Saddhasutta — Reader

Faith

Saddhasutta

“Mendicants, a faithful gentleman gets five benefits. What five? The true persons in the world show sympathy first to the faithful, not so much to the unfaithful. They first approach the faithful, not so much the unfaithful.

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, saddhe kulaputte ānisaṁsā. Katame pañca? Ye te, bhikkhave, loke santo sappurisā te saddhaññeva paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampanti, no tathā assaddhaṁ; saddhaññeva paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkamanti, no tathā assaddhaṁ;

They first receive alms from the faithful, not so much the unfaithful. They first teach Dhamma to the faithful, not so much the unfaithful. When their body breaks up, after death, the faithful are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. A faithful gentleman gets these five benefits.

saddhaññeva paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇhanti, no tathā assaddhaṁ; saddhaññeva paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā desenti, no tathā assaddhaṁ; saddho kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca saddhe kulaputte ānisaṁsā.

Suppose there was a great banyan tree at a level crossroads. It would become a refuge for birds from all around. In the same way, a faithful gentleman becomes a refuge for many people—monks, nuns, laywomen, and laymen. With its branches, leaves, and fruit, a great tree with its strong trunk,

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, subhūmiyaṁ catumahāpathe mahānigrodho samantā pakkhīnaṁ paṭisaraṇaṁ hoti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saddho kulaputto bahuno janassa paṭisaraṇaṁ hoti bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānanti. Sākhāpattaphalūpeto, khandhimāva mahādumo;

firmly-rooted and fruit-bearing, supports many birds. It’s a lovely place, frequented by the sky-soarers.

Mūlavā phalasampanno, patiṭṭhā hoti pakkhinaṁ. Manorame āyatane, sevanti naṁ vihaṅgamā;

Those that need shade go in the shade, those that need fruit enjoy the fruit. So too, a faithful individual is perfect in ethics,

Chāyaṁ chāyatthikā yanti, phalatthā phalabhojino. Tatheva sīlasampannaṁ, saddhaṁ purisapuggalaṁ;

placid in manner and amenable, gentle, courteous, and tender. Those free of greed, freed of hate, free of delusion, undefiled,

Nivātavuttiṁ atthaddhaṁ, sorataṁ sakhilaṁ muduṁ. Vītarāgā vītadosā, vītamohā anāsavā;

fields of merit for the world, associate with such a person. They teach them the Dhamma, that casts aside all suffering.

Puññakkhettāni lokasmiṁ, sevanti tādisaṁ naraṁ. Te tassa dhammaṁ desenti, Sabbadukkhāpanūdanaṁ;

Having understood this teaching, the undefiled one is fully extinguished.”

Yaṁ so dhammaṁ idhaññāya, Parinibbāti anāsavo”ti. Aṭṭhamaṁ.