sutta » an » an8 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.76

Dutiyasampadāsutta

Accomplishments (2nd)

“Aṭṭhimā, bhikkhave, sampadā.
“Mendicants, there are these eight accomplishments.

Katamā aṭṭha?
What eight?

Uṭṭhānasampadā, ārakkhasampadā, kalyāṇamittatā, samajīvitā, saddhāsampadā, sīlasampadā, cāgasampadā, paññāsampadā.
Accomplishment in initiative, protection, good friendship, and balanced finances. And accomplishment in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, uṭṭhānasampadā?
And what is accomplishment in initiative?

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto yena kammaṭṭhānena jīvitaṁ kappeti—
It’s when a gentleman earns a living by means such as

yadi kasiyā yadi vaṇijjāya yadi gorakkhena yadi issattena yadi rājaporisena yadi sippaññatarena—
farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or one of the professions.

tattha dakkho hoti analaso, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgato, alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātunti.
He understands how to go about these things in order to complete and organize the work.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, uṭṭhānasampadā.
This is called accomplishment in initiative.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ārakkhasampadā?
And what is accomplishment in protection?

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputtassa bhogā honti uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatā bāhābalaparicitā sedāvakkhittā dhammikā dhammaladdhā te ārakkhena guttiyā sampādeti:
It’s when a gentleman owns legitimate wealth that he has earned by his own efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow. He ensures it is guarded and protected, thinking:

‘kinti me bhoge neva rājāno hareyyuṁ, na corā hareyyuṁ, na aggi ḍaheyya, na udakaṁ vaheyya, na appiyā dāyādā hareyyun’ti.
‘How can I prevent my wealth from being taken by rulers or bandits, consumed by fire, swept away by flood, or taken by unloved heirs?’

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ārakkhasampadā.
This is called accomplishment in protection.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā?
And what is accomplishment in good friendship?

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto yasmiṁ gāme vā nigame vā paṭivasati, tattha ye te honti gahapatī vā gahapatiputtā vā daharā vā vuddhasīlino vuddhā vā vuddhasīlino saddhāsampannā sīlasampannā cāgasampannā paññāsampannā, tehi saddhiṁ santiṭṭhati sallapati sākacchaṁ samāpajjati; yathārūpānaṁ saddhāsampannānaṁ saddhāsampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ sīlasampannānaṁ sīlasampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ cāgasampannānaṁ cāgasampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ paññāsampannānaṁ paññāsampadaṁ anusikkhati.
It’s when a gentleman resides in a town or village. And in that place there are householders or their children who may be young or old, but are mature in conduct, accomplished in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom. He associates with them, converses and engages in discussion. And he emulates the same kind of accomplishment in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā.
This is called accomplishment in good friendship.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, samajīvitā?
And what is accomplishment in balanced finances?

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti.
It’s when a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, balances his finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. He thinks, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tulādhāro vā tulādhārantevāsī vā tulaṁ paggahetvā jānāti: ‘ettakena vā onataṁ, ettakena vā unnatan’ti;
It’s like an appraiser or their apprentice who, holding up the scales, knows that it’s low by this much or high by this much.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti.
In the same way, a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, balances his finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. He thinks, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’

Sacāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto appāyo samāno uḷāraṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro ‘udumbarakhādī vāyaṁ kulaputto bhoge khādatī’ti.
If a gentleman has little income but an opulent life, people will say: ‘This gentleman eats their wealth like a fig-eater!’

Sace panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto mahāyo samāno kasiraṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro: ‘ajeṭṭhamaraṇaṁ vāyaṁ kulaputto marissatī’ti.
If a gentleman has a large income but a spartan life, people will say: ‘This gentleman is starving themselves to death!’

Yato ca khoyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti.
But a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, thinking, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, samajīvitā.
This is called accomplishment in balanced finances.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadā?
And what is accomplishment in faith?

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto saddho hoti, saddahati tathāgatassa bodhiṁ:
It’s when a gentleman has faith in the Realized One’s awakening:

‘itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti.
‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha … teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadā.
This is called accomplishment in faith.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sīlasampadā?
And what is accomplishment in ethics?

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti.
It’s when a gentleman doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume alcoholic drinks that cause negligence.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sīlasampadā.
This is called accomplishment in ethics.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, cāgasampadā?
And what is accomplishment in generosity?

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati …pe… yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato.
It’s when a gentleman lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, cāgasampadā.
This is called accomplishment in generosity.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, paññāsampadā?
And what is accomplishment in wisdom?

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto paññavā hoti …pe… sammā dukkhakkhayagāminiyā.
It’s when a gentleman is wise. He has the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, paññāsampadā.
This is called accomplishment in wisdom.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha sampadāti.
These are the eight accomplishments.

Uṭṭhātā kammadheyyesu,
They’re enterprising in the workplace,

appamatto vidhānavā;
diligent in managing things,

Samaṁ kappeti jīvikaṁ,
they balance their finances,

sambhataṁ anurakkhati.
and preserve their wealth.

Saddho sīlena sampanno,
Faithful, accomplished in ethics,

vadaññū vītamaccharo;
bountiful, rid of stinginess,

Niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti,
they always purify the path

sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ.
to well-being in lives to come.

Iccete aṭṭha dhammā ca,
And so these eight qualities

saddhassa gharamesino;
of a faithful householder

Akkhātā saccanāmena,
are declared by the one who is truly named

ubhayattha sukhāvahā.
to lead to happiness in both spheres,

Diṭṭhadhammahitatthāya,
welfare and benefit in this life,

samparāyasukhāya ca;
and happiness in the next.

Evametaṁ gahaṭṭhānaṁ,
This is how, for a householder,

cāgo puññaṁ pavaḍḍhatī”ti.
merit grows by generosity.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.