1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ …pe… anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.2Atha kho sumanā rājakumārī pañcahi rathasatehi pañcahi rājakumārisatehi parivutā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho sumanā rājakumārī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Princess Sumanā, escorted by five hundred chariots and five hundred royal maidens, went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2.1PTS 3.33“Idhassu, bhante, bhagavato dve sāvakā samasaddhā samasīlā samapaññā—“Sir, suppose there were two disciples equal in faith, ethics, and wisdom.2.2eko dāyako, eko adāyako.One is a giver, one is not.2.3Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyuṁ.When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.2.4Devabhūtānaṁ pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso, siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?When they have become gods, would there be any distinction or difference between them?”

3.1“Siyā, sumane”ti bhagavā avoca:“There would be, Sumanā,” said the Buddha.

3.2“yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ devabhūto samāno pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—“As a god, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in five respects:3.3dibbena āyunā, dibbena vaṇṇena, dibbena sukhena, dibbena yasena, dibbena ādhipateyyena.heavenly lifespan, beauty, happiness, glory, and sovereignty.3.4Yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ devabhūto samāno imehi pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti”.As a god, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in these five respects.”

4.1“Sace pana te, bhante, tato cutā itthattaṁ āgacchanti, manussabhūtānaṁ pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso, siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?“But sir, if they pass away from there and come back to this place as human beings, would there still be any distinction or difference between them?”

4.2“Siyā, sumane”ti bhagavā avoca:“There would be, Sumanā,” said the Buddha.

4.3“yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ manussabhūto samāno pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—“As a human being, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in five respects:4.4mānusakena āyunā, mānusakena vaṇṇena, mānusakena sukhena, mānusakena yasena, mānusakena ādhipateyyena.human lifespan, beauty, happiness, glory, and sovereignty.4.5Yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ manussabhūto samāno imehi pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti”.As a human being, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in these five respects.”

5.1PTS 3.34“Sace pana te, bhante, ubho agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, pabbajitānaṁ pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso, siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?“But sir, if they both go forth from the lay life to homelessness, would there still be any distinction or difference between them?”

5.2“Siyā, sumane”ti bhagavā avoca:“There would be, Sumanā,” said the Buddha.

5.3“yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ pabbajito samāno pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—“As a renunciate, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in five respects.5.4yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjati appaṁ ayācito, yācitova bahulaṁ piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjati appaṁ ayācito, yācitova bahulaṁ senāsanaṁ paribhuñjati appaṁ ayācito, yācitova bahulaṁ gilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjati appaṁ ayācito.They usually use only what they’ve been invited to accept—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—rarely using them without invitation.5.5Yehi kho pana sabrahmacārīhi saddhiṁ viharati tyassa manāpeneva bahulaṁ kāyakammena samudācaranti appaṁ amanāpena, manāpeneva bahulaṁ vacīkammena samudācaranti appaṁ amanāpena, manāpeneva bahulaṁ manokammena samudācaranti appaṁ amanāpena, manāpaṁyeva bahulaṁ upahāraṁ upaharanti appaṁ amanāpaṁ.When living with other spiritual practitioners, they usually find themselves treated agreeably by them by way of body, speech, and mind, and rarely disagreeably. And they are usually presented with agreeable things by them, rarely with disagreeable ones.5.6Yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ pabbajito samāno imehi pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhātī”ti.As a renunciate, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in these five respects.”

6.1“Sace pana te, bhante, ubho arahattaṁ pāpuṇanti, arahattappattānaṁ pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso, siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?“But sir, if they both attain perfection, as perfected ones would there still be any distinction or difference between them?”

6.2“Ettha kho panesāhaṁ, sumane, na kiñci nānākaraṇaṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁ vimuttiyā vimuttin”ti.“In that case, I say there is no difference between the freedom of one and the freedom of the other.”

7.1“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!7.2Yāvañcidaṁ, bhante, alameva dānāni dātuṁ alaṁ puññāni kātuṁ;This is quite enough to justify giving gifts and making merit.7.3yatra hi nāma devabhūtassāpi upakārāni puññāni, manussabhūtassāpi upakārāni puññāni, pabbajitassāpi upakārāni puññānī”ti.For merit is helpful for those who have become gods, human beings, and renunciates.”

7.4“Evametaṁ, sumane.“That’s so true, Sumanā.7.5Alañhi, sumane, dānāni dātuṁ alaṁ puññāni kātuṁ.It’s quite enough to justify giving gifts and making merit.7.6Devabhūtassāpi upakārāni puññāni, manussabhūtassāpi upakārāni puññāni, pabbajitassāpi upakārāni puññānī”ti.For merit is helpful for those who have become gods, human beings, and renunciates.”

8.1Idamavoca bhagavā.That is what the Buddha said.8.2Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

9.1“Yathāpi cando vimalo,∥“The moon so immaculate,9.2gacchaṁ ākāsadhātuyā;journeying across the dimension of space;9.3Sabbe tārāgaṇe loke,outshines with its radiance9.4ābhāya atirocati.all the world’s stars.

10.1Tatheva sīlasampanno,So too, a faithful individual,10.2saddho purisapuggalo;perfect in ethics,10.3Sabbe maccharino loke,outshines with their generosity10.4cāgena atirocati.all the world’s stingy people.

11.1Yathāpi megho thanayaṁ,∥The thundering rain cloud,11.2vijjumālī satakkaku;its hundred peaks wreathed in lightning,11.3Thalaṁ ninnañca pūreti,pours down over the rich earth,11.4abhivassaṁ vasundharaṁ.soaking the uplands and valleys.

12.1Evaṁ dassanasampanno,Even so, an astute person accomplished in vision,12.2sammāsambuddhasāvako;a disciple of the fully awakened Buddha,12.3Macchariṁ adhigaṇhāti,surpasses a stingy person12.4pañcaṭhānehi paṇḍito.in five respects:

13.1Āyunā yasasā ceva,long life and fame,13.2vaṇṇena ca sukhena ca;beauty and happiness.13.3Sa ve bhogaparibyūḷho,Lavished with riches,13.4pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.they depart to rejoice in heaven.”

13.5Paṭhamaṁ.