Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
IV. Dāna Vagga

The Book of the Eights

IV: On Giving

Sutta 38

Sappurisa Suttaṃ

The Worthy Man (b)

[244] [166]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:

¹'Monks, when a worthy man is born into a family,
it is for the good,
benefit
and happiness of many folk.

It is for the good,
benefit
and happiness
of his parents,
of his wife and children,
of his slaves,
workmen
and servants,
of his friends and companions,
of the ghosts of his forebears,²
of the rajah,
of the devas,
and of recluses and godly men.

Monks, just as abundance of rain
brings to perfection all crops
for the good,
benefit
and happiness of many folk;
even so a worthy man is born into a family,
it is for the good,
benefit
and happiness of many folk.

Ah, well it is for many when within
The home a wise man's born! Untiring, night
And day, he honours mother, father, forebears,
In fitting manner,³ mindful of their care⁴
In former days. The homeless wanderers,
Who live the godly life, he honours,⁵ firm
In faith, he knows therefore things proper, right.⁶
He is the rajah's friend and favourite,
The friend of devas, kith and kin and all.
Firm set in Saddhamma, with stain of stint
Put by, he wayfares to the world of bliss.'⁷

¹ A very similar sutta recurs at A. iii, 46.

² Pubba-petanaṃ. Comy. paraloka-gatānaṃ ñātīnaṃ, and so in the verses, but Comy. there paṭhame.

³ Saha dhammena.

⁴ Kataṃ, lit. deed. The Comy. observes, remembering the nature of his mother's and father's previous services (kāra).

⁵ I take both apace and bhajate to be pres, indic, reflective, though they can be optative, as the P.E.D. suggests.

⁶ S.e. reads ñatvā dhamme'dha.