sutta » an » an5 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.58

Licchavikumārakasutta

The Licchavi Youths

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms.

Vesāliyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto mahāvanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.
Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he plunged deep into the Great Wood and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā licchavikumārakā sajjāni dhanūni ādāya kukkurasaṅghaparivutā mahāvane anucaṅkamamānā anuvicaramānā addasu bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisinnaṁ;
Now at that time several Licchavi youths took strung bows and, escorted by a pack of hounds, were going for a walk in the Great Wood when they saw the Buddha seated at the root of a tree.

disvāna sajjāni dhanūni nikkhipitvā kukkurasaṅghaṁ ekamantaṁ uyyojetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṁ payirupāsanti.
When they saw him, they put down their strung bows, tied their hounds up to one side, and went up to him. They bowed and silently paid homage to the Buddha with joined palms.

Tena kho pana samayena mahānāmo licchavi mahāvane jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno addasa te licchavikumārake tuṇhībhūte tuṇhībhūte pañjalike bhagavantaṁ payirupāsante;
Now at that time Mahānāma the Licchavi was going for a walk in the Great Wood when he saw those Licchavi youths silently paying homage to the Buddha with joined palms.

disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Seeing this, he went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo licchavi udānaṁ udānesi:
and expressed this heartfelt sentiment,

“bhavissanti vajjī, bhavissanti vajjī”ti.
“They will become Vajjis! They will become Vajjis!”

“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, mahānāma, evaṁ vadesi:
“But Mahānāma, why do you say that

‘bhavissanti vajjī, bhavissanti vajjī’”ti?
they will become Vajjis?”

“Ime, bhante, licchavikumārakā caṇḍā pharusā apānubhā.
“Sir, these Licchavi youths are violent, harsh, and brash.

Yānipi tāni kulesu paheṇakāni pahīyanti, ucchūti vā badarāti vā pūvāti vā modakāti vā saṅkulikāti vā, tāni vilumpitvā vilumpitvā khādanti;
Whenever sweets are left out for families—sugar-cane, jujube fruits, pancakes, pies, or fritters—they filch them and eat them up.

kulitthīnampi kulakumārīnampi pacchāliyaṁ khipanti.
And they hit women and girls of good families on their backs.

Te dānime tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṁ payirupāsantī”ti.
But now they’re silently paying homage to the Buddha with joined palms.”

“Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, kulaputtassa pañca dhammā saṁvijjanti—

yadi vā rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa, yadi vā raṭṭhikassa pettanikassa, yadi vā senāya senāpatikassa, yadi vā gāmagāmaṇikassa, yadi vā pūgagāmaṇikassa, ye vā pana kulesu paccekādhipaccaṁ kārenti, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
“Mahānāma, you can expect only growth, not decline, when you find five qualities in any gentleman—whether he’s an anointed aristocratic king, an appointed or hereditary official, an army general, a village chief, a guild chief, or a ruler of his own clan.

Katame pañca?
What five?

Idha, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi mātāpitaro sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Firstly, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth—earned by his efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow—to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate his mother and father.

Tamenaṁ mātāpitaro sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, his mother and father love him with a good heart, wishing:

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.
‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

Mātāpitānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by his mother and father, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi puttadāradāsakammakaraporise sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff.

Tamenaṁ puttadāradāsakammakaraporisā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff love him with a good heart, wishing:

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.
‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

Puttadāradāsakammakaraporisānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi khettakammantasāmantasabyohāre sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with.

Tamenaṁ khettakammantasāmantasabyohārā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with love him with a good heart, wishing:

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.
‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

Khettakammantasāmantasabyohārānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi yāvatā balipaṭiggāhikā devatā sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the deities who receive spirit-offerings.

Tamenaṁ balipaṭiggāhikā devatā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, the deities who receive spirit-offerings love him with a good heart, wishing:

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.
‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

devatānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by the deities, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi samaṇabrāhmaṇe sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate ascetics and brahmins.

Tamenaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, ascetics and brahmins love him with a good heart, wishing:

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.
‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

Samaṇabrāhmaṇānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by ascetics and brahmins, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, kulaputtassa ime pañca dhammā saṁvijjanti—
You can expect only growth, not decline, when you find these five qualities in any gentleman—

yadi vā rañño khattiyassa muddhābhisittassa, yadi vā raṭṭhikassa pettanikassa, yadi vā senāya senāpatikassa, yadi vā gāmagāmaṇikassa, yadi vā pūgagāmaṇikassa, ye vā pana kulesu paccekādhipaccaṁ kārenti, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihānīti.
whether he’s an anointed aristocratic king, an appointed or hereditary official, an army general, a village chief, a guild chief, or a ruler of his own clan.

Mātāpitukiccakaro,
He’s always dutiful to his mother and father,

puttadārahito sadā;
and for the good of his wives and children.

Antojanassa atthāya,
He looks after those in his household,

ye cassa anujīvino.
and those dependent on him for their livelihood.

Ubhinnañceva atthāya,
A kind and ethical person

Vadaññū hoti sīlavā;
looks after the welfare of relatives—

Ñātīnaṁ pubbapetānaṁ,
both those who have passed away,

Diṭṭhe dhamme ca jīvataṁ.
and those alive at present.

Samaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ,
While living at home, an astute person

devatānañca paṇḍito;
uses legitimate means to give rise to joy

Vittisañjanano hoti,
for ascetics, brahmins,

dhammena gharamāvasaṁ.
and also the gods.

So karitvāna kalyāṇaṁ,
Having done good,

pujjo hoti pasaṁsiyo;
he’s venerable and praiseworthy.

Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,
They praise him in this life,

pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.
and he departs to rejoice in heaven.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.