Majjhima Nikāya
III. Upari Paṇṇāsa
4. Vibhaṇga Vagga
Sutta 142
Dakkhiṇa-Vibhaṇga Suttaṃ
Gift Analysis
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
[1][chlm][pts][upal] I hear tell:
{1} Once upon a time
The Lucky Man was revisiting the Sakkyans,
Kapilavatthu town,
Nigrodha's Forest Grove.
There then Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī,
bringing newly woven garments,
approached The Lucky Man.
Having approached The Lucky Man,
having exchanged greetings,
she took a seat to one side.
Seated to one side then,
Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī
said this to The Lucky Man:
{2} "Here, Bhante,
are garments newly woven for Bhagava,
made by myself,
woven by myself.
May, Bhante,
Bhagava accept them,
out of mercy for me."
This said,
The Lucky Man said this to Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī:
"Give this to the Saṇgha, Gotami,
given to the Saṇgha,
it will become a service to me
as well as the Saṇgha."
■
Then a second time
Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī
said this to The Lucky Man:
"Here, Bhante,
are garments newly woven for Bhagava,
made by myself,
woven by myself.
May, Bhante,
Bhagava accept them,
out of mercy for me."
Then a second time,
The Lucky Man said this to Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī:
"Give this to the Saṇgha, Gotami,
given to the Saṇgha,
it will become a service to me
as well as the Saṇgha."
■
Then a third time
Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī
said this to The Lucky Man:
"Here, Bhante,
are garments newly woven for Bhagava,
made by myself,
woven by myself.
May, Bhante,
Bhagava accept them,
out of mercy for me."
Then a third time,
The Lucky Man said this to Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī:
"Give this to the Saṇgha, Gotami,
given to the Saṇgha,
it will become a service to me
as well as the Saṇgha."
■
{3} This said, Old Man Ānanda
said this to The Lucky Man:
"Accept, Bhante,
Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī's newly woven garments.
Of great service, Bhante,
was Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī, to Bhagava,
as maternal aunt,
she did much for him,
nourished him with milk,
giving him milk to drink
at Bhagava's mother's time of death.
{4} Also, Bhante, Bhagava
is of great service
to Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī.
It is owing to Bhagava, Bhante,
that Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī
goes to the Buddha for refuge,
goes to the Dhamma for refuge,
goes to the Saṇgha for refuge.
It was owing to Bhagava, Bhante,
that Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī
abstains from taking the life of living beings,
abstains from taking the not-given,
abstains from carrying on sense-pleasures in a low way,
abstains from neglectful speech,
abstains from the stupefaction that results
from drinking the various beers, wines, and alcohols
whether fermented or distilled.
It is owing to Bhagava, Bhante,
that Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī
is possessed of absolute confidence in the Buddha,
is possessed of absolute confidence in the Dhamma,
is possessed of absolute confidence in the Saṇgha,
is possessed of those ethics favored by the Aristocrats.
It is owing to Bhagava, Bhante,
that Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī
is without doubt regarding pain,
is without doubt regarding the origin of pain,
is without doubt regarding the end of pain,
is without doubt regarding the walk to walk to the end of pain.
Just so, Bhante, is Bhagava
of great service
to Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī."
{5} "This is so, Ānanda!
This is so, Ānanda!
Indeed, through whatever, person, Ānanda,
a person
goes to the Buddha for refuge,
goes to the Dhamma for refuge,
goes to the Saṇgha for refuge
to such person, Ānanda,
a person can make no a proper return I say,
that is in regard to
reverential greeting,
standing up for,
saluting,
paying the highest regard to,
providing for the essentials:
robes-
bowl-food,
sitting and lying down place,
obtaining medicines in sickness.
Indeed, through whatever, person, Ānanda,
a person
abstains from taking the life of living beings,
abstains from taking the not-given,
abstains from carrying on sense-pleasures in a low way,
abstains from neglectful speech,
abstains from the stupefaction that results
from drinking the various beers, wines, and alcohols
whether fermented or distilled,
to such person, Ānanda,
a person can make no a proper return I say,
that is in regard to
reverential greeting,
standing up for,
saluting,
paying the highest regard to,
providing for the essentials:
robes,
bowl-food,
sitting and lying down place,
obtaining medicines in sickness.
Indeed, through whatever, person, Ānanda,
a person
is possessed of absolute confidence in the Buddha,
is possessed of absolute confidence in the Dhamma,
is possessed of absolute confidence in the Saṇgha,
is possessed of those ethics favored by the Aristocrats,
to such person, Ānanda,
a person can make no proper return I say,
that is in regard to
reverential greeting,
standing up for,
saluting,
paying the highest regard to,
providing for the essentials:
robes,
bowl-food,
sitting and lying down place,
obtaining medicines in sickness.
Indeed, through whatever, person, Ānanda,
a person
is without doubt regarding pain,
is without doubt regarding the origin of pain,
is without doubt regarding the end of pain,
is without doubt regarding the walk to walk to the end of pain,
to such person, Ānanda,
a person can make no a proper return I say,
that is in regard to
reverential greeting,
standing up for,
saluting,
paying the highest regard to,
providing for the essentials:
robes,
bowl-food,
sitting and lying down place,
obtaining medicines in sickness.
§
{6} Then, Ānanda,
there are these fourteen givings
to individuals according to rank.
What fourteen?
Giving a gift to
One-Who-Has-Got-It,
arahant,
consummately self-awakened —
this is the first giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
a Solitary Buddha —
this is the second giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
a student of the One-Who-Has-Got-It,
who is an Arahant —
this is the third giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
one looking to produce
the fruit of Arahantship —
this is the fourth giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
a Non-returner —
this is the fifth giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
one looking to produce
the fruit of Non-returning —
this is the sixth giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
a Once-returner —
this is the seventh giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
one looking to produce
the fruit of Once-returning —
this is the eighth giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
a Streamwinner —
this is the ninth giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
one looking to produce
the fruit of Streamwinning —
this is the tenth giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
an outsider
but one detached from lust for sense-pleasures —
this is the eleventh giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
a commoner who observes high ethical standards —
this is the twelfth giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
a commoner who is of poor ethical standards —
this is the thirteenth giving
to an individual according to rank.
Giving a gift to
an animal —
this is the fourteenth giving
to an individual according to rank.
■
{7} As to this, Ānanda,
giving a gift to
an animal,
a hundred-fold return
is to be expected.
Giving a gift to
a commoner who is of poor ethical standards
a thousand-fold return
is to be expected.
Giving a gift to
a commoner who observes high ethical standards
a hundred-thousand-fold return
is to be expected.
Giving a gift to
an outsider
but one detached from lust for sense-pleasures
a hundred-thousand-ten million-fold return
is to be expected.
Giving a gift to
one looking to produce
the fruit of Streamwinning,
the expected return
is incalculable,
immeasurable.
What more can be said of the Streamwinner?
What more can be said of the one looking to produce
the fruit of Once-returning?
What more can be said of the one looking to produce
the fruit of Non-returning?
What more can be said of the a Non-returner?
What more can be said of the one looking to produce
the fruit of Arahantship?
What more can be said of the a student
of the One-Who-Has-Got-It,
who is an Arahant?
What more can be said of the a Solitary Buddha?
What more can be said of the One-Who-Has-Got-It,
arahant,
consummately self-awakened?
■
{8} Then, Ānanda,
there are these seven
givings to the Saṇgha.
What seven?
Giving a gift
to both Saṇghas
headed by the Buddha.
This is the first giving to the Saṇgha.
Giving a gift
to both Saṇghas
after the Buddha has attained parinibbana.
This is the second giving to the Saṇgha.
Giving a gift
to the Bhikkhu-Saṇgha.
This is the third giving to the Saṇgha.
Giving a gift
to the Bhikkhuni-Saṇgha.
This is the fourth giving to the Saṇgha.
Giving a gift saying:
'Let a few bhikkhus
and bhikkhunis
be selected for me by the Saṇgha.'
This is the fifth giving to the Saṇgha.
Giving a gift saying:
'Let a few bhikkhus
be selected for me by the Saṇgha.'
This is the sixth giving to the Saṇgha.
Giving a gift saying:
'Let a few bhikkhunis
be selected for me by the Saṇgha.'
This is the seventh giving to the Saṇgha.
{9} But then further, Ānanda,
there will come,
some time in the future,
those of the lineage,
with the yellow robes
around their necks,
of poor ethical standards,
of bad Dhamma,
who, though of poor ethical standards,
are selected to receive gifts.
But when I say, Ānanda,
that a gift given to the Saṇgha
is incalculable,
immeasurable
I do not, Ānanda,
under any circumstances say
of giving to the Saṇgha,
that giving to individuals of whatever rank
is of greater fruit.
■
{10} Four then, Ānanda,
are the purifications of gifts.
What four?
There is, Ānanda,
the gift purified by the giver
not the recipient.
There is, Ānanda,
the gift purified by the recipient
not the giver.
There is, Ānanda,
the gift purified neither by the giver
nor the recipient.
There is, Ānanda,
the gift purified by both the giver
and the recipient.
■
{11} And in what way, Ānanda,
is the gift purified by the giver
not the recipient?
Here, Ānanda,
the giver has high ethical standards,
lovely Dhamma,
the recipient has poor ethical standards,
bad Dhamma.
In this way, Ānanda,
is the gift purified by the giver
not the recipient.
And in what way, Ānanda,
is the gift purified by the recipient
not the giver?
Here, Ānanda,
the recipient has high ethical standards,
lovely Dhamma,
the giver has poor ethical standards,
bad Dhamma.
In this way, Ānanda,
is the gift purified by the recipient
not the giver.
And in what way, Ānanda,
is the gift purified by neither the giver
nor the recipient?
Here, Ānanda,
the giver has poor ethical standards,
bad Dhamma,
the recipient has poor ethical standards,
bad Dhamma.
In this way, Ānanda,
is the gift purified by neither the giver
nor the recipient.
And in what way, Ānanda,
is the gift purified by both the giver
and the recipient?
Here, Ānanda,
the giver has high ethical standards,
lovely Dhamma,
and the recipient has high ethical standards,
lovely Dhamma.
In this way, Ānanda,
is the gift purified by both the giver
and the recipient.
These, then, Ānanda,
are the four ways a gift is purified."
This is what the Lucky Man Said.
{12} This said, the Welcome One added this as Teacher:
Whoever, of high ethical standards,
to one of poor ethical standards gives
a Dhamma-gained gift,
the heart well pleased,
convinced of the rich fruition of kamma
this gift is purified by the giver.
Whoever, of poor ethical standards,
to one of high ethical standards gives
a not-Dhamma-gained gift,
the heart not well-pleased,
not convinced of the rich fruition of kamma
this gift is purified by the recipient.
Whoever, of poor ethical standards,
to one of poor ethical standards gives
a not-Dhamma-gained gift,
the heart not well-pleased,
not convinced of the rich fruition of kamma
this gift is purified by neither.
Whoever, of high ethical standards,
to one of high ethical standards gives
a Dhamma-gained gift,
the heart well pleased,
convinced of the rich fruit of kamma
I say this gift is of rich fruition.
Whoever without desire
to one without desire gives
a Dhamma-gained gift,
the heart well pleased,
convinced of the rich fruit of kamma
I say this gift is of uncarnally-given fruition.
Gift Analysis
