0.3SerīsuttaWith Serī
1.1Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho serī devaputto bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:Standing to one side, the godling Serī addressed the Buddha in verse:1
2.1“Annamevābhinandanti,“Both gods and humans22.2ubhaye devamānusā;enjoy their food.2.3Atha ko nāma so yakkho,So what’s the name of the spirit2.4yaṁ annaṁ nābhinandatī”ti.who doesn’t like food?”
3.1“Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,“Those who give with faith3.2vippasannena cetasā;and a clear and confident heart,3.3Tameva annaṁ bhajati,partake of food3.4asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.in this world and the next.
4.1Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,So you should dispel stinginess,4.2dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;overcoming that stain, and give a gift.4.3Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,The good deeds of sentient beings4.4patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.support them in the next world.”
5.1“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,5.2Yāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:how well said this was by the Buddha.” He repeated the Buddha’s verses, and said:
6.1‘Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,6.2vippasannena cetasā;6.3Tameva annaṁ bhajati,6.4asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.
7.1Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,7.2dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;7.3Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,7.4patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan’ti.
8.1Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, sirī nāma rājā ahosiṁ dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.“Once upon a time, sir, I was a king named Serī, a giver, a donor, who praised giving.38.2Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, catūsu dvāresu dānaṁ dīyittha samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānaṁ.I gave gifts at the four gates to ascetics and brahmins, to paupers, vagrants, supplicants, and beggars.48.3Atha kho maṁ, bhante, itthāgāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:Then the ladies of my harem approached me and said,8.4‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.‘Your Majesty gives gifts, but we don’t.8.5Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’58.6Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:Then it occurred to me,8.7‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.8.8Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’8.9So khvāhaṁ, bhante, paṭhamaṁ dvāraṁ itthāgārassa adāsiṁ.And so I gave the first gate to the ladies of my harem.8.10Tattha itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyittha; mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.6
9.1Atha kho maṁ, bhante, khattiyā anuyantā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:Then my aristocrat vassals approached me and said,9.2‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, but we don’t.9.3Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’9.4Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:Then it occurred to me,9.5‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.9.6Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’9.7So khvāhaṁ, bhante, dutiyaṁ dvāraṁ khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ adāsiṁ.And so I gave the second gate to my aristocrat vassals.9.8Tattha khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.
10.1Atha kho maṁ, bhante, balakāyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:Then my troops approached me and said,10.2‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, your aristocrat vassals give gifts, but we don’t.10.3Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’10.4Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:Then it occurred to me,10.5‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.10.6Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’10.7So khvāhaṁ, bhante, tatiyaṁ dvāraṁ balakāyassa adāsiṁ.And so I gave the third gate to my troops.10.8Tattha balakāyassa dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.
11.1Atha kho maṁ, bhante, brāhmaṇagahapatikā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:Then my brahmins and householders approached me and said,11.2‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyati; balakāyassa dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, your aristocrat vassals give gifts, your troops give gifts, but we don’t.11.3Sādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.Your Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’11.4Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:Then it occurred to me,11.5‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.11.6Dānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?When they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’11.7So khvāhaṁ, bhante, catutthaṁ dvāraṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ adāsiṁ.And so I gave the fourth gate to my brahmins and householders.11.8Tattha brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.There they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled.
12.1Atha kho maṁ, bhante, purisā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:Then my men approached me and said,12.2‘na kho dāni devassa koci dānaṁ dīyatī’ti.‘Now Your Majesty is not giving gifts anywhere!’12.3Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, te purise etadavocaṁ:When they said this, I said to those men,12.4‘tena hi, bhaṇe, yo bāhiresu janapadesu āyo sañjāyati tato upaḍḍhaṁ antepure pavesetha, upaḍḍhaṁ tattheva dānaṁ detha samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānan’ti.‘Well then, lads, deposit half the revenue generated in the outer districts in the royal compound. Give the other half as charity to ascetics and brahmins, to paupers, vagrants, supplicants, and beggars in those districts.’12.5So khvāhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ puññānaṁ evaṁ dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pariyantaṁ nādhigacchāmi—Sir, for a long time I made so much merit and did so many skillful deeds. I never reached any limit so as to say12.6ettakaṁ puññanti vā ettako puññavipākoti vā ettakaṁ sagge ṭhātabbanti vāti.‘there’s this much merit’ or ‘there’s this much result of merit’ or ‘for so long I’ll remain in heaven’.12.7Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,12.8Yāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:how well said this was by the Buddha.
13.1‘Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,‘Those who give with faith13.2vippasannena cetasā;and a clear and confident heart,13.3Tameva annaṁ bhajati,partake of food13.4asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.in this world and the next.
14.1Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,So you should dispel stinginess,14.2dajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;overcoming that stain, and give a gift.14.3Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,The good deeds of sentient beings14.4patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan’”ti.support them in the next world.’”