Gods of the Rainy Thunderclouds Vassavalāhakasutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha: Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why sometimes the heavens rain?” “ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yenekadā devo vassatī”ti?

“Mendicant, there are what are called gods of the rainy thunderclouds. “Santi, bhikkhu, vassavalāhakā nāma devā. Sometimes they think: Tesaṁ yadā evaṁ hoti: ‘Why don’t we revel in our own kind of enjoyment?’ Then, in accordance with their wish, the heavens rain down. ‘yannūna mayaṁ sakāya ratiyā vaseyyāmā’ti, tesaṁ taṁ cetopaṇidhimanvāya devo vassati. This is the cause, this is the reason why sometimes the heavens rain.” Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yenekadā devo vassatī”ti.

Sattapaññāsasuttantaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

Valāhakavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Suddhikaṁ sucaritañca, dānūpakārapaññāsaṁ; Sītaṁ uṇhañca abbhañca, vātavassavalāhakāti.

The Linked Discourses on gods of the clouds are complete. Valāhakasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.