4. Dānavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.34

Numbered Discourses 8.34

4. Dānavagga

4. Giving

Khettasutta

A Field

“Aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate, bhikkhave, khette bījaṁ vuttaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahassādaṁ na phātiseyyaṁ.

“Mendicants, when a field has eight factors a seed sown in it is not very fruitful or rewarding or productive.

Kathaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate?

What eight factors does it have?

Idha, bhikkhave, khettaṁ unnāmaninnāmi ca hoti, pāsāṇasakkharikañca hoti, ūsarañca hoti, na ca gambhīrasitaṁ hoti, na āyasampannaṁ hoti, na apāyasampannaṁ hoti, na mātikāsampannaṁ hoti, na mariyādasampannaṁ hoti.

It’s when a field has mounds and ditches. It has stones and gravel. It’s salty. It doesn’t have deep furrows. And it’s not equipped with water inlets, water outlets, irrigation channels, and boundaries.

Evaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate, bhikkhave, khette bījaṁ vuttaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahassādaṁ na phātiseyyaṁ.

When a field has these eight factors a seed sown in it is not fruitful or rewarding or productive.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu samaṇabrāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ na mahājutikaṁ na mahāvipphāraṁ.

In the same way, when an ascetic or brahmin has eight factors a gift given to them is not very fruitful or beneficial or brilliant or bountiful.

Kathaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu?

What eight factors do they have?

Idha, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā micchādiṭṭhikā honti, micchāsaṅkappā, micchāvācā, micchākammantā, micchāājīvā, micchāvāyāmā, micchāsatino, micchāsamādhino.

It’s when an ascetic or brahmin has wrong view, wrong purpose, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong immersion.

Evaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ na mahājutikaṁ na mahāvipphāraṁ.

When an ascetic or brahmin has these eight factors a gift given to them is not very fruitful or beneficial or brilliant or bountiful.

Aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate, bhikkhave, khette bījaṁ vuttaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahassādaṁ phātiseyyaṁ.

When a field has eight factors a seed sown in it is very fruitful and rewarding and productive.

Kathaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate?

What eight factors does it have?

Idha, bhikkhave, khettaṁ anunnāmāninnāmi ca hoti, apāsāṇasakkharikañca hoti, anūsarañca hoti, gambhīrasitaṁ hoti, āyasampannaṁ hoti, apāyasampannaṁ hoti, mātikāsampannaṁ hoti, mariyādasampannaṁ hoti.

It’s when a field doesn’t have mounds and ditches. It doesn’t have stones and gravel. It’s not salty. It has deep furrows. And it’s equipped with water inlets, water outlets, irrigation channels, and boundaries.

Evaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate, bhikkhave, khette bījaṁ vuttaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahassādaṁ phātiseyyaṁ.

When a field has these eight factors a seed sown in it is very fruitful and rewarding and productive.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu samaṇabrāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsaṁ mahājutikaṁ mahāvipphāraṁ.

In the same way, when an ascetic or brahmin has eight factors a gift given to them is very fruitful and beneficial and brilliant and bountiful.

Kathaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu?

What eight factors do they have?

Idha, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammādiṭṭhikā honti, sammāsaṅkappā, sammāvācā, sammākammantā, sammāājīvā, sammāvāyāmā, sammāsatino, sammāsamādhino.

It’s when an ascetic or brahmin has right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

Evaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsaṁ mahājutikaṁ mahāvipphāranti.

When an ascetic or brahmin has these eight factors a gift given to them is very fruitful and beneficial and brilliant and bountiful.

Yathāpi khette sampanne,

When the field is excellent,

pavuttā bījasampadā;

and the seed sown in it is excellent,

Deve sampādayantamhi,

and the rainfall is excellent,

hoti dhaññassa sampadā.

the crop of grain will be excellent.

Anītisampadā hoti,

The absence of crop loss is excellent,

virūḷhī bhavati sampadā;

its growth is excellent,

Vepullasampadā hoti,

its maturation is excellent,

phalaṁ ve hoti sampadā.

and its fruit is excellent.

Evaṁ sampannasīlesu,

So too, when you give excellent food

dinnā bhojanasampadā;

to those of excellent ethics,

Sampadānaṁ upaneti,

it leads to many excellences,

sampannaṁ hissa taṁ kataṁ.

for what you did was excellent.

Tasmā sampadamākaṅkhī,

So if a person wants excellence,

sampannatthūdha puggalo;

let them excel in this.

Sampannapaññe sevetha,

You should frequent those with excellent wisdom,

evaṁ ijjhanti sampadā.

so that your own excellence will flourish.

Vijjācaraṇasampanne,

Excelling in knowledge and conduct,

laddhā cittassa sampadaṁ;

and having excellence of mind,

Karoti kammasampadaṁ,

you perform excellent deeds,

labhati catthasampadaṁ.

and gain excellent benefits.

Lokaṁ ñatvā yathābhūtaṁ,

Truly knowing the world,

pappuyya diṭṭhisampadaṁ;

and having attained excellence of view,

Maggasampadamāgamma,

one who excels in mind proceeds,

yāti sampannamānaso.

relying on excellence in the path.

Odhunitvā malaṁ sabbaṁ,

Shaking off all stains,

patvā nibbānasampadaṁ;

and attaining the excellence of extinguishment,

Muccati sabbadukkhehi,

you’re freed from all sufferings:

sā hoti sabbasampadā”ti.

this is complete excellence.”

Catutthaṁ.