Velāmasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.20

Numbered Discourses 9.20

2. Sīhanādavagga

2. The Lion’s Roar

Velāmasutta

About Velāma

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“Api nu te, gahapati, kule dānaṁ dīyatī”ti?

“Householder, I wonder whether your family gives gifts?”

“Dīyati me, bhante, kule dānaṁ;

“It does, sir.

tañca kho lūkhaṁ kaṇājakaṁ biḷaṅgadutiyan”ti.

But only coarse sour gruel with false black pepper.”

“Lūkhañcepi, gahapati, dānaṁ deti paṇītaṁ vā;

“Householder, someone might give a gift that’s either coarse or fine.

tañca asakkaccaṁ deti, acittīkatvā deti, asahatthā deti, apaviddhaṁ deti, anāgamanadiṭṭhiko deti.

But they give it carelessly, thoughtlessly, not with their own hand. They give the dregs, and they give without consideration for consequences.

Yattha yattha tassa tassa dānassa vipāko nibbattati, na uḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷāresu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu bhogāya cittaṁ namati.

Then wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind doesn’t incline toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation.

Yepissa te honti puttāti vā dārāti vā dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi na sussūsanti na sotaṁ odahanti na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhapenti.

And their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers don’t want to listen to them. They don’t actively listen or try to understand.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Evañhetaṁ, gahapati, hoti asakkaccaṁ katānaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko.

Because that is the result of deeds done carelessly.

Lūkhañcepi, gahapati, dānaṁ deti paṇītaṁ vā;

Someone might give a gift that’s either coarse or fine.

tañca sakkaccaṁ deti, cittīkatvā deti, sahatthā deti, anapaviddhaṁ deti, āgamanadiṭṭhiko deti.

And they give it carefully, thoughtfully, with their own hand. They don’t give the dregs, and they give with consideration for consequences.

Yattha yattha tassa tassa dānassa vipāko nibbattati, uḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷāresu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu bhogāya cittaṁ namati.

Then wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind inclines toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation.

Yepissa te honti puttāti vā dārāti vā dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi sussūsanti sotaṁ odahanti aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhapenti.

And their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers want to listen. They actively listen and try to understand.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Evañhetaṁ, gahapati, hoti sakkaccaṁ katānaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko.

Because that is the result of deeds done carefully.

Bhūtapubbaṁ, gahapati, velāmo nāma brāhmaṇo ahosi.

Once upon a time, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma.

So evarūpaṁ dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ.

He gave the following gift, a great offering.

Caturāsīti suvaṇṇapātisahassāni adāsi rūpiyapūrāni, caturāsīti rūpiyapātisahassāni adāsi suvaṇṇapūrāni, caturāsīti kaṁsapātisahassāni adāsi hiraññapūrāni, caturāsīti hatthisahassāni adāsi sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇadhajāni hemajālappaṭicchannāni, caturāsīti rathasahassāni adāsi sīhacammaparivārāni byagghacammaparivārāni dīpicammaparivārāni paṇḍukambalaparivārāni sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇadhajāni hemajālappaṭicchannāni, caturāsīti dhenusahassāni adāsi dukūlasandhanāni kaṁsūpadhāraṇāni, caturāsīti kaññāsahassāni adāsi āmuttamaṇikuṇḍalāyo, caturāsīti pallaṅkasahassāni adāsi gonakatthatāni paṭikatthatāni paṭalikatthatāni kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇāni sauttaracchadāni ubhatolohitakūpadhānāni, caturāsīti vatthakoṭisahassāni adāsi khomasukhumānaṁ koseyyasukhumānaṁ kambalasukhumānaṁ kappāsikasukhumānaṁ, ko pana vādo annassa pānassa khajjassa bhojjassa leyyassa peyyassa, najjo maññe vissandanti.

84,000 gold cups filled with silver. 84,000 silver cups filled with gold. 84,000 bronze cups filled with gold coins. 84,000 elephants with gold adornments and banners, covered with snow gold netting. 84,000 chariots upholstered with the hide of lions, tigers, and leopards, and cream rugs, with gold adornments and banners, covered with snow gold netting. 84,000 milk cows with muslin halter and bronze pails. 84,000 maidens bedecked with jeweled earrings. 84,000 couches spread with woolen covers—shag-piled, pure white, or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide, with canopies above and red pillows at both ends. 8,400,000,000 cloths of delicate linen, cotton, silk, and wool. And who can say how much food, drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages? It seemed like an overflowing river.

Siyā kho pana te, gahapati, evamassa:

Householder, you might think:

‘añño nūna tena samayena velāmo brāhmaṇo ahosi, so taṁ dānaṁ adāsi mahādānan’ti.

‘Surely the brahmin Velāma must have been someone else at that time?’

Na kho panetaṁ, gahapati, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

But you should not see it like this.

Ahaṁ tena samayena velāmo brāhmaṇo ahosiṁ.

I myself was the brahmin Velāma at that time.

Ahaṁ taṁ dānaṁ adāsiṁ mahādānaṁ.

I gave that gift, a great offering.

Tasmiṁ kho pana, gahapati, dāne na koci dakkhiṇeyyo ahosi, na taṁ koci dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti.

But at that event there was no one worthy of a religious donation, and no one to purify the religious donation.

Yaṁ, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

It would be more fruitful to feed one individual accomplished in view than that great offering of Velāma.

(…) Yo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

It would be more fruitful to feed one once-returner than a hundred of those accomplished in view.

(…) Yo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya …pe…

It would be more fruitful to feed one non-returner than a hundred once-returners.

yo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya …pe…

It would be more fruitful to feed one perfected one than a hundred non-returners.

yo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya …pe…

It would be more fruitful to feed one independent Buddha than a hundred perfected ones.

yo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya …pe…

It would be more fruitful to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha than a hundred independent Buddhas.

yo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya …pe…

It would be more fruitful to feed the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha than to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha.

yo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya …pe…

It would be more fruitful to build a dwelling especially for the Saṅgha of the four quarters than to feed the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha.

yo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya …pe…

It would be more fruitful to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha with a confident heart than to build a dwelling for the Saṅgha of the four quarters.

yo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya—

It would be more fruitful to undertake the training rules—not to kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor—than to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha with a confident heart.

pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ, adinnādānā veramaṇiṁ, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiṁ, musāvādā veramaṇiṁ, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ, yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, (…) idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

It would be more fruitful to develop a heart of love—even just as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder—than to undertake the training rules.

Yañca, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya …

It would be more fruitful to develop the perception of impermanence—even as long as a finger-snap—than to do all of these things, including developing a heart of love for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder.”

yo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya …

yo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya …

yo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya …

yo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya …

yo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya …

yo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya …

yo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya, yo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya—

pāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ, yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, yo ca accharāsaṅghātamattampi aniccasaññaṁ bhāveyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataran”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Sīhanādavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Nādo saupādiseso ca,

koṭṭhikena samiddhinā;

Gaṇḍasaññā kulaṁ mettā,

devatā velāmena cāti.