Ānaṇyasutta — Reader

Debtlessness

Ānaṇyasutta

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Householder, these four kinds of happiness can be earned by a layperson who enjoys sensual pleasures, depending on time and occasion.

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “Cattārimāni, gahapati, sukhāni adhigamanīyāni gihinā kāmabhoginā kālena kālaṁ samayena samayaṁ upādāya.

What four? The happiness of ownership, using wealth, debtlessness, and blamelessness. And what is the happiness of ownership? 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.

Katamāni cattāri? Atthisukhaṁ, bhogasukhaṁ, ānaṇyasukhaṁ, anavajjasukhaṁ. Katamañca, gahapati, atthisukhaṁ? Idha, gahapati, kulaputtassa bhogā honti uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatā bāhābalaparicitā sedāvakkhittā dhammikā dhammaladdhā.

When he reflects on this, he’s filled with pleasure and happiness. This is called ‘the happiness of ownership’. And what is the happiness of using wealth? It’s when a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth, and makes merit with it.

So ‘bhogā me atthi uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatā bāhābalaparicitā sedāvakkhittā dhammikā dhammaladdhā’ti adhigacchati sukhaṁ, adhigacchati somanassaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, gahapati, atthisukhaṁ. Katamañca, gahapati, bhogasukhaṁ? Idha, gahapati, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi paribhuñjati puññāni ca karoti.

When he reflects on this, he’s filled with pleasure and happiness. This is called ‘the happiness of using wealth’. And what is the happiness of debtlessness? It’s when a gentleman owes no debt, large or small, to anyone.

So ‘uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi paribhuñjāmi puññāni ca karomī’ti adhigacchati sukhaṁ, adhigacchati somanassaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, gahapati, bhogasukhaṁ. Katamañca, gahapati, ānaṇyasukhaṁ? Idha, gahapati, kulaputto na kassaci kiñci dhāreti appaṁ vā bahuṁ vā.

When he reflects on this, he’s filled with pleasure and happiness. This is called ‘the happiness of debtlessness’. And what is the happiness of blamelessness? It’s when a noble disciple has blameless conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.

So ‘na kassaci kiñci dhāremi appaṁ vā bahuṁ vā’ti adhigacchati sukhaṁ, adhigacchati somanassaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, gahapati, ānaṇyasukhaṁ. Katamañca, gahapati, anavajjasukhaṁ? Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako anavajjena kāyakammena samannāgato hoti, anavajjena vacīkammena samannāgato hoti, anavajjena manokammena samannāgato hoti.

When he reflects on this, he’s filled with pleasure and happiness. This is called ‘the happiness of blamelessness’. These four kinds of happiness can be earned by a layperson who enjoys sensual pleasures, depending on time and occasion.

So ‘anavajjenamhi kāyakammena samannāgato, anavajjena vacīkammena samannāgato, anavajjena manokammena samannāgato’ti adhigacchati sukhaṁ, adhigacchati somanassaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, gahapati, anavajjasukhaṁ. Imāni kho, gahapati, cattāri sukhāni adhigamanīyāni gihinā kāmabhoginā kālena kālaṁ samayena samayaṁ upādāyāti.

Knowing the happiness of debtlessness, and the extra happiness of possession, a mortal enjoying the happiness of using wealth, then discerns clearly with wisdom.

Ānaṇyasukhaṁ ñatvāna, Atho atthisukhaṁ paraṁ; Bhuñjaṁ bhogasukhaṁ macco, Tato paññā vipassati.

Discerning clearly, a clever person knows both kinds of happiness: the other kind is not worth a sixteenth part of the happiness of blamelessness.”

Vipassamāno jānāti, ubho bhoge sumedhaso; Anavajjasukhassetaṁ, kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasin”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.