SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 2 Connected Discourses on Gods – Devaputtasaṁyutta > SN 2.23 With Serī

Linked Discourses 2.23 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.23

3. Various Sectarians – 3. Nānātitthiyavagga

SN 2.23 With Serī – Serīsutta

Standing to one side, the god Serī addressed the Buddha in verse:

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho serī devaputto bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Both gods and humans

“Annamevābhinandanti,

enjoy their food.

ubhaye devamānusā;

So what’s the name of the spirit

Atha ko nāma so yakkho,

who doesn’t like food?”

yaṁ annaṁ nābhinandatī”ti.

“Those who give with faith

“Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,

and a clear and confident heart,

vippasannena cetasā;

partake of food

Tameva annaṁ bhajati,

in this world and the next.

asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.

So you should dispel stinginess,

Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,

overcoming that stain, and give a gift.

dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;

The good deeds of sentient beings

Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,

support them in the next world.”

patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

how well said this was by Master Gotama.” He repeated the Buddha’s verses, and said:

Yāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

‘Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,

vippasannena cetasā;

Tameva annaṁ bhajati,

asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.

Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,

dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;

Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,

patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan’ti.

“Once upon a time, sir, I was a king named Serī, a giver, a donor, who praised giving.

Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, sirī nāma rājā ahosiṁ dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

I gave gifts at the four gates to ascetics and brahmins, to paupers, vagrants, travelers, and beggars.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, catūsu dvāresu dānaṁ dīyittha samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānaṁ.

Then the ladies of my harem approached me and said,

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, itthāgāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:

‘Your Majesty gives gifts, but we don’t.

‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.

Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’

Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.

Then it occurred to me,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.

‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’

Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?

And so I gave the first gate to the ladies of my harem.

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, paṭhamaṁ dvāraṁ itthāgārassa adāsiṁ.

There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.

Tattha itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyittha; mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.

Then my aristocrat vassals approached me and said,

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, khattiyā anuyantā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:

‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, but we don’t.

‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.

Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’

Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.

Then it occurred to me,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.

‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’

Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?

And so I gave the second gate to my aristocrat vassals.

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, dutiyaṁ dvāraṁ khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ adāsiṁ.

There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.

Tattha khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.

Then my troops approached me and said,

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, balakāyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:

‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, your aristocrat vassals give gifts, but we don’t.

‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.

Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’

Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.

Then it occurred to me,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.

‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’

Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?

And so I gave the third gate to my troops.

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, tatiyaṁ dvāraṁ balakāyassa adāsiṁ.

There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.

Tattha balakāyassa dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.

Then my brahmins and householders approached me and said,

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, brāhmaṇagahapatikā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:

‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, your aristocrat vassals give gifts, your troops give gifts, but we don’t.

‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyati; balakāyassa dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.

Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’

Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.

Then it occurred to me,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.

‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.

When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’

Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?

And so I gave the fourth gate to my brahmins and householders.

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, catutthaṁ dvāraṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ adāsiṁ.

There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.

Tattha brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.

Then my men approached me and said,

Atha kho maṁ, bhante, purisā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:

‘Now Your Majesty is not giving gifts at all!’

‘na kho dāni devassa koci dānaṁ dīyatī’ti.

When they said this, I said to those men,

Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, te purise etadavocaṁ:

‘So then, my men, send half of the revenue from the outer districts to the royal compound. Then give half right there to ascetics and brahmins, to paupers, vagrants, travelers, and beggars.’

‘tena hi, bhaṇe, yo bāhiresu janapadesu āyo sañjāyati tato upaḍḍhaṁ antepure pavesetha, upaḍḍhaṁ tattheva dānaṁ detha samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānan’ti.

Sir, for a long time I made so much merit and did so many skillful deeds. I never reached any limit so as to say

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ puññānaṁ evaṁ dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pariyantaṁ nādhigacchāmi—

‘there’s this much merit’ or ‘there’s this much result of merit’ or ‘for so long I’ll remain in heaven’.

ettakaṁ puññanti vā ettako puññavipākoti vā ettakaṁ sagge ṭhātabbanti vāti.

It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,

Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

how well said this was by Master Gotama:

Yāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

‘Those who give with faith

‘Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,

and a clear and confident heart,

vippasannena cetasā;

partake of food

Tameva annaṁ bhajati,

in this world and the next.

asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.

So you should dispel stinginess,

Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,

overcoming that stain, and give a gift.

dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;

The good deeds of sentient beings

Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,

support them in the next world.’”

patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan’”ti.