Dakkhiṇasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.78

Numbered Discourses 4.78

8. Apaṇṇakavagga

8. Sure Bet

Dakkhiṇasutta

A Religious Donation

“Catasso imā, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā visuddhiyo.

“Mendicants, there are these four ways of purifying a religious donation.

Katamā catasso?

What four?

Atthi, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā dāyakato visujjhati, no paṭiggāhakato;

There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the giver, not the recipient.

atthi, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā paṭiggāhakato visujjhati, no dāyakato;

There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the recipient, not the giver.

atthi, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā neva dāyakato visujjhati, no paṭiggāhakato;

There’s a religious donation that’s purified by neither the giver nor the recipient.

atthi, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā dāyakato ceva visujjhati paṭiggāhakato ca.

There’s a religious donation that’s purified by both the giver and the recipient.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā dāyakato visujjhati, no paṭiggāhakato?

And how is a religious donation purified by the giver, not the recipient?

Idha, bhikkhave, dāyako hoti sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo; paṭiggāhakā honti dussīlā pāpadhammā.

It’s when the giver is ethical, of good character, but the recipient is unethical, of bad character.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā dāyakato visujjhati, no paṭiggāhakato.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā paṭiggāhakato visujjhati, no dāyakato?

And how is a religious donation purified by the recipient, not the giver?

Idha, bhikkhave, dāyako hoti dussīlo pāpadhammo; paṭiggāhakā honti sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā.

It’s when the giver is unethical, of bad character, but the recipient is ethical, of good character.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā paṭiggāhakato visujjhati, no dāyakato.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā neva dāyakato visujjhati, no paṭiggāhakato?

And how is a religious donation purified by neither the giver nor the recipient?

Idha, bhikkhave, dāyako hoti dussīlo pāpadhammo; paṭiggāhakāpi honti dussīlā pāpadhammā.

It’s when both the giver and the recipient are unethical, of bad character.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā neva dāyakato visujjhati, no paṭiggāhakato.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā dāyakato ceva visujjhati paṭiggāhakato ca?

And how is a religious donation purified by both the giver and the recipient?

Idha, bhikkhave, dāyako hoti sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo; paṭiggāhakāpi honti sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā.

It’s when both the giver and the recipient are ethical, of good character.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇā dāyakato ceva visujjhati paṭiggāhakato ca.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso dakkhiṇā visuddhiyo”ti.

These are the four ways of purifying a religious donation.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.