6.
The Discourse on Ways of Making Merit
36.
"There are, monks, these three ways of making merit.
What three?
The way of making merit consisting of giving, the way of making merit consisting of morality, the way of making merit consisting of meditation.
Here, monks, a certain person has done the way of making merit consisting of giving to a limited extent, has done the way of making merit consisting of morality to a limited extent, does not attain the way of making merit consisting of meditation.
He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in human misfortune.
Here again, monks, a certain person has done the way of making merit consisting of giving to a moderate extent, has done the way of making merit consisting of morality to a moderate extent, does not attain the way of making merit consisting of meditation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in human good fortune.
Here again, monks, a certain person has done the way of making merit consisting of giving to an exceeding extent, has done the way of making merit consisting of morality to an exceeding extent, does not attain the way of making merit consisting of meditation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the gods ruled by the four great kings. Therein, monks, the four great kings, having done the way of making merit consisting of giving excessively, having done the way of making merit consisting of morality excessively, surpass the gods ruled by the four great kings in ten respects - in divine life span, in divine beauty, in divine happiness, in divine fame, in divine authority, in divine forms, in divine sounds, in divine odours, in divine flavours, in divine tangible objects.
Here again, monks, a certain person has done the way of making merit consisting of giving to an exceeding extent, has done the way of making merit consisting of morality to an exceeding extent, does not attain the way of making merit consisting of meditation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the Thirty-three gods. Therein, monks, Sakka, the lord of the gods, having done the way of making merit consisting of giving excessively, having done the way of making merit consisting of morality excessively, surpasses the Thirty-three gods in ten respects - in divine life span, etc. in divine tangible objects.
Here again, monks, a certain person has done the way of making merit consisting of giving to an exceeding extent, has done the way of making merit consisting of morality to an exceeding extent, does not attain the way of making merit consisting of meditation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the Yāma gods. Therein, monks, Suyāma the young god, having done the way of making merit consisting of giving excessively, having done the way of making merit consisting of morality excessively, surpasses the Yāma gods in ten respects - in divine life span, etc. in divine tangible objects.
Here again, monks, a certain person has done the way of making merit consisting of giving to an exceeding extent, has done the way of making merit consisting of morality to an exceeding extent, does not attain the way of making merit consisting of meditation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the Tusita gods. Therein, monks, Santusita the young god, having done the way of making merit consisting of giving excessively, having done the way of making merit consisting of morality excessively, surpasses the Tusita gods in ten respects - in divine life span, etc. in divine tangible objects.
Here again, monks, a certain person has done the way of making merit consisting of giving to an exceeding extent, has done the way of making merit consisting of morality to an exceeding extent, does not attain the way of making merit consisting of meditation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the gods who delight in creation. Therein, monks, Sunimmita the young god, having done the way of making merit consisting of giving excessively, having done the way of making merit consisting of morality excessively, surpasses the gods who delight in creation in ten respects - in divine life span, etc. in divine tangible objects.
Here again, monks, a certain person has done the way of making merit consisting of giving to an exceeding extent, has done the way of making merit consisting of morality to an exceeding extent, does not attain the way of making merit consisting of meditation. Upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in the company of the gods who control what is created by others. Therein, monks, the young god Vasavattī, having done the way of making merit consisting of giving excessively, having done the way of making merit consisting of morality excessively, surpasses the gods who control what is created by others in ten respects - in divine life span, in divine beauty, in divine happiness, in divine fame, in divine authority, in divine forms, in divine sounds, in divine odours, in divine flavours, in divine tangible objects. These, monks, are the three ways of making merit." The sixth.