AN 7 The Book of the Sevens – Sattakanipāta > AN 7.57 General Sīha

Numbered Discourses 7.57 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.57

6. The Undeclared Points – 6. Abyākatavagga

AN 7.57 General Sīha – Sīhasenāpatisutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

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.

1.3

Then General Sīha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho sīho senāpati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho sīho senāpati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

1.4

“Sir, can you point out a fruit of giving that’s apparent in the present life?”

“sakkā nu kho, bhante, sandiṭṭhikaṁ dānaphalaṁ paññāpetun”ti?

2.1

“Well then, Sīha, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.

“Tena hi, sīha, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi, yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.

2.2

What do you think, Sīha?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha,

2.3

Consider two people.

idha dve purisā—

2.4

One is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive. One is a faithful donor who loves charity.

eko puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, eko puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato.

2.5

Which do you think the perfected ones will show compassion for first?”

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kaṁ nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampeyyuṁ:

2.6

‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?

3.1

“Why would the perfected ones first show compassion for the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive?

“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampissanti.

3.2

They’d show compassion first for the faithful donor who loves charity.”

Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato taṁyeva arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampeyyuṁ”.

4.1

“Which do you think the perfected ones will first approach?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kaṁ nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkameyyuṁ:

4.2

‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?

4.3

“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkamissanti.

4.4

“They’d first approach the faithful donor who loves charity.”

Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato taṁyeva arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkameyyuṁ”.

5.1

“Which do you think the perfected ones will receive alms from first?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇheyyuṁ:

5.2

‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?

5.3

“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇhissanti.

5.4

“They’d receive alms first from the faithful donor who loves charity.”

Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇheyyuṁ”.

6.1

“Which do you think the perfected ones will teach the Dhamma to first?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā deseyyuṁ:

6.2

‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?

6.3

“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā desessanti.

6.4

“They’d first teach the Dhamma to the faithful donor who loves charity.”

Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā deseyyuṁ”.

7.1

“Which do you think would get a good reputation?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggaccheyya:

7.2

‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?

7.3

“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchissati.

7.4

“The faithful donor who loves charity would get a good reputation.”

Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggaccheyya”.

8.1

“Which do you think would enter any kind of assembly bold and assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, ko nu kho yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkameyya, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkameyya amaṅkubhūto:

8.2

‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?

8.3

“How could the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive enter any kind of assembly bold and assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics?

“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kiṁ so yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkamissati, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkamissati amaṅkubhūto.

8.4

The faithful donor who loves charity would enter any kind of assembly bold and assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.”

Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato so yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkameyya, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkameyya amaṅkubhūto”.

9.1

“When their body breaks up, after death, which do you think would be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, ko nu kho kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya:

9.2

‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?

9.3

“Why would the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm?

“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kiṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjissati.

9.4

The faithful donor who loves charity would, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya.

10.1

When it comes to these fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don’t have to rely on faith in the Buddha,

Yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā sandiṭṭhikāni dānaphalāni akkhātāni, nāhaṁ ettha bhagavato saddhāya gacchāmi.

10.2

for I know them too.

Ahampi etāni jānāmi.

10.3

I’m a giver, a donor, and the perfected ones show compassion for me first.

Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati, maṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampanti.

10.4

I’m a giver, and the perfected ones approach me first.

Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati, maṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkamanti.

10.5

I’m a giver, and the perfected ones receive alms from me first.

Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati, mayhaṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇhanti.

10.6

I’m a giver, and the perfected ones teach me Dhamma first.

Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati, mayhaṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā desenti.

10.7

I’m a giver, and I have this good reputation:

Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati, mayhaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:

10.8

‘General Sīha gives, serves, and attends on the Saṅgha.’

‘sīho senāpati dāyako kārako saṅghupaṭṭhāko’ti.

10.9

I’m a giver, I enter any kind of assembly bold and assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.

Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkamāmi, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ …pe… yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkamāmi amaṅkubhūto.

10.10

When it comes to these fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don’t have to rely on faith in the Buddha,

Yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā sandiṭṭhikāni dānaphalāni akkhātāni, nāhaṁ ettha bhagavato saddhāya gacchāmi.

10.11

for I know them too.

Ahampi etāni jānāmi.

10.12

But when the Buddha says:

Yañca kho maṁ, bhante, bhagavā evamāha:

10.13

‘When a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ I don’t know this,

‘dāyako, sīha, dānapati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatī’ti.

10.14

so I have to rely on faith in the Buddha.”

Etāhaṁ na jānāmi, ettha ca panāhaṁ, bhagavato saddhāya gacchāmī”ti.

10.15

“That’s so true, Sīha! That’s so true!

“Evametaṁ, sīha, evametaṁ, sīha.

10.16

When a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”

Dāyako, sīha, dānapati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatī”ti.

10.17

Catutthaṁ.