alpa-devatā-sūtra
The Little Sutra of the God
Prostrate myself before all the Enlightened ones and bodhisattvas!
So I heard once.
The Blessed One was in Shravasti in the Jethavana Garden, the pleasure grove of Anathapindika. Then a certain god headed closer to the Blessed One. As he approached, he stretched out his head at the feet of the Blessed One and stood before him. Standing before him, this god asked the Blessed One a question:
What is the moral discipline? What is the conduct? What are the qualities? What actions [should] be performed? What is the wisdom appropriate to the abode? What beings will go to heaven?
The teacher, embracing the god with love and compassion, made the following prediction to him:
O man! How shall we go to heaven? O thou deity, hear me with special [attention]!
Turn away from the termination of life. Adhere to discipline and rejoice in true commitment. Everyone [who adheres to this,] shall have no harm from the bhuta spirits. And such beings will go to heaven.
Let anyone refuse to receive that which is not given, and rejoice in the gifts given [ which he himself realizes]. Let him refuse to steal and not steal. Such beings will go to heaven.
Follow not the wife of another, and refuse perverse intercourse. Reflect on the actions of your own wife. Such beings will go to heaven.
Since you are afraid to hijack the goals of others and [act] for yourself, do not speak deceptive words. Such beings will go to heaven.
Renounce the constant divisions of friends and subtle words [that lead to scandal]. With special [strength] rejoice in the aspirations of all. Such beings will go to heaven.
Rely on sustenance and completely purify coarse speech and coarse words. Speak pleasant words to all. And such beings will go to heaven.
Completely discard empty words that possess a meaningless condition. Let everyone utter teachings [or truthful words] from time to time. Such beings will go to heaven.
When anyone else acts for himself in a city or a monastery, do not be filled with an attitude that [feels] affection toward him. Such beings will go to heaven.
A loving mind does no harm. Due to the absence of harmful intention, there will be no harm to all beings. And such beings will go to heaven.
Let everyone believe in the deeds, the full maturation of the deeds and both of them. In the right way adhere to the right attitude. And such beings will go to heaven.
All these virtuous doctrines are the ten paths of the white doctrine. Let everyone adhere to them in the right way. Such beings will go to heaven.
The brahmin [will go] to nirvana, away from all enemies and fears. And when he crosses the world without attachment, he will not see the existence of much [of suffering].
The Blessed one said thus. Then this god rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
Thus concludes the minor sutra of the god.
Translated and verified: translator and great proofreader Bende Yeshede. Translated by Karma Paljor (Filippov O.E.).