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#### Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
IV. Dāna Vagga

#### The Book of Eights

#### Sutta 31

#### Dāna Suttaṁ

# Giving

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

[1][pts][bodh] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time the Lucky Man Sāvatthī-town residing,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There the The Lucky Man said this to the beggars:

"Beggars!"

"Bhante!" they replied, and the Lucky Man said:

"There are these eight givings.

What eight?

Giving gifts at opportunity's knock.

Giving gifts in fear.

Giving gifts thinking: 'He gave to me.'

Giving gifts thinking: 'He will give to me.'

Giving gifts thinking: 'It is well to give.'

Giving gifts thinking:

'I cook, these do not cook,
ignoble of me, who cooks, it would be,
not to give to those who do not cook.'[1]

Giving gifts thinking:

'This my giving gifts, will give rise to a useful sound repute.'

Giving gifts because it is part of everything that belongs to beautification of the heart.

These then, beggars, are the eight givings."

[1] In India at the time the person of lesser activity would be held in higher regard than the one with greater activity. Thus there was a moral obligation to support those of a higher calling.

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