AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta > AN 5.44 Agreeable

Numbered Discourses 5.44 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.44

5. With King Muṇḍa – 5. Muṇḍarājavagga

AN 5.44 Agreeable – Manāpadāyīsutta

1.1

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

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

1.2

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

1.3

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

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

2.1

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

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

2.2

‘The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.’

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

2.3

My sal flower porridge is agreeable:

Manāpaṁ me, bhante, sālapupphakaṁ khādanīyaṁ;

2.4

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

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

2.5

So the Buddha accepted it out of compassion.

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

3.1

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

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

3.2

‘The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.’

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

3.3

My pork with jujube is agreeable:

Manāpaṁ me, bhante, sampannakolakaṁ sūkaramaṁsaṁ;

3.4

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

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

3.5

So the Buddha accepted it out of compassion.

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

4.1

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

4.2

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

4.3

“… My fried vegetable stalks are agreeable:

Manāpaṁ me, bhante, nibbattatelakaṁ nāliyasākaṁ;

4.4

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

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

4.5

So the Buddha accepted them out of compassion.

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

5.1

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

5.2

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

5.3

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

Manāpo me, bhante, sālīnaṁ odano vicitakāḷako anekasūpo anekabyañjano;

5.4

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

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

5.5

So the Buddha accepted it out of compassion.

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

6.1

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

6.2

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

6.3

“… My cloths imported from Kāsī are agreeable:

Manāpāni me, bhante, kāsikāni vatthāni;

6.4

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

tāni me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

6.5

So the Buddha accepted them out of compassion.

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

7.1

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

7.2

‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.

7.3

“… 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.

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

7.4

But, sir, I know that

Api ca, bhante, mayampetaṁ jānāma:

7.5

this is not proper for the Buddha.

‘netaṁ bhagavato kappatī’ti.

7.6

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

Idaṁ me, bhante, candanaphalakaṁ agghati adhikasatasahassaṁ;

7.7

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

taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

7.8

So the Buddha accepted it out of compassion.

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

7.9

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

Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ iminā anumodanīyena anumodi:

8.1

“The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable,

“Manāpadāyī labhate manāpaṁ,

8.2

enthusiastically giving clothing, bedding,

Yo ujjubhūtesu dadāti chandasā;

8.3

food and drink, and various requisites

Acchādanaṁ sayanamannapānaṁ,

8.4

to those of upright conduct.

Nānāppakārāni ca paccayāni.

9.1

Knowing the perfected ones to be like a field

Cattañca muttañca anuggahītaṁ,

9.2

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

Khettūpame arahante viditvā;

9.3

a good person gives what’s hard to give:

So duccajaṁ sappuriso cajitvā,

9.4

the giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.”

Manāpadāyī labhate manāpan”ti.

10.1

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

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

11.1

Then after some time Ugga passed away,

Atha kho uggo gahapati vesāliko aparena samayena kālamakāsi.

11.2

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

Kālaṅkato ca uggo gahapati vesāliko aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapajji.

11.3

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

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

11.4

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

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:

11.5

“Ugga, I trust it is all you wished?”

“kacci te, ugga, yathādhippāyo”ti?

11.6

“Sir, it is indeed just as I wished.”

“Taggha me, bhagavā, yathādhippāyo”ti.

11.7

Then the Buddha addressed Ugga in verse:

Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

12.1

“The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable,

“Manāpadāyī labhate manāpaṁ,

12.2

the giver of the foremost gets the foremost,

Aggassa dātā labhate punaggaṁ;

12.3

the giver of the excellent gets the excellent,

Varassa dātā varalābhi hoti,

12.4

the giver of the best gets the best.

Seṭṭhaṁ dado seṭṭhamupeti ṭhānaṁ.

13.1

A person who gives the foremost,

Yo aggadāyī varadāyī,

13.2

the excellent, the best:

seṭṭhadāyī ca yo naro;

13.3

they’re long-lived and famous

Dīghāyu yasavā hoti,

13.4

wherever they’re reborn.”

yattha yatthūpapajjatī”ti.

13.5

Catutthaṁ.