Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
V: Muṇḍa-Rāja Vagga

The Book of the Fives

V. Rajah Muṇḍa

Sutta 42

Sappurisa Suttaṃ

The Good Man

[46] [38]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

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

"Monks,¹ when a good man is born into a family
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of many folk;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of his parents;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of of his wife and children;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of his slaves, work-folk and men;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of his friends and companions;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness
of recluses and brahmans.

■

Monks, just as good rains
bring to perfection
all crops
for the good,
welfare
and happiness of many folk;
even so a [39] good man is born into a family
for the good,
welfare
and happiness of many folk;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of his parents;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of of his wife and children;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of his slaves, work-folk and men;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of his friends and companions;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness
of recluses and brahmans.

For many let the good man wealth pursue.
Him Dhamma-warded doth a deva ward.
For him well taught, moral and dutiful,
Will honour never wane. On Dhamma standing,
Virtuous, truth-speaking, conscientious,
Of such a man who's fit to appraise the worth?
'Tis even like red gold from Jambu's stream.
Him devas praise, by Brahma praised is he.'²

¹ Cf. the prose of this sutta with A. iv, 244.