5. Muṇḍarājavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.44

Numbered Discourses 5.44

5. Muṇḍarājavagga

5. With King Muṇḍa

Manāpadāyīsutta

Agreeable

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena uggassa gahapatino vesālikassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the householder Ugga of Vesālī, where he sat on the seat spread out.

Atha kho uggo gahapati vesāliko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uggo gahapati vesāliko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Ugga went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

“Sir, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha:

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

‘The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.’

Manāpaṁ me, bhante, sālapupphakaṁ khādanīyaṁ;

My sal flower porridge is agreeable:

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.”

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

“Sir, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha:

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

‘The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.’

Manāpaṁ me, bhante, sampannakolakaṁ sūkaramaṁsaṁ;

My pork with jujube is agreeable:

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.”

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

Manāpaṁ me, bhante, nibbattatelakaṁ nāliyasākaṁ;

“… My fried vegetable stalks are agreeable:

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

may the Buddha please accept them from me out of sympathy.”

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

So the Buddha accepted them out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

Manāpo me, bhante, sālīnaṁ odano vicitakāḷako anekasūpo anekabyañjano;

“… My boiled fine rice with the dark grains picked out, served with many soups and sauces is agreeable:

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.”

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

Manāpāni me, bhante, kāsikāni vatthāni;

“… My cloths imported from Kāsi are agreeable:

tāni me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

may the Buddha please accept them from me out of sympathy.”

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

So the Buddha accepted them out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

Manāpo me, bhante, pallaṅko gonakatthato paṭalikatthato kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇo sauttaracchado ubhatolohitakūpadhāno.

“… My couch spread with woolen covers—shag-piled or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red pillows at both ends is agreeable.

Api ca, bhante, mayampetaṁ jānāma:

But, sir, I know that

‘netaṁ bhagavato kappatī’ti.

this is not proper for the Buddha.

Idaṁ me, bhante, candanaphalakaṁ agghati adhikasatasahassaṁ;

However, this plank of sandalwood is worth over a thousand dollars.

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

May the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.”

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ iminā anumodanīyena anumodi:

And then the Buddha rejoiced with Ugga with these verses of appreciation:

“Manāpadāyī labhate manāpaṁ,

“The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable,

Yo ujjubhūtesu dadāti chandasā;

enthusiastically giving clothing, bedding,

Acchādanaṁ sayanamannapānaṁ,

food and drink, and various requisites

Nānāppakārāni ca paccayāni.

to those of sincere conduct.

Cattañca muttañca anuggahītaṁ,

Knowing the perfected ones to be like a field

Khettūpame arahante viditvā;

for what’s given, offered and not held back,

So duccajaṁ sappuriso cajitvā,

a true person gives what’s hard to give:

Manāpadāyī labhate manāpan”ti.

the giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.”

Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ iminā anumodanīyena anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

And then the Buddha, having rejoiced with Ugga with these verses of appreciation, got up from his seat and left.

Atha kho uggo gahapati vesāliko aparena samayena kālamakāsi.

Then after some time Ugga passed away,

Kālaṅkato ca uggo gahapati vesāliko aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapajji.

and was reborn in a host of mind-made gods.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

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

Atha kho uggo devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho uggaṁ devaputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then, late at night, the glorious godling Ugga, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“kacci te, ugga, yathādhippāyo”ti?

“Ugga, I trust it is all you wished?”

“Taggha me, bhagavā, yathādhippāyo”ti.

“Sir, it is indeed just as I wished.”

Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

Then the Buddha addressed Ugga in verse:

“Manāpadāyī labhate manāpaṁ,

“The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable,

Aggassa dātā labhate punaggaṁ;

the giver of the foremost gets the foremost,

Varassa dātā varalābhi hoti,

the giver of the excellent gets the excellent,

Seṭṭhaṁ dado seṭṭhamupeti ṭhānaṁ.

the giver of the best gets the best.

Yo aggadāyī varadāyī,

A person who gives the foremost,

seṭṭhadāyī ca yo naro;

the excellent, the best:

Dīghāyu yasavā hoti,

they’re long-lived and famous

yattha yatthūpapajjatī”ti.

wherever they’re reborn.”

Catutthaṁ.