6.
The Fourth Discourse on the Observance
347.
At Sāvatthī.
Seated to one side, that monk said this to the Blessed One -
"What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, whereby some spontaneously born serpents here observe the Observance and become ones who have relinquished their bodies?"
"Here, monk, for some spontaneously born serpents it occurs thus - 'We formerly were doers of twofold deeds by body, doers of twofold deeds by speech, doers of twofold deeds by mind. We, being doers of twofold deeds by body, doers of twofold deeds by speech, doers of twofold deeds by mind, upon the body's collapse at death, were reborn in the company of spontaneously born serpents. If today we were to practise good conduct by body, by speech... practise good conduct by mind, thus we, upon the body's collapse at death, would be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. Come, let us now practise good conduct by body, by speech... practise good conduct by mind.' This, monk, is the cause, this is the condition, whereby some spontaneously born serpents here observe the Observance and become ones who have relinquished their bodies." The sixth.