AN 8 The Book of the Eights – Aṭṭhakanipāta > AN 8.76 Accomplishments (2nd)

Numbered Discourses 8.76 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.76

8. Pairs – 8. Yamakavagga

AN 8.76 Accomplishments (2nd) – Dutiyasampadāsutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, there are these eight accomplishments.

“Aṭṭhimā, bhikkhave, sampadā.

1.2

What eight?

Katamā aṭṭha?

1.3

Accomplishment in initiative, protection, good friendship, and balanced finances. And accomplishment in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom.

Uṭṭhānasampadā, ārakkhasampadā, kalyāṇamittatā, samajīvitā, saddhāsampadā, sīlasampadā, cāgasampadā, paññāsampadā.

1.4

And what is accomplishment in initiative?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, uṭṭhānasampadā?

1.5

It’s when a gentleman earns a living by means such as

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto yena kammaṭṭhānena jīvitaṁ kappeti—

1.6

farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or one of the professions.

yadi kasiyā yadi vaṇijjāya yadi gorakkhena yadi issattena yadi rājaporisena yadi sippaññatarena—

1.7

He understands how to go about these things in order to complete and organize the work.

tattha dakkho hoti analaso, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgato, alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātunti.

1.8

This is called accomplishment in initiative.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, uṭṭhānasampadā.

2.1

And what is accomplishment in protection?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ārakkhasampadā?

2.2

It’s when a gentleman owns legitimate wealth that he has earned by his own efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow. He ensures it is guarded and protected, thinking:

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputtassa bhogā honti uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatā bāhābalaparicitā sedāvakkhittā dhammikā dhammaladdhā te ārakkhena guttiyā sampādeti:

2.3

‘How can I prevent my wealth from being taken by rulers or bandits, consumed by fire, swept away by flood, or taken by unloved heirs?’

‘kinti me bhoge neva rājāno hareyyuṁ, na corā hareyyuṁ, na aggi ḍaheyya, na udakaṁ vaheyya, na appiyā dāyādā hareyyun’ti.

2.4

This is called accomplishment in protection.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ārakkhasampadā.

3.1

And what is accomplishment in good friendship?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā?

3.2

It’s when a gentleman resides in a town or village. And in that place there are householders or their children who may be young or old, but are mature in conduct, accomplished in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom. He associates with them, converses and engages in discussion. And he emulates the same kind of accomplishment in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom.

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto yasmiṁ gāme vā nigame vā paṭivasati, tattha ye te honti gahapatī vā gahapatiputtā vā daharā vā vuddhasīlino vuddhā vā vuddhasīlino saddhāsampannā sīlasampannā cāgasampannā paññāsampannā, tehi saddhiṁ santiṭṭhati sallapati sākacchaṁ samāpajjati; yathārūpānaṁ saddhāsampannānaṁ saddhāsampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ sīlasampannānaṁ sīlasampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ cāgasampannānaṁ cāgasampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ paññāsampannānaṁ paññāsampadaṁ anusikkhati.

3.3

This is called accomplishment in good friendship.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā.

4.1

And what is accomplishment in balanced finances?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, samajīvitā?

4.2

It’s when a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, balances his finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. He thinks, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti.

4.3

It’s like an appraiser or their apprentice who, holding up the scales, knows that it’s low by this much or high by this much.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tulādhāro vā tulādhārantevāsī vā tulaṁ paggahetvā jānāti: ‘ettakena vā onataṁ, ettakena vā unnatan’ti;

4.4

In the same way, a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, balances his finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. He thinks, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti.

4.5

If a gentleman has little income but an opulent life, people will say: ‘This gentleman eats their wealth like a fig-eater!’

Sacāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto appāyo samāno uḷāraṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro ‘udumbarakhādī vāyaṁ kulaputto bhoge khādatī’ti.

4.6

If a gentleman has a large income but a spartan life, people will say: ‘This gentleman is starving themselves to death!’

Sace panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto mahāyo samāno kasiraṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro: ‘ajeṭṭhamaraṇaṁ vāyaṁ kulaputto marissatī’ti.

4.7

But a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, thinking, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’

Yato ca khoyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti.

4.8

This is called accomplishment in balanced finances.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, samajīvitā.

5.1

And what is accomplishment in faith?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadā?

5.2

It’s when a gentleman has faith in the Realized One’s awakening:

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto saddho hoti, saddahati tathāgatassa bodhiṁ:

5.3

‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha … teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

‘itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti.

5.4

This is called accomplishment in faith.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadā.

6.1

And what is accomplishment in ethics?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sīlasampadā?

6.2

It’s when a gentleman doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume alcoholic drinks that cause negligence.

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti.

6.3

This is called accomplishment in ethics.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sīlasampadā.

7.1

And what is accomplishment in generosity?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, cāgasampadā?

7.2

It’s when a gentleman lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati …pe… yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato.

7.3

This is called accomplishment in generosity.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, cāgasampadā.

8.1

And what is accomplishment in wisdom?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, paññāsampadā?

8.2

It’s when a gentleman is wise. He has the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering.

Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto paññavā hoti …pe… sammā dukkhakkhayagāminiyā.

8.3

This is called accomplishment in wisdom.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, paññāsampadā.

9.1

These are the eight accomplishments.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha sampadāti.

10.1

They’re enterprising in the workplace,

Uṭṭhātā kammadheyyesu,

10.2

diligent in managing things,

appamatto vidhānavā;

10.3

they balance their finances,

Samaṁ kappeti jīvikaṁ,

10.4

and preserve their wealth.

sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

11.1

Faithful, accomplished in ethics,

Saddho sīlena sampanno,

11.2

bountiful, rid of stinginess,

vadaññū vītamaccharo;

11.3

they always purify the path

Niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti,

11.4

to well-being in lives to come.

sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ.

12.1

And so these eight qualities

Iccete aṭṭha dhammā ca,

12.2

of a faithful householder

saddhassa gharamesino;

12.3

are declared by the one who is truly named

Akkhātā saccanāmena,

12.4

to lead to happiness in both spheres,

ubhayattha sukhāvahā.

13.1

welfare and benefit in this life,

Diṭṭhadhammahitatthāya,

13.2

and happiness in the next.

samparāyasukhāya ca;

13.3

This is how, for a householder,

Evametaṁ gahaṭṭhānaṁ,

13.4

merit grows by generosity.”

cāgo puññaṁ pavaḍḍhatī”ti.

13.5

Chaṭṭhaṁ.