‘As long as they live, the perfected ones give up high and luxurious beds. They sleep in a low place, either a cot or a grass mat. I, too, for this day and night will give up high and luxurious beds. I’ll sleep in a low place, either a cot or a grass mat. I will observe the sabbath by doing as the perfected ones do in this respect.’ This is its eighth factor.
They meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. This is its ninth factor.
The observance of the sabbath with its nine factors in this way is very fruitful and beneficial and brilliant and bountiful.”
Numbered Discourses 9.19 2. The Lion’s Roar A Deity
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Mendicants, tonight, several glorious deities, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, came to me, bowed, stood to one side, and said to me: ‘Sir, formerly when we were human beings, renunciates came to our homes. We politely rose for them, but we didn’t bow. And so, having not fulfilled our duty, full of remorse and regret, we were reborn in a lesser realm.’
Then several other deities came to me and said: ‘Sir, formerly when we were human beings, renunciates came to our homes. We politely rose for them and bowed, but we didn’t offer a seat. And so, having not fulfilled our duty, full of remorse and regret, we were reborn in a lesser realm.’