Vacchagottasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.57

Numbered Discourses 3.57

6. Brāhmaṇavagga

6. Brahmins

Vacchagottasutta

With Vacchagotta

Atha kho vacchagotto paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vacchagotto paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“sutaṁ metaṁ, bho gotama, samaṇo gotamo evamāha:

“I have heard, worthy Gotama, that the ascetic Gotama says this:

‘mayhameva dānaṁ dātabbaṁ, nāññesaṁ dānaṁ dātabbaṁ;

‘Gifts should only be given to me, not to others.

mayhameva sāvakānaṁ dānaṁ dātabbaṁ, nāññesaṁ sāvakānaṁ dānaṁ dātabbaṁ;

Gifts should only be given to my disciples, not to the disciples of others.

mayhameva dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ, nāññesaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ;

Only what is given to me is very fruitful, not what is given to others.

mayhameva sāvakānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ, nāññesaṁ sāvakānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalan’ti.

Only what is given to my disciples is very fruitful, not what is given to the disciples of others.’

Ye te, bho gotama, evamāhaṁsu ‘samaṇo gotamo evamāha:

“mayhameva dānaṁ dātabbaṁ, nāññesaṁ dānaṁ dātabbaṁ.

Mayhameva sāvakānaṁ dānaṁ dātabbaṁ, nāññesaṁ sāvakānaṁ dānaṁ dātabbaṁ.

Mayhameva dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ, nāññesaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ.

Mayhameva sāvakānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ, nāññesaṁ sāvakānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalan”’ti.

Kacci te bhoto gotamassa vuttavādino na ca bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhanti, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaronti, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchati?

I trust those who say this repeat what the worthy Gotama has said, and do not misrepresent him with an untruth? Is their explanation in line with the teaching? Are there any legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism?

Anabbhakkhātukāmā hi mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotaman”ti.

For we don’t want to misrepresent the worthy Gotama.”

“Ye te, vaccha, evamāhaṁsu:

“Vaccha, those who say this

‘samaṇo gotamo evamāha:

“mayhameva dānaṁ dātabbaṁ …pe…

nāññesaṁ sāvakānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalan”’ti

na me te vuttavādino. Abbhācikkhanti ca pana maṁ asatā abhūtena.

do not repeat what I have said. They misrepresent me with what is false and untrue.

Yo kho, vaccha, paraṁ dānaṁ dadantaṁ vāreti so tiṇṇaṁ antarāyakaro hoti, tiṇṇaṁ pāripanthiko.

Anyone who prevents another from giving makes an obstacle and a roadblock for three individuals.

Katamesaṁ tiṇṇaṁ?

What three?

Dāyakassa puññantarāyakaro hoti, paṭiggāhakānaṁ lābhantarāyakaro hoti, pubbeva kho panassa attā khato ca hoti upahato ca.

The giver is obstructed from making merit. The receiver is obstructed from getting what is offered. And they’ve already broken and damaged themselves.

Yo kho, vaccha, paraṁ dānaṁ dadantaṁ vāreti so imesaṁ tiṇṇaṁ antarāyakaro hoti, tiṇṇaṁ pāripanthiko.

Anyone who prevents another from giving makes an obstacle and a roadblock for these three individuals.

Ahaṁ kho pana, vaccha, evaṁ vadāmi:

Vaccha, this is what I say:

‘ye hi te candanikāya vā oligalle vā pāṇā, tatrapi yo thālidhovanaṁ vā sarāvadhovanaṁ vā chaḍḍeti:

‘You even make merit by tipping out dish-washing water in a cesspool or a sump with living creatures in it, thinking,

“ye tattha pāṇā te tena yāpentū”’ti, tato nidānampāhaṁ, vaccha, puññassa āgamaṁ vadāmi.

“May any creatures here be nourished!”’

Ko pana vādo manussabhūte.

How much more then for human beings!

Api cāhaṁ, vaccha, sīlavato dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ vadāmi, no tathā dussīlassa, so ca hoti pañcaṅgavippahīno pañcaṅgasamannāgato.

However, I also say that a gift to an ethical person is more fruitful than one to an unethical person. They’ve given up five factors, and possess five factors.

Katamāni pañcaṅgāni pahīnāni honti?

What are the five factors they’ve given up?

Kāmacchando pahīno hoti, byāpādo pahīno hoti, thinamiddhaṁ pahīnaṁ hoti, uddhaccakukkuccaṁ pahīnaṁ hoti, vicikicchā pahīnā hoti.

Sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.

Imāni pañcaṅgāni vippahīnāni honti.

These are the five factors they’ve given up.

Katamehi pañcahi aṅgehi samannāgato hoti?

What are the five factors they possess?

Asekkhena sīlakkhandhena samannāgato hoti, asekkhena samādhikkhandhena samannāgato hoti, asekkhena paññākkhandhena samannāgato hoti, asekkhena vimuttikkhandhena samannāgato hoti, asekkhena vimuttiñāṇadassanakkhandhena samannāgato hoti;

The entire spectrum of an adept’s ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and knowledge and vision of freedom.

imehi pañcahi aṅgehi samannāgato hoti.

These are the five factors they possess.

Iti pañcaṅgavippahīne pañcaṅgasamannāgate dinnaṁ mahapphalanti vadāmīti.

I say that a gift to anyone who has given up these five factors and possesses these five factors is very fruitful.

Iti kaṇhāsu setāsu,

Cows may be black or white,

rohiṇīsu harīsu vā;

red or tawny,

Kammāsāsu sarūpāsu,

mottled or uniform,

gosu pārevatāsu vā.

or pigeon-colored.

Yāsu kāsuci etāsu,

But when one is born among them,

danto jāyati puṅgavo;

the bull that’s tamed—

Dhorayho balasampanno,

a behemoth, powerful,

kalyāṇajavanikkamo;

well-paced in pulling forward—

Tameva bhāre yuñjanti,

they yoke the load just to him,

nāssa vaṇṇaṁ parikkhare.

regardless of his color.

Evamevaṁ manussesu,

So it is for humans,

yasmiṁ kasmiñci jātiye;

wherever they may be born—

Khattiye brāhmaṇe vesse,

among aristocrats, brahmins, peasants,

sudde caṇḍālapukkuse.

menials, or corpse-workers and scavengers—

Yāsu kāsuci etāsu,

one is born among them,

danto jāyati subbato;

tamed, true to their vows.

Dhammaṭṭho sīlasampanno,

Firm in principle, accomplished in ethical conduct,

saccavādī hirīmano.

truthful, conscientious,

Pahīnajātimaraṇo,

they’ve given up birth and death.

brahmacariyassa kevalī;

Complete in the spiritual journey,

Pannabhāro visaṁyutto,

with burden put down, detached,

katakicco anāsavo.

they’ve completed the task
and are free of defilements.

Pāragū sabbadhammānaṁ,

Gone beyond all things,

anupādāya nibbuto;

they’re quenched by not grasping.

Tasmiṁyeva viraje khette,

In that flawless field,

vipulā hoti dakkhiṇā.

a religious donation is abundant.

Bālā ca avijānantā,

Fools who don’t understand—

dummedhā assutāvino;

unlearned simpletons—

Bahiddhā denti dānāni,

give their gifts to those outside,

na hi sante upāsare.

and don’t attend the peaceful ones.

Ye ca sante upāsanti,

But those who do attend the peaceful ones—

sappaññe dhīrasammate;

wise, esteemed as attentive—

Saddhā ca nesaṁ sugate,

and whose faith in the Holy One

mūlajātā patiṭṭhitā.

has roots planted deep,

Devalokañca te yanti,

they go to the realm of the gods,

kule vā idha jāyare;

or are born here in a good family.

Anupubbena nibbānaṁ,

Gradually those astute ones

adhigacchanti paṇḍitā”ti.

reach extinguishment.”

Sattamaṁ.