Tripiṭaka Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasutta
The Analysis of Religious Donations
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ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.
Atha kho mahāpajāpati gotamī navaṁ dussayugaṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho mahāpajāpati gotamī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī approached the Buddha bringing a new pair of garments. She bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha,
“idaṁ me, bhante, navaṁ dussayugaṁ bhagavantaṁ uddissa sāmaṁ kantaṁ sāmaṁ vāyitaṁ.
“Sir, I have spun and woven this new pair of garments specially for the Buddha.
Taṁ me, bhante, bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.
May the Buddha please accept this from me out of sympathy.”
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā mahāpajāpatiṁ gotamiṁ etadavoca:
When she said this, the Buddha said to her,
Saṅghe te dinne ahañceva pūjito bhavissāmi saṅgho cā”ti.
When you give to the Saṅgha, both the Saṅgha and I will be honored.”
“idaṁ me, bhante, navaṁ dussayugaṁ bhagavantaṁ uddissa sāmaṁ kantaṁ sāmaṁ vāyitaṁ.
Taṁ me, bhante, bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.
Dutiyampi kho bhagavā mahāpajāpatiṁ gotamiṁ etadavoca:
“saṅghe, gotami, dehi.
Saṅghe te dinne ahañceva pūjito bhavissāmi saṅgho cā”ti.
Tatiyampi kho mahāpajāpati gotamī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
For a third time, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī said to the Buddha,
“idaṁ me, bhante, navaṁ dussayugaṁ bhagavantaṁ uddissa sāmaṁ kantaṁ sāmaṁ vāyitaṁ.
“Sir, I have spun and woven this new pair of garments specially for the Buddha.
Taṁ me, bhante, bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.
May the Buddha please accept this from me out of sympathy.”
Tatiyampi kho bhagavā mahāpajāpatiṁ gotamiṁ etadavoca:
And for a third time, the Buddha said to her,
Saṅghe te dinne ahañceva pūjito bhavissāmi saṅgho cā”ti.
When you give to the Saṅgha, both the Saṅgha and I will be honored.”
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,
“paṭiggaṇhātu, bhante, bhagavā mahāpajāpatiyā gotamiyā navaṁ dussayugaṁ.
“Sir, please accept the new pair of garments from Mahāpajāpati Gotamī.
Bahūpakārā, bhante, mahāpajāpati gotamī bhagavato mātucchā āpādikā posikā khīrassa dāyikā;
Sir, Mahāpajāpati was very helpful to the Buddha. As his aunt, she raised him, nurtured him, and gave him her milk.
bhagavantaṁ janettiyā kālaṅkatāya thaññaṁ pāyesi.
When the Buddha’s birth mother passed away, she nurtured him at her own breast.
Bhagavāpi, bhante, bahūpakāro mahāpajāpatiyā gotamiyā.
And the Buddha has been very helpful to Mahāpajāpati.
Bhagavantaṁ, bhante, āgamma mahāpajāpati gotamī buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā.
It is owing to the Buddha that Mahāpajāpati has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.
Bhagavantaṁ, bhante, āgamma mahāpajāpati gotamī pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā adinnādānā paṭiviratā kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratā musāvādā paṭiviratā surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā.
It’s owing to the Buddha that she refrains from killing living creatures, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying, and consuming beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants.
Bhagavantaṁ, bhante, āgamma mahāpajāpati gotamī buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatā, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgatā, saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgatā ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgatā.
It’s owing to the Buddha that she has experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and has the ethics loved by the noble ones.
Bhagavantaṁ, bhante, āgamma mahāpajāpati gotamī dukkhe nikkaṅkhā, dukkhasamudaye nikkaṅkhā, dukkhanirodhe nikkaṅkhā, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya nikkaṅkhā.
It’s owing to the Buddha that she is free of doubt regarding suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.
Bhagavāpi, bhante, bahūpakāro mahāpajāpatiyā gotamiyā”ti.
The Buddha has been very helpful to Mahāpajāpati.”
Yaṁ hānanda, puggalo puggalaṁ āgamma buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, imassānanda, puggalassa iminā puggalena na suppatikāraṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁ—
When someone has enabled you to go for refuge, it’s not easy to repay them
abhivādanapaccuṭṭhānaañjalikammasāmīcikammacīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānuppadānena.
by bowing down to them, rising up for them, greeting them with cupped palms, and observing proper etiquette for them; or by providing them with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
Yaṁ hānanda, puggalo puggalaṁ āgamma pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti, imassānanda, puggalassa iminā puggalena na suppatikāraṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁ—
When someone has enabled you to refrain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants, it’s not easy to repay them …
abhivādanapaccuṭṭhānaañjalikammasāmīcikammacīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānuppadānena.
Yaṁ hānanda, puggalo puggalaṁ āgamma buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti, dhamme … saṅghe … ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti, imassānanda, puggalassa iminā puggalena na suppatikāraṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁ—
When someone has enabled you to have experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and the ethics loved by the noble ones, it’s not easy to repay them …
abhivādanapaccuṭṭhānaañjalikammasāmīcikammacīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānuppadānena.
Yaṁ hānanda, puggalo puggalaṁ āgamma dukkhe nikkaṅkho hoti, dukkhasamudaye nikkaṅkho hoti, dukkhanirodhe nikkaṅkho hoti, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya nikkaṅkho hoti, imassānanda, puggalassa iminā puggalena na suppatikāraṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁ—
When someone has enabled you to be free of doubt regarding suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation, it’s not easy to repay them
abhivādanapaccuṭṭhānaañjalikammasāmīcikammacīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānuppadānena.
by bowing down to them, rising up for them, greeting them with cupped palms, and observing proper etiquette for them; or by providing them with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
Cuddasa kho panimānanda, pāṭipuggalikā dakkhiṇā.
Ānanda, there are these fourteen religious donations to individuals.
Tathāgate arahante sammāsambuddhe dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.
Arahattaphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanne dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to someone practicing to realize the fruit of perfection.
Anāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanne dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to someone practicing to realize the fruit of non-return.
Sakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanne dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to someone practicing to realize the fruit of once-return.
Sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanne dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to someone practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry.
Bāhirake kāmesu vītarāge dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to an outsider who is free of desire for sensual pleasures.
ayaṁ ekādasamī pāṭipuggalikā dakkhiṇā.
This is the eleventh religious donation to an individual.
Puthujjanasīlavante dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to an ordinary person who has good ethical conduct.
ayaṁ dvādasamī pāṭipuggalikā dakkhiṇā.
This is the twelfth religious donation to an individual.
Puthujjanadussīle dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to an ordinary person who has bad ethical conduct.
ayaṁ terasamī pāṭipuggalikā dakkhiṇā.
This is the thirteenth religious donation to an individual.
ayaṁ cuddasamī pāṭipuggalikā dakkhiṇāti.
This is the fourteenth religious donation to an individual.
Tatrānanda, tiracchānagate dānaṁ datvā sataguṇā dakkhiṇā pāṭikaṅkhitabbā, puthujjanadussīle dānaṁ datvā sahassaguṇā dakkhiṇā pāṭikaṅkhitabbā, puthujjanasīlavante dānaṁ datvā satasahassaguṇā dakkhiṇā pāṭikaṅkhitabbā, bāhirake kāmesu vītarāge dānaṁ datvā koṭisatasahassaguṇā dakkhiṇā pāṭikaṅkhitabbā, sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanne dānaṁ datvā asaṅkheyyā appameyyā dakkhiṇā pāṭikaṅkhitabbā, ko pana vādo sotāpanne, ko pana vādo sakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanne, ko pana vādo sakadāgāmissa, ko pana vādo anāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanne, ko pana vādo anāgāmissa, ko pana vādo arahattaphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanne, ko pana vādo arahante, ko pana vādo paccekasambuddhe, ko pana vādo tathāgate arahante sammāsambuddhe.
Now, Ānanda, gifts to the following persons may be expected to yield the following returns. To an animal, a hundred times. To an unethical ordinary person, a thousand. To an ethical ordinary person, a hundred thousand. To an outsider free of desire for sensual pleasures, 10,000,000,000. But a gift to someone practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry may be expected to yield incalculable, immeasurable returns. How much more so a gift to a stream-enterer, someone practicing to realize the fruit of once-return, a once-returner, someone practicing to realize the fruit of non-return, a non-returner, someone practicing to realize the fruit of perfection, a perfected one, or an independent Buddha? How much more so a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha?
Satta kho panimānanda, saṅghagatā dakkhiṇā.
But there are, Ānanda, seven religious donations bestowed on a Saṅgha.
Buddhappamukhe ubhatosaṅghe dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to the communities of both monks and nuns headed by the Buddha.
Tathāgate parinibbute ubhatosaṅghe dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift to the communities of both monks and nuns after the Buddha has finally become quenched.
‘Ettakā me bhikkhū ca bhikkhuniyo ca saṅghato uddissathā’ti dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift, thinking: ‘Appoint this many monks and nuns for me from the Saṅgha.’
‘Ettakā me bhikkhū saṅghato uddissathā’ti dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift, thinking: ‘Appoint this many monks for me from the Saṅgha.’
‘Ettakā me bhikkhuniyo saṅghato uddissathā’ti dānaṁ deti—
One gives a gift, thinking: ‘Appoint this many nuns for me from the Saṅgha.’
Bhavissanti kho panānanda, anāgatamaddhānaṁ gotrabhuno kāsāvakaṇṭhā dussīlā pāpadhammā.
In times to come there will be lambs of the flock wearing a scrap of ocher cloth, unethical and of bad character.
Tesu dussīlesu saṅghaṁ uddissa dānaṁ dassanti.
People will give gifts to those unethical people in the name of the Saṅgha.
Tadāpāhaṁ, ānanda, saṅghagataṁ dakkhiṇaṁ asaṅkheyyaṁ appameyyaṁ vadāmi.
Then too, I say, a religious donation bestowed on the Saṅgha is incalculable and immeasurable.
Na tvevāhaṁ, ānanda, kenaci pariyāyena saṅghagatāya dakkhiṇāya pāṭipuggalikaṁ dānaṁ mahapphalataraṁ vadāmi.
But in any case, there is no way a personal offering can be more fruitful than one bestowed on a Saṅgha, I say.
Catasso kho imā, ānanda, dakkhiṇā visuddhiyo.
Ānanda, there are these four ways of purifying a religious donation.
Atthānanda, dakkhiṇā dāyakato visujjhati no paṭiggāhakato.
There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the giver, not the recipient.
Atthānanda, dakkhiṇā paṭiggāhakato visujjhati no dāyakato.
There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the recipient, not the giver.
Atthānanda, dakkhiṇā neva dāyakato visujjhati no paṭiggāhakato.
There’s a religious donation that’s purified by neither the giver nor the recipient.
Atthānanda, dakkhiṇā dāyakato ceva visujjhati paṭiggāhakato ca.
There’s a religious donation that’s purified by both the giver and the recipient.
Kathañcānanda, dakkhiṇā dāyakato visujjhati no paṭiggāhakato?
And how is a religious donation purified by the giver, not the recipient?
Idhānanda, dāyako hoti sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo, paṭiggāhakā honti dussīlā pāpadhammā—
It’s when the giver is ethical, of good character, but the recipient is unethical, of bad character.
evaṁ kho, ānanda, dakkhiṇā dāyakato visujjhati no paṭiggāhakato.
Kathañcānanda, dakkhiṇā paṭiggāhakato visujjhati no dāyakato?
And how is a religious donation purified by the recipient, not the giver?
Idhānanda, dāyako hoti dussīlo pāpadhammo, paṭiggāhakā honti sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā—
It’s when the giver is unethical, of bad character, but the recipient is ethical, of good character.
evaṁ kho, ānanda, dakkhiṇā paṭiggāhakato visujjhati no dāyakato.
Kathañcānanda, dakkhiṇā neva dāyakato visujjhati no paṭiggāhakato?
And how is a religious donation purified by neither the giver nor the recipient?
Idhānanda, dāyako ca hoti dussīlo pāpadhammo, paṭiggāhakā ca honti dussīlā pāpadhammā—
It’s when both the giver and the recipient are unethical, of bad character.
evaṁ kho, ānanda, dakkhiṇā neva dāyakato visujjhati no paṭiggāhakato.
Kathañcānanda, dakkhiṇā dāyakato ceva visujjhati paṭiggāhakato ca?
And how is a religious donation purified by both the giver and the recipient?
Idhānanda, dāyako ca hoti sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo, paṭiggāhakā ca honti sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā—
It’s when both the giver and the recipient are ethical, of good character.
evaṁ kho, ānanda, dakkhiṇā dāyakato ceva visujjhati paṭiggāhakato ca.
Imā kho, ānanda, catasso dakkhiṇā visuddhiyo”ti.
These are the four ways of purifying a religious donation.”
Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dvādasamaṁ.
Vibhaṅgavaggo niṭṭhito catuttho.
Tassuddānaṁ
Bhaddekānandakaccāna,
Lomasakaṅgiyāsubho;
Mahākammasaḷāyatanavibhaṅgā,
Uddesaaraṇā dhātu saccaṁ.
Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasuttanti.