Serīsutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.23

Linked Discourses 2.23

3. Nānātitthiyavagga

3. Various Sectarians

Serīsutta

With Serī

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho serī devaputto bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Standing to one side, the godling Serī addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Annamevābhinandanti,

“Both gods and humans

ubhaye devamānusā;

enjoy their food.

Atha ko nāma so yakkho,

So what’s the name of the spirit

yaṁ annaṁ nābhinandatī”ti.

who doesn’t like food?”

“Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,

“Those who give with faith

vippasannena cetasā;

and a clear and confident heart,

Tameva annaṁ bhajati,

partake of food

asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.

in this world and the next.

Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,

So you should dispel stinginess,

dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;

overcoming that stain, and give a gift.

Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,

The good deeds of sentient beings

patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.

support them in the next world.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,

Yāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

how well said this was by the Buddha.” He repeated the Buddha’s verses, and said:

‘Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,

vippasannena cetasā;

Tameva annaṁ bhajati,

asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.

Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,

dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;

Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,

patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan’ti.

Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, sirī nāma rājā ahosiṁ dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

“Once upon a time, sir, I was a king named Serī, a giver, a donor, who praised giving.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, catūsu dvāresu dānaṁ dīyittha samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānaṁ.

I gave gifts at the four gates to ascetics and brahmins, to paupers, vagrants, supplicants, and beggars.

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, itthāgāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:

Then the ladies of my harem approached me and said,

‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.

‘Your Majesty gives gifts, but we don’t.

Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.

Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

Then it occurred to me,

‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.

Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?

When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, paṭhamaṁ dvāraṁ itthāgārassa adāsiṁ.

And so I gave the first gate to the ladies of my harem.

Tattha itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyittha; mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.

There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, khattiyā anuyantā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:

Then my aristocrat vassals approached me and said,

‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.

‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, but we don’t.

Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.

Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

Then it occurred to me,

‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.

Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?

When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, dutiyaṁ dvāraṁ khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ adāsiṁ.

And so I gave the second gate to my aristocrat vassals.

Tattha khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.

There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, balakāyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:

Then my troops approached me and said,

‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.

‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, your aristocrat vassals give gifts, but we don’t.

Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.

Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

Then it occurred to me,

‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.

Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?

When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, tatiyaṁ dvāraṁ balakāyassa adāsiṁ.

And so I gave the third gate to my troops.

Tattha balakāyassa dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.

There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, brāhmaṇagahapatikā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:

Then my brahmins and householders approached me and said,

‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyati; balakāyassa dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.

‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, your aristocrat vassals give gifts, your troops give gifts, but we don’t.

Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.

Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

Then it occurred to me,

‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.

Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?

When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, catutthaṁ dvāraṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ adāsiṁ.

And so I gave the fourth gate to my brahmins and householders.

Tattha brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.

There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, purisā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:

Then my men approached me and said,

‘na kho dāni devassa koci dānaṁ dīyatī’ti.

‘Now Your Majesty is not giving gifts anywhere!’

Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, te purise etadavocaṁ:

When they said this, I said to those men,

‘tena hi, bhaṇe, yo bāhiresu janapadesu āyo sañjāyati tato upaḍḍhaṁ antepure pavesetha, upaḍḍhaṁ tattheva dānaṁ detha samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānan’ti.

‘Well then, lads, deposit half the revenue generated in the outer districts in the royal compound. Give the other half as charity to ascetics and brahmins, to paupers, vagrants, supplicants, and beggars in those districts.’

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ puññānaṁ evaṁ dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pariyantaṁ nādhigacchāmi—

Sir, for a long time I made so much merit and did so many skillful deeds. I never reached any limit so as to say

ettakaṁ puññanti vā ettako puññavipākoti vā ettakaṁ sagge ṭhātabbanti vāti.

‘there’s this much merit’ or ‘there’s this much result of merit’ or ‘for so long I’ll remain in heaven’.

Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,

Yāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

how well said this was by the Buddha.

‘Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,

‘Those who give with faith

vippasannena cetasā;

and a clear and confident heart,

Tameva annaṁ bhajati,

partake of food

asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.

in this world and the next.

Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,

So you should dispel stinginess,

dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;

overcoming that stain, and give a gift.

Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,

The good deeds of sentient beings

patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan’”ti.

support them in the next world.’”