So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then General Sīha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, can you point out a fruit of giving that’s apparent in the present life?”
“Well then, Sīha, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, Sīha? Consider two people. One is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive. One is a faithful donor who loves charity.
Which do you think the perfected ones will show sympathy for first?” “Why would the perfected ones first show sympathy for the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive?
PL
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kaṁ nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampeyyuṁ: ‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampissanti.
EN
They’d show sympathy first for the faithful donor who loves charity.” “Which do you think the perfected ones will first approach?”
PL
Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato taṁyeva arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampeyyuṁ”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kaṁ nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkameyyuṁ: ‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?
EN
“They’d first approach the faithful donor who loves charity.” “Which do you think the perfected ones will receive alms from first?”
PL
“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkamissanti. Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato taṁyeva arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkameyyuṁ”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇheyyuṁ:
EN
“They’d receive alms first from the faithful donor who loves charity.”
PL
‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇhissanti. Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇheyyuṁ”.
EN
“Which do you think the perfected ones will teach the Dhamma to first?”
PL
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā deseyyuṁ: ‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā desessanti.
EN
“They’d first teach the Dhamma to the faithful donor who loves charity.” “Which do you think would get a good reputation?”
PL
Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā deseyyuṁ”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggaccheyya: ‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?
EN
“The faithful donor who loves charity would get a good reputation.” “Which do you think would enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics?”
PL
“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchissati. Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggaccheyya”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, ko nu kho yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkameyya, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkameyya amaṅkubhūto:
EN
“How could the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics?
PL
‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kiṁ so yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkamissati, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkamissati amaṅkubhūto.
EN
The faithful donor who loves charity would enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.” “When their body breaks up, after death, which do you think would be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm?”
PL
Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato so yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkameyya, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkameyya amaṅkubhūto”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, ko nu kho kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya:
EN
“Why would the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm? The faithful donor who loves charity would, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
PL
‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kiṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjissati. Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya.
EN
When it comes to these fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don’t rely on faith in the Buddha, for I know them too. I’m a giver, a donor, and the perfected ones show sympathy for me first. I’m a giver, and the perfected ones approach me first.
I’m a giver, and the perfected ones receive alms from me first. I’m a giver, and the perfected ones teach me Dhamma first. I’m a giver, and I have this good reputation: ‘General Sīha gives, serves, and attends on the Saṅgha.’
I’m a giver, I enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics. When it comes to these fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don’t rely on faith in the Buddha, for I know them too. But when the Buddha says:
‘When a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ I don’t know this, so I rely on faith in the Buddha.” “That’s so true, Sīha! That’s so true! When a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then General Sīha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, can you point out a fruit of giving that’s apparent in the present life?”
“Well then, Sīha, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, Sīha? Consider two people. One is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive. One is a faithful donor who loves charity.
Which do you think the perfected ones will show sympathy for first?” “Why would the perfected ones first show sympathy for the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive?
PL
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kaṁ nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampeyyuṁ: ‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampissanti.
EN
They’d show sympathy first for the faithful donor who loves charity.” “Which do you think the perfected ones will first approach?”
PL
Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato taṁyeva arahanto paṭhamaṁ anukampantā anukampeyyuṁ”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kaṁ nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkameyyuṁ: ‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?
EN
“They’d first approach the faithful donor who loves charity.” “Which do you think the perfected ones will receive alms from first?”
PL
“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkamissanti. Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato taṁyeva arahanto paṭhamaṁ upasaṅkamantā upasaṅkameyyuṁ”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇheyyuṁ:
EN
“They’d receive alms first from the faithful donor who loves charity.”
PL
‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇhissanti. Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva arahanto paṭhamaṁ paṭiggaṇhantā paṭiggaṇheyyuṁ”.
EN
“Which do you think the perfected ones will teach the Dhamma to first?”
PL
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā deseyyuṁ: ‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā desessanti.
EN
“They’d first teach the Dhamma to the faithful donor who loves charity.” “Which do you think would get a good reputation?”
PL
Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva arahanto paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ desentā deseyyuṁ”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, kassa nu kho kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggaccheyya: ‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti?
EN
“The faithful donor who loves charity would get a good reputation.” “Which do you think would enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics?”
PL
“Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kintaṁ tassa kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchissati. Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato tasseva kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggaccheyya”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, ko nu kho yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkameyya, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkameyya amaṅkubhūto:
EN
“How could the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics?
PL
‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kiṁ so yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkamissati, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkamissati amaṅkubhūto.
EN
The faithful donor who loves charity would enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.” “When their body breaks up, after death, which do you think would be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm?”
PL
Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato so yaṁyadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkameyya, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ visārado upasaṅkameyya amaṅkubhūto”. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīha, ko nu kho kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya:
EN
“Why would the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm? The faithful donor who loves charity would, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
PL
‘yo vā so puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, yo vā so puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato’”ti? “Yo so, bhante, puriso assaddho maccharī kadariyo paribhāsako, kiṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjissati. Yo ca kho so, bhante, puriso saddho dānapati anuppadānarato so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya.
EN
When it comes to these fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don’t rely on faith in the Buddha, for I know them too. I’m a giver, a donor, and the perfected ones show sympathy for me first. I’m a giver, and the perfected ones approach me first.
I’m a giver, and the perfected ones receive alms from me first. I’m a giver, and the perfected ones teach me Dhamma first. I’m a giver, and I have this good reputation: ‘General Sīha gives, serves, and attends on the Saṅgha.’
I’m a giver, I enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics. When it comes to these fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don’t rely on faith in the Buddha, for I know them too. But when the Buddha says:
‘When a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ I don’t know this, so I rely on faith in the Buddha.” “That’s so true, Sīha! That’s so true! When a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”
Sutraya