Aṅguttara-Nikāya
Pañcaka-Nipāta
IV. Sumanā Vagga

The Book of the Fives

IV: Sumanā

Sutta 36

Kāla-Dāna Suttaṃ

The Timely Gift

[41] [33]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

'Yes, lord,' they replied; and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these five timely¹ gifts.

What five?

One gives to the new-comer;
to one going away;
to the sick;
when food is hard to get;
the first-fruits of field and orchard² he first sets before the virtuous.

Monks, these are the five timely gifts.

Timely, unstinting give the very wise,
Hie affable; their timely gift to such
As they³ — the noble upright Ariyan men —
Is a rich offering⁴ that brings man peace;⁵
Nor they who laud,⁶ nor they who do the deed
Lack offering, but both in merit share.
Give without let of mind where great the fruit,
For living things (such) meritorious deeds
Are in another world a footing sure.'

¹ Kāla. Comy. glosses: yutta-, patta-, anucchavika-.

² Nava-sassāni, -phalāni. Comy. ārāmato ...

³ Tādino. Tādī is a term of reverence that came to be given to Founder and to arahants.

⁴ Dakkhiṇā, among brāhmans, a sacrificial gift.

⁵ Cf. verse 297 at J. i, 93.