Vangisa Bhante:
Dear Deva, you are sitting on the back of an elephant that is huge and all white. You travel from park to park, surrounded by goddesses, shining brightly in all directions like the star Osadhi.
What kind of meritorious actions did you do when you were in the human world?
That deva, delighted at being questioned by Arahant Vangisa, gladly explained what he had done that resulted in such great happiness.
Deva:
In my previous life, I was a man in the human world. I was a lay disciple of the All-Seeing Supreme Buddha. I abstained from killing, stealing, taking intoxicants, and lying. I was content with my own wife, and did not even think of other women. I offered things with a very happy mind.
Because of these meritorious deeds, I have been born as a very beautiful deva and enjoy all the wonderful things that delight my heart.
Great Bhante, those were the meritorious deeds I did to have such a beautiful body which shines brightly in all directions.
Read this translation of Vimānavatthu 5.11 Dutiya Nāga Sutta: Second Elephant Mansion by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.
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You can find the entire translation of the Vimanavatthu: Stories of Heavenly Mansions available on SuttaFriends.org.