[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122) › 3.52 # 法苑珠林 3.52 法苑珠林 3.52 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.52](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.3.52) 問曰。諸天貧富云何。答曰。如正法念經說。如焰摩天已上乃盡色界諸天貧富皆等。忉利天已下報有厚薄貧富之別。其福厚者。一切具足果報有餘。其薄福者。雖有衣服七寶宮殿食常不足。故彼經說。曾有薄福諸天。以患飢故。下來至此剡浮人中。摘酸棗而食。人見形殊遂怪問之。彼則答言。我非是人。我薄福諸天雖有宮殿上妙衣服。食常不足故。故來於此摘棗食之。汝不須怪。廣如經說（由前修戒忍等然不行施）。 > Question: What are the wealth and poverty of the devas like? Answer: As the \*Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra\* states: From the Yāma Heaven upward all the way through the devas of the form realm, wealth and poverty are entirely equal. From Trāyastriṃśa downward, retributions differ in thickness and thinness, wealth and poverty. For those whose merit is abundant, everything is fully provided and their karmic retribution is more than ample. For those whose merit is meager, although they have clothing and palaces of the seven treasures, their food is constantly insufficient. Therefore that sūtra states: There were once devas of meager merit who, suffering from hunger, came down to this world among the humans of Jambudvīpa to pick wild jujubes to eat. People saw their extraordinary appearance and questioned them in astonishment, to which they answered: 'I am not a human. I am a deva of meager merit; although I have palaces and superior fine clothes, my food is constantly insufficient. Therefore I have come here to pick and eat jujubes; you need not be astonished.' It is broadly as explained in the sūtra (this was because they previously practiced precepts and patience, but failed to practice giving). > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.51](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.3.51) - [Next: 3.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.3.53) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122~en-mt.3.52) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.3.52](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.3.52) · Pramāṇa