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Samyutta Nikaya
Sacca Saṁyutta

SN 56.111–113 Devamanussanirayādisutta
Dying as Gods and Reborn as Humans

When gods pass away, the amount of beings reborn as humans in their next life is extremely few.

… “So too, monks, when gods pass away, the amount of beings reborn as humans in their next life is extremely few. However, when gods pass away, the amount of gods reborn as hell beings in their next life is extremely large. What is the reason for this? It is because, monks, they have not understood the Four Noble Truths. What are those Four Noble Truths? The Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of the cause of suffering, the Noble Truth of the end of suffering, and the Noble Truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.

“Therefore, monks, you should put an effort to understand: ‘This is suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the cause of suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the end of suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the path that leads to the end of suffering.’”

… “So too, monks, when gods pass away, the amount of beings reborn as humans in their next life is extremely few. However, when gods pass away, the amount of gods reborn as animals in their next life is extremely large. What is the reason for this? It is because, monks, they have not understood the Four Noble Truths. What are those Four Noble Truths? The Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of the cause of suffering, the Noble Truth of the end of suffering, and the Noble Truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.

“Therefore, monks, you should put an effort to understand: ‘This is suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the cause of suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the end of suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the path that leads to the end of suffering.’”

… “So too, monks, when gods pass away, the amount of beings reborn as humans in their next life is extremely few. However, when gods pass away, the amount of gods reborn as ghosts in their next life is extremely large. What is the reason for this? It is because, monks, they have not understood the Four Noble Truths. What are those Four Noble Truths? The Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of the cause of suffering, the Noble Truth of the end of suffering, and the Noble Truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.

“Therefore, monks, you should put an effort to understand: ‘This is suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the cause of suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the end of suffering.’ You should put an effort to understand: ‘This is the path that leads to the end of suffering.’”

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Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.111–113 Devamanussanirayādisutta: Dying as Gods and Reborn as Humans

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