Linked Discourses 29.21–50
- Dragons
Thirty Discourses On How Giving Helps to Become Womb-Born, Etc.
At Sāvatthī.
Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha:
“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 …
moisture-born dragons …
spontaneously-born dragons?”
“Mendicant, it’s when someone does both kinds of deeds by body, speech, and mind.
And they’ve heard:
‘The spontaneously-born dragons are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’
They think:
‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born dragons!’
They give food …
drink …
a lamp.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born dragons.
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.”
(Each set of ten discourses of this series should be told in full the same way.)
The Linked Discourses on dragons are complete.