How Giving Helps to Become a Warm Thundercloud God, Etc.

SN 32.13-52 · Uṇhavalāhakadānūpakārasutta

A wild bee approaching a pale clover blossom in a meadow.

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 gods of warm thunderclouds … stormy thunderclouds … windy thunderclouds … rainy thunderclouds?”

“Mendicant, it’s when someone does good things by way of body, speech, and mind. And they’ve heard: ‘The gods of rainy thunderclouds 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 gods of rainy thunderclouds!’ They give food … a lamp. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of rainy thunderclouds. 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 of rainy thunderclouds.”

Connections

Collection & context

Saṃyutta NikāyaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

Books

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Saṃyutta NikāyaBhikkhu Bodhi; Bhikkhu Bodhi (translator) · Complete collection edition

About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader. This source combines a range of related numbered discourses.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.