[527] Then Sakka, lord of the devas (devānam inda), together with five hundred deities, approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna; having approached, he paid homage to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and stood to one side. As he stood to one side, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this to Sakka, lord of the devas: "It is good, lord of the devas, to be possessed of unwavering confidence (aveccappasāda) in the Buddha thus: 'The Blessed One is such because he is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' Because of being possessed of unwavering confidence in the Buddha, lord of the devas, some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.
"It is good, lord of the devas, to be possessed of unwavering confidence in the Dhamma thus: 'The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, timeless, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be personally experienced by the wise.' Because of being possessed of unwavering confidence in the Dhamma, lord of the devas, some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.
"It is good, lord of the devas, to be possessed of unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha thus: 'The Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well, the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing straightforwardly, the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing rightly, the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing properly; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individuals — this Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' Because of being possessed of unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha, lord of the devas, some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.
"It is good, lord of the devas, to be possessed of the virtues dear to the noble ones — unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unmottled, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, conducive to concentration (samādhi). Because of being possessed of the virtues dear to the noble ones, lord of the devas, some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world."
"It is good, dear sir Moggallāna, to be possessed of unwavering confidence in the Buddha thus: 'The Blessed One is such because he is an arahant … teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' Because of being possessed of unwavering confidence in the Buddha, dear sir Moggallāna, some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.
"It is good, dear sir Moggallāna, to be possessed of unwavering confidence in the Dhamma thus: 'The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One … to be personally experienced by the wise.' Because of being possessed of unwavering confidence in the Dhamma, dear sir Moggallāna, some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.
"It is good, dear sir Moggallāna, to be possessed of unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha thus: 'The Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well … the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' Because of being possessed of unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha, dear sir Moggallāna, some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.
"It is good, dear sir Moggallāna, to be possessed of the virtues dear to the noble ones — unbroken … conducive to concentration. Because of being possessed of the virtues dear to the noble ones, dear sir Moggallāna, some beings here, with the breakup of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.