Reply To: A Simple Way to Enhance Merits (Kusala) and Avoid Demerits (Akusala)

#23242
Lal
Keymaster

If you looked at the Pali sutta, you would have seen that those are four Sotapatti Anga that needs to be fulfilled to attain the Sotapanna stage. So, yes, devas would be pleased. etc.

Deva­sabhā­ga­ta Stta (SN 55.36):
Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgataṃ attamanā devā sabhāgataṃ kathenti. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccap­pasā­dena samannāgato hoti—itipi so bhagavā … pe … satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavāti. Yā tā devatā buddhe aveccap­pasā­dena samannāgatā ito cutā tatrūpapannā tāsaṃ evaṃ hoti: ‘yathārūpena kho mayaṃ buddhe aveccap­pasā­dena samannāgatā tato cutā idhūpapannā, ariyasāvakopi tathārūpena buddhe aveccap­pasā­dena samannāgato ehīti devānaṃ santike’ti.

Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhamme … pe … saṅghe … pe … ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi … pe … samā­dhi­saṃ­vatta­ni­kehi. Yā tā devatā ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgatā ito cutā tatrūpapannā tāsaṃ evaṃ hoti: ‘yathārūpehi kho mayaṃ ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgatā tato cutā idhūpapannā, ariyasāvakopi tathārūpehi ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato ehīti devānaṃ santike’ti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṃ attamanā devā sabhāgataṃ kathentī”ti.

That is the complete sutta.

Those Sotapatti Anga are discussed here: “Sotapatti Anga – The Four Qualities of a Sotapanna“.

This is why say that most English translations do not provide meaningful explanations. In the English translation that you provided, the second paragraph in particular is not good.
For everyone: Please make an effort to learn how to provide links. It is not hard: “How to Reply to a Forum Question