhe adhivatthā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti.

‘The gods who live in fragrant heartwood … fragrant scents are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

They think:

‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sāragandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ …pe…

‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the gods who live in fragrant heartwood …

pheggugandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

tacagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

papaṭikagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

pattagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

pupphagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

phalagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

rasagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ

gandhagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti.

fragrant scents!’

So dātā hoti sāragandhānaṁ …pe…

They give gifts of fragrant heartwood …

so dātā hoti pheggugandhānaṁ

so dātā hoti tacagandhānaṁ

so dātā hoti papaṭikagandhānaṁ

so dātā hoti pattagandhānaṁ

so dātā hoti pupphagandhānaṁ

so dātā hoti phalagandhānaṁ

so dātā hoti rasagandhānaṁ

so dātā hoti gandhagandhānaṁ.

fragrant scents.

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā gandhagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods who live in fragrant scents.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā gandhagandhe adhivatthānaṁ devānaṁ 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 gods who live on fragrant scents.”

Dvādasamaṁ.

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