Gihisāmīcisutta — Reader

Lay Practice

Gihisāmīcisutta

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Householder, when a noble disciple does four things they are practicing appropriately for a layperson, which brings fame and leads to heaven.

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “Catūhi kho, gahapati, dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako gihisāmīcipaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti yasopaṭilābhiniṁ saggasaṁvattanikaṁ.

What four? It’s when a noble disciple serves the mendicant Saṅgha with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. When a noble disciple does these four things they are practicing appropriately for a layperson, which brings fame and leads to heaven.

Katamehi catūhi? Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhito hoti cīvarena, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhito hoti piṇḍapātena, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhito hoti senāsanena, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhito hoti gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena. Imehi kho, gahapati, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako gihisāmīcipaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti yasopaṭilābhiniṁ saggasaṁvattanikanti.

Those who are astute practice the way that’s appropriate for laypeople. They provide those who are ethical and rightly comported with robes,

Gihisāmīcipaṭipadaṁ, paṭipajjanti paṇḍitā; Sammaggate sīlavante, cīvarena upaṭṭhitā.

almsfood, lodgings, and supplies for the sick. Their merit always grows by day and by night.

Piṇḍapātasayanena, Gilānappaccayena ca; Tesaṁ divā ca ratto ca, Sadā puññaṁ pavaḍḍhati;

They pass on to a place in heaven, having done excellent deeds.”

Saggañca kamatiṭṭhānaṁ, Kammaṁ katvāna bhaddakan”ti. Dasamaṁ. Puññābhisandavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ Dve puññābhisandā dve ca, saṁvāsā samajīvino; Suppavāsā sudatto ca,

bhojanaṁ gihisāmicīti.