Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.36
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 8.36
4. Dānavagga
4. Giving
Puññakiriyavatthusutta
Grounds for Making Merit
“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, puññakiriyavatthūni.
“Mendicants, there are these three grounds for making merit.
Katamāni tīṇi?
What three?
Dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu.
Giving, ethical conduct, and meditation are all grounds for making merit.
Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu parittaṁ kataṁ hoti, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu parittaṁ kataṁ hoti, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ nābhisambhoti.
First, someone has practiced a little giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit, but they haven’t got as far as meditation as a ground for making merit.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manussadobhagyaṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn among disadvantaged humans.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekaccassa dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu mattaso kataṁ hoti, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu mattaso kataṁ hoti, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ nābhisambhoti.
Next, someone has practiced a moderate amount of giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit, but they haven’t got as far as meditation as a ground for making merit.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manussasobhagyaṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn among well-off humans.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekaccassa dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ nābhisambhoti.
Next, someone has practiced a lot of giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit, but they haven’t got as far as meditation as a ground for making merit.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the Gods of the Four Great Kings.
Tatra, bhikkhave, cattāro mahārājāno dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, cātumahārājike deve dasahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhanti—
There, the Four Great Kings themselves have practiced giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit to a greater degree than the other gods. So they surpass them in ten respects:
dibbena āyunā, dibbena vaṇṇena, dibbena sukhena, dibbena yasena, dibbena ādhipateyyena, dibbehi rūpehi, dibbehi saddehi, dibbehi gandhehi, dibbehi rasehi, dibbehi phoṭṭhabbehi.
divine life span, beauty, happiness, glory, sovereignty, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekaccassa dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ nābhisambhoti.
Next, someone has practiced a lot of giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit, but they haven’t got as far as meditation as a ground for making merit.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the Gods of the Thirty-Three.
Tatra, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā tāvatiṁse deve dasahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—
There, Sakka, lord of gods, has practiced giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit to a greater degree than the other gods. So he surpasses them in ten respects …
dibbena āyunā …pe…
dibbehi phoṭṭhabbehi.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekaccassa dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ nābhisambhoti.
Next, someone has practiced a lot of giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit, but they haven’t got as far as meditation as a ground for making merit.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā yāmānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the Gods of Yama.
Tatra, bhikkhave, suyāmo devaputto dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, yāme deve dasahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—
There, the god Suyāma has practiced giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit to a greater degree than the other gods. So he surpasses them in ten respects …
dibbena āyunā …pe…
dibbehi phoṭṭhabbehi.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekaccassa dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ nābhisambhoti.
Next, someone has practiced a lot of giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit, but they haven’t got as far as meditation as a ground for making merit.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tusitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the Joyful Gods.
Tatra, bhikkhave, santusito devaputto dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, tusite deve dasahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—
There, the god Santusita has practiced giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit to a greater degree than the other gods. So he surpasses them in ten respects …
dibbena āyunā …pe…
dibbehi phoṭṭhabbehi.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekaccassa dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ nābhisambhoti.
Next, someone has practiced a lot of giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit, but they haven’t got as far as meditation as a ground for making merit.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā nimmānaratīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the Gods Who Love to Imagine.
Tatra, bhikkhave, sunimmito devaputto dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, nimmānaratīdeve dasahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—
There, the god Sunimmita has practiced giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit to a greater degree than the other gods. So he surpasses them in ten respects …
dibbena āyunā …pe…
dibbehi phoṭṭhabbehi.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekaccassa dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthu adhimattaṁ kataṁ hoti, bhāvanāmayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ nābhisambhoti.
Next, someone has practiced a lot of giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit, but they haven’t got as far as meditation as a ground for making merit.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the Gods Who Control what is Imagined by Others.
Tatra, bhikkhave, vasavattī devaputto dānamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, sīlamayaṁ puññakiriyavatthuṁ atirekaṁ karitvā, paranimmitavasavattīdeve dasahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—
There, the god Vasavattī has practiced giving and ethical conduct as grounds for making merit to a greater degree than the other gods. So he surpasses them in ten respects:
dibbena āyunā, dibbena vaṇṇena, dibbena sukhena, dibbena yasena, dibbena ādhipateyyena, dibbehi rūpehi, dibbehi saddehi, dibbehi gandhehi, dibbehi rasehi, dibbehi phoṭṭhabbehi.
divine life span, beauty, happiness, glory, sovereignty, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi puññakiriyavatthūnī”ti.
These are the three grounds for making merit.”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.