[223] Bhikkhus, this night, when the night was far advanced, a great number of deities of surpassing beauty, illuminating the entire Jetavana, approached me; having approached, they paid homage to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, bhikkhus, those deities said this to me: "Venerable sir, in the past, when we were human beings, those gone forth (pabbajitā) came to our homes. We rose up for them, venerable sir, but we did not pay homage to them. We, venerable sir, our duty left incomplete, filled with remorse and with regret afterward, have been reborn into an inferior company."
Again, bhikkhus, a great number of deities approached me and said this: "Venerable sir, in the past, when we were human beings, those gone forth came to our homes. We rose up for them, venerable sir, and we paid homage, but we did not offer them a seat. We, venerable sir, our duty left incomplete, filled with remorse and with regret afterward, have been reborn into an inferior company."
Again, bhikkhus, a great number of deities approached me and said this: "Venerable sir, in the past, when we were human beings, those gone forth came to our homes. We rose up for them, venerable sir, we paid homage, and we offered a seat, but we did not share with them according to our means and according to our ability. … We shared according to our means and according to our ability, but we did not sit down nearby to listen to the Dhamma. We sat down nearby to listen to the Dhamma, but we did not listen to the Dhamma with attentive ears. We listened to the Dhamma with attentive ears, but having heard it, we did not retain the Dhamma. Having heard it, we did retain the Dhamma, but we did not examine the meaning of the teachings retained. We did examine the meaning of the teachings retained, but, understanding the meaning and understanding the Dhamma, we did not practice in accordance with the Dhamma. We, venerable sir, our duty left incomplete, filled with remorse and with regret afterward, have been reborn into an inferior company."
Again, bhikkhus, a great number of deities approached me and said this: "Venerable sir, in the past, when we were human beings, those gone forth came to our homes. We rose up for them, venerable sir, we paid homage, we offered a seat, we shared according to our means and according to our ability, we sat down nearby to listen to the Dhamma, we listened to the Dhamma with attentive ears, having heard it we retained the Dhamma, we examined the meaning of the teachings retained, and, understanding the meaning and understanding the Dhamma, we practiced in accordance with the Dhamma. We, venerable sir, our duty fulfilled, free from remorse and free from regret afterward, have been reborn into a superior company."
These, bhikkhus, are the roots of trees; these are empty dwellings. Meditate, bhikkhus; do not be negligent; do not be filled with remorse afterward, like those former deities.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.