One who wants to develop the recollection of deities should possess the special quality of faith evoked by means of the noble path. He should go into solitary retreat and recollect his own special qualities of faith, purity and understanding, with the deities as if standing as witnesses, in this very way: There are deitieson the plane of the Four Great Kings, of the Realm of the Thirty-three, Yama World, the Contented Devas, those enjoying own creation, those with power over others creations, those of the Brahma world, and those formless ones far above them... All those deities were possessed of faith so that on dying here they were reborn there, and such faith is present in me too. And those deities were possessed of virtue ... of learning... of generosity ... of understanding, such that when they died here they were reborn there in a divine dimension, and such understanding is also present in me too! (AN III 287). He recollects his own special qualities, making the deities stand as witnesses. When a bhikkhu is devoted to this remembrance of the deities, he becomes dearly loved by those deities. He obtains even greater fullness of faith. He has much happiness and gladness. And if he penetrates no higher, he is at least headed for a happy destiny.
Typical appearance and postures of some Devas.
Now when a man is truly wise, His constant task will surely be This recollection of the Deities Blessed with such mighty potency! Vism I 226
Sakka king of the 33 devas hovering about with 2 nymphs.
