sutta » sn » sn1 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.33

Sādhusutta

Good Good

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Savatthi.

Atha kho sambahulā satullapakāyikā devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
Then, late at night, several glorious deities of the Satullapa Group, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.
Then, when the night had advanced, a number of devatās belonging to the Satullapa host, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Standing to one side, one deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then one devatā, standing to one side, uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Sādhu kho mārisa dānaṁ,
“Good, sir, is giving!
“Good is giving, dear sir!

maccherā ca pamādā ca;
Because of stinginess and negligence
“Through stinginess and negligence

Evaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati,
a gift is not given.
A gift is not given.

puññaṁ ākaṅkhamānena;
Wanting merit,
One who knows, desiring merit,

Deyyaṁ hoti vijānatā”ti.
a smart person would give.”
Should surely give a gift. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Sādhu kho mārisa dānaṁ,
“Good, sir, is giving!
“Good is giving, dear sir!

Api ca appakasmimpi sāhu dānaṁ.
Even when one has little, giving is good.
And further: Even when there’s little, giving is good.

Appasmeke pavecchanti,
Some who have little are happy to provide,
“Some provide from what little they have,

bahuneke na dicchare;
while some who have much don’t wish to give.
Others who are affluent don’t like to give.

Appasmā dakkhiṇā dinnā,
An offering given from little
An offering given from what little one has

sahassena samaṁ mitā”ti.
is multiplied a thousand times.”
Is worth a thousand times its value. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Sādhu kho mārisa dānaṁ,
“Good, sir, is giving!
“Good is giving, dear sir!

Appakasmimpi sāhu dānaṁ;
Even when one has little, giving is good.
Even when there’s little, giving is good.

Api ca saddhāyapi sāhu dānaṁ,
And it’s also good to give out of faith.
And further: When done with faith too, giving is good.

Dānañca yuddhañca samānamāhu;
Giving and warfare are similar, they say,
“Giving and warfare are similar, they say:

Appāpi santā bahuke jinanti,
for even a few of the good may conquer the many.
A few good ones conquer many.

Appampi ce saddahāno dadāti;
If a faithful person gives even a little,
If one with faith gives even a little,

Teneva so hoti sukhī paratthā”ti.
it still brings them happiness in the hereafter.”
He thereby becomes happy in the other world. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Sādhu kho mārisa dānaṁ,
“Good, sir, is giving!
“Good is giving, dear sir!

Appakasmimpi sāhu dānaṁ;
Even when one has little, giving is good.
Even when there’s little, giving is good.

Saddhāyapi sāhu dānaṁ,
And it’s also good to give out of faith.
When done with faith too, giving is good.

Api ca dhammaladdhassāpi sāhu dānaṁ.
And it’s also good to give legitimate wealth.
And further: The gift of a righteous gain is also good.

Yo dhammaladdhassa dadāti dānaṁ,
A man who gives legitimate wealth,
“When he gives a gift of a righteous gain

Uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatassa jantu;
earned by his efforts and initiative,
Obtained by exertion and energy,

Atikkamma so vetaraṇiṁ yamassa,
has passed over Yama’s Vetaraṇi River;
Having passed over Yama’s Vetaraṇi River,

Dibbāni ṭhānāni upeti macco”ti.
that mortal arrives at celestial fields.”
That mortal arrives at celestial states. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Sādhu kho mārisa dānaṁ,
“Good, sir, is giving!
“Good is giving, dear sir!

Appakasmimpi sāhu dānaṁ;
Even when one has little, giving is good.
Even when there’s little, giving is good.

Saddhāyapi sāhu dānaṁ,
And it’s also good to give out of faith.
When done with faith too, giving is good;

Dhammaladdhassāpi sāhu dānaṁ;
And it’s also good to give legitimate wealth.
The gift of a righteous gain is also good.

Api ca viceyya dānampi sāhu dānaṁ.
And it’s also good to give intelligently.
And further: Giving discriminately too is good.

Viceyya dānaṁ sugatappasatthaṁ,
The Holy One praises giving intelligently
“Giving discriminately is praised by the Fortunate One—

Ye dakkhiṇeyyā idha jīvaloke;
to those worthy of offerings here <j>in the world of the living.
To those worthy of offerings

Etesu dinnāni mahapphalāni,
What’s given to these is very fruitful,
What is given to them bears great fruit

Bījāni vuttāni yathā sukhette”ti.
like seeds sown in a fertile field.”
Like seeds sown in a fertile field. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Sādhu kho mārisa dānaṁ,
“Good, sir, is giving!
“Good is giving, dear sir!

Appakasmimpi sāhu dānaṁ;
Even when one has little, giving is good.
Even when there’s little, giving is good.

Saddhāyapi sāhu dānaṁ,
And it’s also good to give out of faith.
When done with faith too, giving is good;

Dhammaladdhassāpi sāhu dānaṁ;
And it’s also good to give legitimate wealth.
The gift of a righteous gain is also good.

Viceyya dānampi sāhu dānaṁ,
And it’s also good to give intelligently.
Giving with discretion too is good.

Api ca pāṇesupi sādhu saṁyamo.
And it’s also good to be restrained <j>when it comes to living creatures.
And further: Restraint towards living beings is also good.

Yo pāṇabhūtāni aheṭhayaṁ caraṁ,
One who lives without harming any living being
“One who fares harming no living beings

Parūpavādā na karonti pāpaṁ;
never does bad because of others’ blame;
Does no evil from fear of others’ censure.

Bhīruṁ pasaṁsanti na hi tattha sūraṁ,
for in that case they praise the coward, not the brave;
In that they praise the timid, not the brave,

Bhayā hi santo na karonti pāpan”ti.
and the virtuous never do bad out of fear.”
For out of fear the good do no evil. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then another deity said to the Buddha,
Then another devatā said to the Blessed One:

“kassa nu kho, bhagavā, subhāsitan”ti?
“Sir, who has spoken well?”
“Which one, Blessed One, has spoken well?”

“Sabbāsaṁ vo subhāsitaṁ pariyāyena, api ca mamapi suṇātha—
“You’ve all spoken well in your own way. However, listen to me also:
“You have all spoken well in a way.

Saddhā hi dānaṁ bahudhā pasatthaṁ,
It’s true that giving is praised in many ways
“Surely giving is praised in many ways,

Dānā ca kho dhammapadaṁva seyyo;
but the path of the teaching is better than giving,
But the path of Dhamma surpasses giving.

Pubbe ca hi pubbatare ca santo,
for in days old and older still,
For in the past and even long ago,

Nibbānamevajjhagamuṁ sapaññā”ti.
the wise and virtuous even attained extinction.”
The good and wise ones attained Nibbāna. ”