AN 6 The Book of the Sixes – Chakkanipāta > AN 6.37 A Gift With Six Factors

Numbered Discourses 6.37 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.37

4. Deities – 4. Devatāvagga

AN 6.37 A Gift With Six Factors – Chaḷaṅgadānasutta

1.1

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

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

1.2

Now at that time Veḷukaṇṭakī, Nanda’s mother, was preparing a religious donation with six factors for the bhikkhu Saṅgha headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

Tena kho pana samayena veḷukaṇḍakī nandamātā upāsikā sāriputtamoggallānappamukhe bhikkhusaṅghe chaḷaṅgasamannāgataṁ dakkhiṇaṁ patiṭṭhāpeti.

1.3

The Buddha saw her doing this, with his clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman,

Addasā kho bhagavā dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena veḷukaṇḍakiṁ nandamātaraṁ upāsikaṁ sāriputtamoggallānappamukhe bhikkhusaṅghe chaḷaṅgasamannāgataṁ dakkhiṇaṁ patiṭṭhāpentiṁ.

1.4

and he addressed the bhikkhū:

Disvā bhikkhū āmantesi:

1.5

“This Veḷukaṇṭakī, Nanda’s mother, is preparing a religious donation with six factors for the bhikkhu Saṅgha headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

“esā, bhikkhave, veḷukaṇḍakī nandamātā upāsikā sāriputtamoggallānappamukhe bhikkhusaṅghe chaḷaṅgasamannāgataṁ dakkhiṇaṁ patiṭṭhāpeti.

2.1

And how does a religious donation have six factors?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, chaḷaṅgasamannāgatā dakkhiṇā hoti?

2.2

Three factors apply to the donor and three to the recipients.

Idha, bhikkhave, dāyakassa tīṇaṅgāni honti, paṭiggāhakānaṁ tīṇaṅgāni.

2.3

What three factors apply to the donor?

Katamāni dāyakassa tīṇaṅgāni?

2.4

It’s when a donor is in a good mood before giving, while giving they feel confident, and after giving they’re uplifted.

Idha, bhikkhave, dāyako pubbeva dānā sumano hoti, dadaṁ cittaṁ pasādeti, datvā attamano hoti.

2.5

These three factors apply to the donor.

Imāni dāyakassa tīṇaṅgāni.

3.1

What three factors apply to the recipients?

Katamāni paṭiggāhakānaṁ tīṇaṅgāni?

3.2

It’s when the recipients are free of greed, hate, and delusion, or practicing to be free of them.

Idha, bhikkhave, paṭiggāhakā vītarāgā vā honti rāgavinayāya vā paṭipannā, vītadosā vā honti dosavinayāya vā paṭipannā, vītamohā vā honti mohavinayāya vā paṭipannā.

3.3

These three factors apply to the recipients.

Imāni paṭiggāhakānaṁ tīṇaṅgāni.

3.4

Thus three factors apply to the donor and three to the recipients.

Iti dāyakassa tīṇaṅgāni, paṭiggāhakānaṁ tīṇaṅgāni.

3.5

That’s how a religious donation has six factors.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, chaḷaṅgasamannāgatā dakkhiṇā hoti.

4.1

It’s not easy to grasp the merit of such a six-factored donation by saying that

Evaṁ chaḷaṅgasamannāgatāya, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇāya na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ:

4.2

this is the extent of their overflowing merit, overflowing goodness that nurtures happiness and is conducive to heaven, ripening in happiness and leading to heaven. And it leads to what is likable, desirable, agreeable, to welfare and happiness.

‘ettako puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattatī’ti.

4.3

It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of merit.

Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

5.1

It’s like trying to grasp how much water is in the ocean. It’s not easy to say

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde na sukaraṁ udakassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ:

5.2

how many gallons, how many hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of gallons there are.

‘ettakāni udakāḷhakānīti vā ettakāni udakāḷhakasatānīti vā ettakāni udakāḷhakasahassānīti vā ettakāni udakāḷhakasatasahassānī’ti vā.

5.3

It’s simply reckoned as an incalculable, immeasurable, great mass of water.

Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāudakakkhandhotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

5.4

In the same way, it’s not easy to grasp the merit of such a six-factored donation …

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ chaḷaṅgasamannāgatāya dakkhiṇāya na sukaraṁ puññassa pamāṇaṁ gahetuṁ:

5.5

‘ettako puññābhisando kusalābhisando sukhassāhāro sovaggiko sukhavipāko saggasaṁvattaniko iṭṭhāya kantāya manāpāya hitāya sukhāya saṁvattatī’ti.

5.6

Atha kho asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo mahāpuññakkhandhotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti.

6.1

A good mood before giving,

“Pubbeva dānā sumano,

6.2

confidence while giving,

dadaṁ cittaṁ pasādaye;

6.3

feeling uplifted after giving:

Datvā attamano hoti,

6.4

this is the perfect sacrifice.

esā yaññassa sampadā.

7.1

Free of greed, free of hate,

Vītarāgā vītadosā,

7.2

free of delusion, undefiled;

vītamohā anāsavā;

7.3

this is the field for the perfect sacrifice,

Khettaṁ yaññassa sampannaṁ,

7.4

the disciplined spiritual practitioners.

saññatā brahmacārayo.

8.1

After rinsing,

Sayaṁ ācamayitvāna,

8.2

you give with your own hands.

datvā sakehi pāṇibhi;

8.3

This sacrifice is very fruitful

Attano parato ceso,

8.4

for both yourself and others.

yañño hoti mahapphalo.

9.1

When an intelligent, faithful person,

Evaṁ yajitvā medhāvī,

9.2

sacrifices like this, with a mind of letting go,

saddho muttena cetasā;

9.3

that astute one is reborn

Abyāpajjaṁ sukhaṁ lokaṁ,

9.4

in a happy, pleasing world.”

paṇḍito upapajjatī”ti.

9.5

Sattamaṁ.