AN 8 The Book of the Eights – Aṭṭhakanipāta > AN 8.34 A Field

Numbered Discourses 8.34 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.34

4. Giving – 4. Dānavagga

AN 8.34 A Field – Khettasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, when a field has eight factors a seed sown in it is not very fruitful or rewarding or productive.

“Aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate, bhikkhave, khette bījaṁ vuttaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahassādaṁ na phātiseyyaṁ.

1.2

What eight factors does it have?

Kathaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate?

1.3

It’s when a field has mounds and ditches. It has stones and gravel. It’s salty. It doesn’t have deep furrows. And it’s not equipped with water inlets, water outlets, irrigation channels, and boundaries.

Idha, bhikkhave, khettaṁ unnāmaninnāmi ca hoti, pāsāṇasakkharikañca hoti, ūsarañca hoti, na ca gambhīrasitaṁ hoti, na āyasampannaṁ hoti, na apāyasampannaṁ hoti, na mātikāsampannaṁ hoti, na mariyādasampannaṁ hoti.

1.4

When a field has these eight factors a seed sown in it is not fruitful or rewarding or productive.

Evaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate, bhikkhave, khette bījaṁ vuttaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahassādaṁ na phātiseyyaṁ.

2.1

In the same way, when an ascetic or brahmin has eight factors a gift given to them is not very fruitful or beneficial or splendid or bountiful.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu samaṇabrāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ na mahājutikaṁ na mahāvipphāraṁ.

2.2

What eight factors do they have?

Kathaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu?

2.3

It’s when an ascetic or brahmin has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong samādhi.

Idha, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā micchādiṭṭhikā honti, micchāsaṅkappā, micchāvācā, micchākammantā, micchāājīvā, micchāvāyāmā, micchāsatino, micchāsamādhino.

2.4

When an ascetic or brahmin has these eight factors a gift given to them is not very fruitful or beneficial or splendid or bountiful.

Evaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dinnaṁ na mahapphalaṁ hoti na mahānisaṁsaṁ na mahājutikaṁ na mahāvipphāraṁ.

3.1

When a field has eight factors a seed sown in it is very fruitful and rewarding and productive.

Aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate, bhikkhave, khette bījaṁ vuttaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahassādaṁ phātiseyyaṁ.

3.2

What eight factors does it have?

Kathaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate?

3.3

It’s when a field doesn’t have mounds and ditches. It doesn’t have stones and gravel. It’s not salty. It has deep furrows. And it’s equipped with water inlets, water outlets, irrigation channels, and boundaries.

Idha, bhikkhave, khettaṁ anunnāmāninnāmi ca hoti, apāsāṇasakkharikañca hoti, anūsarañca hoti, gambhīrasitaṁ hoti, āyasampannaṁ hoti, apāyasampannaṁ hoti, mātikāsampannaṁ hoti, mariyādasampannaṁ hoti.

3.4

When a field has these eight factors a seed sown in it is very fruitful and rewarding and productive.

Evaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgate, bhikkhave, khette bījaṁ vuttaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahassādaṁ phātiseyyaṁ.

4.1

In the same way, when an ascetic or brahmin has eight factors a gift given to them is very fruitful and beneficial and splendid and bountiful.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu samaṇabrāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsaṁ mahājutikaṁ mahāvipphāraṁ.

4.2

What eight factors do they have?

Kathaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu?

4.3

It’s when an ascetic or brahmin has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samādhi.

Idha, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammādiṭṭhikā honti, sammāsaṅkappā, sammāvācā, sammākammantā, sammāājīvā, sammāvāyāmā, sammāsatino, sammāsamādhino.

4.4

When an ascetic or brahmin has these eight factors a gift given to them is very fruitful and beneficial and splendid and bountiful.

Evaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatesu, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ hoti mahānisaṁsaṁ mahājutikaṁ mahāvipphāranti.

5.1

When the field is excellent,

Yathāpi khette sampanne,

5.2

and the seed sown in it is excellent,

pavuttā bījasampadā;

5.3

and the rainfall is excellent,

Deve sampādayantamhi,

5.4

the crop of grain will be excellent.

hoti dhaññassa sampadā.

6.1

Its health is excellent,

Anītisampadā hoti,

6.2

its growth is excellent,

virūḷhī bhavati sampadā;

6.3

its maturation is excellent,

Vepullasampadā hoti,

6.4

and its fruit is excellent.

phalaṁ ve hoti sampadā.

7.1

So too, when you give excellent food

Evaṁ sampannasīlesu,

7.2

to those of excellent ethics,

dinnā bhojanasampadā;

7.3

it leads to many excellences,

Sampadānaṁ upaneti,

7.4

for what you did was excellent.

sampannaṁ hissa taṁ kataṁ.

8.1

So if a person wants excellence,

Tasmā sampadamākaṅkhī,

8.2

let them excel in this.

sampannatthūdha puggalo;

8.3

You should frequent those with excellent wisdom,

Sampannapaññe sevetha,

8.4

so that your own excellence will flourish.

evaṁ ijjhanti sampadā.

9.1

Excelling in knowledge and conduct,

Vijjācaraṇasampanne,

9.2

and having excellence of mind,

laddhā cittassa sampadaṁ;

9.3

you perform excellent deeds,

Karoti kammasampadaṁ,

9.4

and gain excellent benefits.

labhati catthasampadaṁ.

10.1

Truly knowing the world,

Lokaṁ ñatvā yathābhūtaṁ,

10.2

and having attained excellence of view,

pappuyya diṭṭhisampadaṁ;

10.3

one who excels in mind proceeds,

Maggasampadamāgamma,

10.4

relying on excellence in the path.

yāti sampannamānaso.

11.1

Shaking off all stains,

Odhunitvā malaṁ sabbaṁ,

11.2

and attaining the excellence of extinguishment,

patvā nibbānasampadaṁ;

11.3

you’re freed from all sufferings:

Muccati sabbadukkhehi,

11.4

this is complete excellence.”

sā hoti sabbasampadā”ti.

11.5

Catutthaṁ.