Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.52

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 7.52

5. Mahāyaññavagga
5. A Great Sacrifice

Dānamahapphalasutta

A Very Fruitful Gift

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā campāyaṁ viharati gaggarāya pokkharaṇiyā tīre.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Campā on the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond.

Atha kho sambahulā campeyyakā upāsakā yena āyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho campeyyakā upāsakā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then several lay followers of Campā went to Venerable Sāriputta, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“cirassutā no, bhante, bhagavato sammukhā dhammīkathā.
“Sir, it’s been a long time since we’ve heard a Dhamma talk from the Buddha.

Sādhu mayaṁ, bhante, labheyyāma bhagavato sammukhā dhammiṁ kathaṁ savanāyā”ti.
It would be good if we got to hear a Dhamma talk from the Buddha.”

“Tenahāvuso, tadahuposathe āgaccheyyātha,
“Well then, reverends, come on the next sabbath day.

appeva nāma labheyyātha bhagavato sammukhā dhammiṁ kathaṁ savanāyā”ti.
Hopefully you’ll get to hear a Dhamma talk from the Buddha.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho campeyyakā upāsakā āyasmato sāriputtassa paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkamiṁsu.
“Yes, sir” they replied. Then they rose from their seats, bowed to Sāriputta, and respectfully circled him before leaving.

Atha kho campeyyakā upāsakā tadahuposathe yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
Then on the next sabbath the lay followers of Campā went to Venerable Sāriputta, bowed, and stood to one side.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto tehi campeyyakehi upāsakehi saddhiṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then they went together with Sāriputta to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Sāriputta said to the Buddha:

“Siyā nu kho, bhante, idhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ;
“Sir, could it be that someone gives a gift and it is not very fruitful or beneficial,

siyā pana, bhante, idhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsan”ti?
while someone else gives exactly the same gift and it is very fruitful and beneficial?”

“Siyā, sāriputta, idhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ;
“Indeed it could, Sāriputta.”

siyā pana, sāriputta, idhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsan”ti.

“Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yena midhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ;
“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason for this?”

ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yena midhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsan”ti?

“Idha, sāriputta, ekacco sāpekho dānaṁ deti, patibaddhacitto dānaṁ deti, sannidhipekho dānaṁ deti, ‘imaṁ pecca paribhuñjissāmī’ti dānaṁ deti.
“Sāriputta, take the case of a someone who gives a gift as an investment, their mind tied to it, expecting to keep it, thinking ‘I’ll enjoy this in my next life’.

So taṁ dānaṁ deti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ.
They give to ascetics or brahmins such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sāriputta, dadeyya idhekacco evarūpaṁ dānan”ti?
What do you think, Sāriputta, don’t some people give gifts in this way?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”

“Tatra, sāriputta, yvāyaṁ sāpekho dānaṁ deti, patibaddhacitto dānaṁ deti, sannidhipekho dānaṁ deti, ‘imaṁ pecca paribhuñjissāmī’ti dānaṁ deti.
“Sāriputta, someone who gives a gift as an investment,

So taṁ dānaṁ datvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the gods of the four great kings.

So taṁ kammaṁ khepetvā taṁ iddhiṁ taṁ yasaṁ taṁ ādhipaccaṁ āgāmī hoti āgantā itthattaṁ.
When that deed, success, fame, and sovereignty is spent they return to this place.

Idha pana, sāriputta, ekacco na heva kho sāpekho dānaṁ deti, na patibaddhacitto dānaṁ deti, na sannidhipekho dānaṁ deti, na ‘imaṁ pecca paribhuñjissāmī’ti dānaṁ deti;
Next, take the case of a someone who gives a gift not as an investment, their mind not tied to it, not expecting to keep it, and not thinking, ‘I’ll enjoy this in my next life’.

api ca kho ‘sāhu dānan’ti dānaṁ deti …pe….
But they give a gift thinking, ‘It’s good to give’ …

Napi ‘sāhu dānan’ti dānaṁ deti;

api ca kho ‘dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ pitupitāmahehi na arahāmi porāṇaṁ kulavaṁsaṁ hāpetun’ti dānaṁ deti …pe….
They give a gift thinking, ‘Giving was practiced by my father and my father’s father. It would not be right for me to abandon this family tradition.’ …

Napi ‘dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ pitupitāmahehi na arahāmi porāṇaṁ kulavaṁsaṁ hāpetun’ti dānaṁ deti;

api ca kho ‘ahaṁ pacāmi, ime na pacanti, nārahāmi pacanto apacantānaṁ dānaṁ adātun’ti dānaṁ deti …pe….
They give a gift thinking, ‘I cook, they don’t. It wouldn’t be right for me to not give to them.’ …

Napi ‘ahaṁ pacāmi, ime na pacanti, nārahāmi pacanto apacantānaṁ dānaṁ adātun’ti dānaṁ deti;

api ca kho ‘yathā tesaṁ pubbakānaṁ isīnaṁ tāni mahāyaññāni ahesuṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
They give a gift thinking, ‘The ancient brahmin seers were Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu.

aṭṭhakassa vāmakassa vāmadevassa vessāmittassa yamadaggino aṅgīrasassa bhāradvājassa vāseṭṭhassa kassapassa bhaguno, evaṁ me ayaṁ dānasaṁvibhāgo bhavissatī’ti dānaṁ deti …pe….
Just as they performed great sacrifices, I will share a gift.’ …

Napi ‘yathā tesaṁ pubbakānaṁ isīnaṁ tāni mahāyaññāni ahesuṁ, seyyathidaṁ—

api ca kho ‘imaṁ me dānaṁ dadato cittaṁ pasīdati, attamanatā somanassaṁ upajāyatī’ti dānaṁ deti …pe….
They give a gift thinking, ‘When giving this gift my mind becomes clear, and I become happy and joyful.’ …

Napi ‘imaṁ me dānaṁ dadato cittaṁ pasīdati, attamanatā somanassaṁ upajāyatī’ti dānaṁ deti;
They don’t give a gift thinking, ‘When giving this gift my mind becomes clear, and I become happy and joyful.’

api ca kho cittālaṅkāracittaparikkhāraṁ dānaṁ deti.
But they give a gift thinking, ‘This is an adornment and requisite for the mind.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sāriputta, dadeyya idhekacco evarūpaṁ dānan”ti?
What do you think, Sāriputta, don’t some people give gifts in this way?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”

“Tatra, sāriputta, yvāyaṁ na heva sāpekho dānaṁ deti;
“Sāriputta, someone who gives gifts, not for any other reason,

na patibaddhacitto dānaṁ deti;

na sannidhipekho dānaṁ deti;

na ‘imaṁ pecca paribhuñjissāmī’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘sāhu dānan’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ pitupitāmahehi na arahāmi porāṇaṁ kulavaṁsaṁ hāpetun’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘ahaṁ pacāmi, ime na pacanti, nārahāmi pacanto apacantānaṁ dānaṁ adātun’ti dānaṁ deti;

napi ‘yathā tesaṁ pubbakānaṁ isīnaṁ tāni mahāyaññāni ahesuṁ, seyyathidaṁ—

napi ‘imaṁ me dānaṁ dadato cittaṁ pasīdati, attamanatā somanassaṁ upajāyatī’ti dānaṁ deti;

api ca kho cittālaṅkāracittaparikkhāraṁ dānaṁ deti.
but thinking, ‘This is an adornment and requisite for the mind’,

So taṁ dānaṁ datvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn among the gods of the Divinity’s host.

So taṁ kammaṁ khepetvā taṁ iddhiṁ taṁ yasaṁ taṁ ādhipaccaṁ anāgāmī hoti anāgantā itthattaṁ.
When that deed, success, fame, and sovereignty is spent they are a non-returner; they do not return to this place.

Ayaṁ kho, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ.
This is the cause, this is the reason why someone gives a gift and it is not very fruitful or beneficial,

Ayaṁ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekaccassa tādisaṁyeva dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsan”ti.
while someone else gives exactly the same gift and it is very fruitful and beneficial.”

Navamaṁ.