Catukkanipāta

Itivuttaka 100

So It Was Said 100

Catukkanipāta

The Book of the Fours

Brāhmaṇadhammayāgavagga

The Chapter on the Brahmin’s Offering of the Teaching

Brāhmaṇadhammayāgasutta

The Brahmin’s Offering of the Teaching

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Ahamasmi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo yācayogo sadā payatapāṇi antimadehadharo anuttaro bhisakko sallakatto.

“I, mendicants, am a brahmin, committed to charity, always open-handed, bearing my final body, a healer, a surgeon.

Tassa me tumhe puttā orasā mukhato jātā dhammajā dhammanimmitā dhammadāyādā, no āmisadāyādā.

You are my true-born sons, born from my mouth, born of the teaching, created by the teaching, heirs in the teaching, not in things of the flesh.

Dvemāni, bhikkhave, dānāni—

There are these two gifts.

āmisadānañca dhammadānañca.

A gift of things of the flesh and a gift of the teaching.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ dānānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammadānaṁ.

The better of these two gifts is the gift of the teaching.

Dveme, bhikkhave, saṁvibhāgā—

There are these two kinds of sharing.

āmisasaṁvibhāgo ca dhammasaṁvibhāgo ca.

Sharing things of the flesh and sharing the teaching.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ saṁvibhāgānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammasaṁvibhāgo.

The better of these two kinds of sharing is sharing the teaching.

Dveme, bhikkhave, anuggahā—

There are these two kinds of support.

āmisānuggaho ca dhammānuggaho ca.

Support in things of the flesh and support in the teaching.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ anuggahānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammānuggaho.

The better of these two kinds of support is support in the teaching.

Dveme, bhikkhave, yāgā—

There are these two offerings.

āmisayāgo ca dhammayāgo ca.

An offering of things of the flesh and an offering of the teaching.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ yāgānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammayāgo”ti.

The better of these two offerings is an offering of the teaching.”

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

The Buddha spoke this matter.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

On this it is said:

“Yo dhammayāgaṁ ayajī amaccharī,

“The Realized One, <j>compassionate for all living creatures,

Tathāgato sabbabhūtānukampī;

unstintingly offers teaching.

Taṁ tādisaṁ devamanussaseṭṭhaṁ,

Sentient beings revere him, <j>first among gods and humans,

Sattā namassanti bhavassa pāragun”ti.

who has gone beyond rebirth.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Paṭhamaṁ.