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AN 5.44PTS AN 3.493 min read

Agreeable

Manāpadāyīsutta

If you give the best, you get the best.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.44Numbered Discourses 5.44
  • 0.25. Muṇḍarājavagga5. With King Muṇḍa

0.3ManāpadāyīsuttaAgreeable

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.1.2Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena uggassa gahapatino vesālikassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the householder Ugga of Vesālī, where he sat down on the seat spread out.

1.3Atha kho uggo gahapati vesāliko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uggo gahapati vesāliko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Ugga went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,2.1“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:“Sir, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha:2.2‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.‘The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.’2.3Manāpaṁ me, bhante, sālapupphakaṁ khādanīyaṁ;My sal flower porridge is agreeable:2.4taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.”2.5Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

3.1“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:“Sir, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha:3.2‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.‘The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.’3.3Manāpaṁ me, bhante, sampannakolakaṁ sūkaramaṁsaṁ;My pork with jujube is agreeable:3.4taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.”3.5Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

4.1“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:4.2‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.4.3Manāpaṁ me, bhante, nibbattatelakaṁ nāliyasākaṁ;“… My fried vegetable stalks are agreeable:4.4taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.may the Buddha please accept them from me out of sympathy.”4.5Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.So the Buddha accepted them out of sympathy.

5.1“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:5.2‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.5.3Manāpo me, bhante, sālīnaṁ odano vicitakāḷako anekasūpo anekabyañjano;“… My boiled fine rice with the dark grains picked out, served with many soups and sauces is agreeable:5.4taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.”5.5Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

6.1PTS 3.50“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:6.2‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.6.3Manāpāni me, bhante, kāsikāni vatthāni;“… My cloths imported from Kāsi are agreeable:6.4tāni me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.may the Buddha please accept them from me out of sympathy.”6.5Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.So the Buddha accepted them out of sympathy.

7.1“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:7.2‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti.7.3Manāpo me, bhante, pallaṅko gonakatthato paṭalikatthato kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇo sauttaracchado ubhatolohitakūpadhāno.“… My couch spread with woolen covers—shag-piled or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red pillows at both ends is agreeable.7.4Api ca, bhante, mayampetaṁ jānāma:But, sir, I know that7.5‘netaṁ bhagavato kappatī’ti.this is not proper for the Buddha.7.6Idaṁ me, bhante, candanaphalakaṁ agghati adhikasatasahassaṁ;However, this plank of sandalwood is worth over a thousand dollars.7.7taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.May the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.”7.8Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

7.9Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ iminā anumodanīyena anumodi:And then the Buddha rejoiced with Ugga with these verses of appreciation:

8.1“Manāpadāyī labhate manāpaṁ,“The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable,8.2Yo ujjubhūtesu dadāti chandasā;enthusiastically giving clothing, bedding,8.3Acchādanaṁ sayanamannapānaṁ,food and drink, and various requisites8.4Nānāppakārāni ca paccayāni.to those of sincere conduct.

9.1Cattañca muttañca anuggahītaṁ,Knowing the perfected ones to be like a field9.2Khettūpame arahante viditvā;for what’s given, offered and not held back,9.3So duccajaṁ sappuriso cajitvā,a true person gives what’s hard to give:9.4Manāpadāyī labhate manāpan”ti.the giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.”

10.1Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ iminā anumodanīyena anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.And then the Buddha, having rejoiced with Ugga with these verses of appreciation, rose from his seat and left.

11.1PTS 3.51Atha kho uggo gahapati vesāliko aparena samayena kālamakāsi.Then after some time Ugga passed away,11.2Kālaṅkato ca uggo gahapati vesāliko aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapajji.and was reborn in a host of mind-made gods.11.3Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At that time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

11.4Atha kho uggo devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho uggaṁ devaputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:Then, late at night, the glorious godling Ugga, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to him,11.5“kacci te, ugga, yathādhippāyo”ti?“Ugga, I trust it is all you wished?”

11.6“Taggha me, bhagavā, yathādhippāyo”ti.“Sir, it is indeed just as I wished.”11.7Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:Then the Buddha addressed Ugga in verse:

12.1“Manāpadāyī labhate manāpaṁ,“The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable,12.2Aggassa dātā labhate punaggaṁ;the giver of the foremost gets the foremost,12.3Varassa dātā varalābhi hoti,the giver of the excellent gets the excellent,12.4Seṭṭhaṁ dado seṭṭhamupeti ṭhānaṁ.the giver of the best gets the best.

13.1Yo aggadāyī varadāyī,A person who gives the foremost,13.2seṭṭhadāyī ca yo naro;the excellent, the best:13.3Dīghāyu yasavā hoti,they’re long-lived and famous13.4yattha yatthūpapajjatī”ti.wherever they’re reborn.”

13.5Catutthaṁ.