AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta > AN 5.58 The Licchavi Youths

Numbered Discourses 5.58 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.58

6. Hindrances – 6. Nīvaraṇavagga

AN 5.58 The Licchavi Youths – Licchavikumārakasutta

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, entered Vesālī for alms.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

1.3

Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he plunged deep into the Great Wood and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation.

Vesāliyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto mahāvanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.

2.1

Now at that time several Licchavi youths took strung bows and, escorted by a pack of hounds, were going for a walk in the Great Wood when they saw the Buddha seated at the root of a tree.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā licchavikumārakā sajjāni dhanūni ādāya kukkurasaṅghaparivutā mahāvane anucaṅkamamānā anuvicaramānā addasu bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisinnaṁ;

2.2

When they saw him, they put down their strung bows, tied their hounds up to one side, and went up to him. They bowed and silently paid homage to the Buddha with joined palms.

disvāna sajjāni dhanūni nikkhipitvā kukkurasaṅghaṁ ekamantaṁ uyyojetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṁ payirupāsanti.

3.1

Now at that time Mahānāma the Licchavi was going for a walk in the Great Wood when he saw those Licchavi youths silently paying homage to the Buddha with joined palms.

Tena kho pana samayena mahānāmo licchavi mahāvane jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno addasa te licchavikumārake tuṇhībhūte tuṇhībhūte pañjalike bhagavantaṁ payirupāsante;

3.2

Seeing this, he went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,

disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

3.3

and expressed this heartfelt sentiment,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo licchavi udānaṁ udānesi:

3.4

“The Vajjis will grow up! The Vajjis will grow up!”

“bhavissanti vajjī, bhavissanti vajjī”ti.

4.1

“But Mahānāma, why do you say that the Vajjis will grow up?”

“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, mahānāma, evaṁ vadesi:

4.2

‘bhavissanti vajjī, bhavissanti vajjī’”ti?

4.3

“Sir, these Licchavi youths are violent, harsh, and brash.

“Ime, bhante, licchavikumārakā caṇḍā pharusā apānubhā.

4.4

Whenever sweets are left out for families—sugar-cane, jujube fruits, pancakes, pies, or fritters—they filch them and eat them up.

Yānipi tāni kulesu paheṇakāni pahīyanti, ucchūti vā badarāti vā pūvāti vā modakāti vā saṅkulikāti vā, tāni vilumpitvā vilumpitvā khādanti;

4.5

And they hit women and girls of good families on their backs.

kulitthīnampi kulakumārīnampi pacchāliyaṁ khipanti.

4.6

But now they’re silently paying homage to the Buddha with joined palms.”

Te dānime tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṁ payirupāsantī”ti.

5.1

“Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, kulaputtassa pañca dhammā saṁvijjanti—

5.2

“Mahānāma, you can expect only growth, not decline, when you find five qualities in any gentleman—whether he’s an anointed aristocratic king, an appointed or hereditary official, an army general, a village chief, a guild chief, or a ruler of his own clan.

yadi vā rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa, yadi vā raṭṭhikassa pettanikassa, yadi vā senāya senāpatikassa, yadi vā gāmagāmaṇikassa, yadi vā pūgagāmaṇikassa, ye vā pana kulesu paccekādhipaccaṁ kārenti, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

6.1

What five?

Katame pañca?

6.2

Firstly, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth—earned by his efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow—to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate his mother and father.

Idha, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi mātāpitaro sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.

6.3

Honored in this way, his mother and father love him with a good heart, wishing:

Tamenaṁ mātāpitaro sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:

6.4

‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.

6.5

When a gentleman is loved by his mother and father, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Mātāpitānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

7.1

Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi puttadāradāsakammakaraporise sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.

7.2

Honored in this way, his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff love him with a good heart, wishing:

Tamenaṁ puttadāradāsakammakaraporisā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:

7.3

‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.

7.4

When a gentleman is loved by his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puttadāradāsakammakaraporisānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

8.1

Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi khettakammantasāmantasabyohāre sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.

8.2

Honored in this way, those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with love him with a good heart, wishing:

Tamenaṁ khettakammantasāmantasabyohārā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:

8.3

‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.

8.4

When a gentleman is loved by those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Khettakammantasāmantasabyohārānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

9.1

Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the deities who receive spirit-offerings.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi yāvatā balipaṭiggāhikā devatā sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.

9.2

Honored in this way, the deities who receive spirit-offerings love him with a good heart, wishing:

Tamenaṁ balipaṭiggāhikā devatā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:

9.3

‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.

9.4

When a gentleman is loved by the deities, you can expect only growth, not decline.

devatānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

10.1

Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate ascetics and brahmins.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi samaṇabrāhmaṇe sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.

10.2

Honored in this way, ascetics and brahmins love him with a good heart, wishing:

Tamenaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:

10.3

‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’

‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti.

10.4

When a gentleman is loved by ascetics and brahmins, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Samaṇabrāhmaṇānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

11.1

You can expect only growth, not decline, when you find these five qualities in any gentleman—

Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, kulaputtassa ime pañca dhammā saṁvijjanti—

11.2

whether he’s an anointed aristocratic king, an appointed or hereditary official, an army general, a village chief, a guild chief, or a ruler of his own clan.

yadi vā rañño khattiyassa muddhābhisittassa, yadi vā raṭṭhikassa pettanikassa, yadi vā senāya senāpatikassa, yadi vā gāmagāmaṇikassa, yadi vā pūgagāmaṇikassa, ye vā pana kulesu paccekādhipaccaṁ kārenti, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihānīti.

12.1

He’s always dutiful to his mother and father,

Mātāpitukiccakaro,

12.2

and for the good of his wives and children.

puttadārahito sadā;

12.3

He looks after those in his household,

Antojanassa atthāya,

12.4

and those dependent on him for their livelihood.

ye cassa anujīvino.

13.1

A kind and ethical person

Ubhinnañceva atthāya,

13.2

looks after the welfare of relatives—

Vadaññū hoti sīlavā;

13.3

both those who have passed away,

Ñātīnaṁ pubbapetānaṁ,

13.4

and those alive at present.

Diṭṭhe dhamme ca jīvataṁ.

14.1

While living at home, an astute person

Samaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ,

14.2

uses legitimate means to give rise to joy

devatānañca paṇḍito;

14.3

for ascetics, brahmins,

Vittisañjanano hoti,

14.4

and also the gods.

dhammena gharamāvasaṁ.

15.1

Having done good,

So karitvāna kalyāṇaṁ,

15.2

he’s venerable and praiseworthy.

pujjo hoti pasaṁsiyo;

15.3

They praise him in this life,

Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,

15.4

and he departs to rejoice in heaven.”

pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

15.5

Aṭṭhamaṁ.