Sumanasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.31

Numbered Discourses 5.31

4. Sumanavagga

4. With Sumanā

Sumanasutta

With Sumanā

Ekaṁ samayaṁ …pe… anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho sumanā rājakumārī pañcahi rathasatehi pañcahi rājakumārisatehi parivutā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho sumanā rājakumārī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Princess Sumanā, escorted by five hundred chariots and five hundred royal maidens, went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Idhassu, bhante, bhagavato dve sāvakā samasaddhā samasīlā samapaññā—

“Sir, suppose there were two disciples equal in faith, ethics, and wisdom.

eko dāyako, eko adāyako.

One is a giver, one is not.

Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyuṁ.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Devabhūtānaṁ pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso, siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?

When they have become gods, would there be any distinction or difference between them?”

“Siyā, sumane”ti bhagavā avoca:

“There would be, Sumanā,” said the Buddha.

“yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ devabhūto samāno pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—

“As a god, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in five respects:

dibbena āyunā, dibbena vaṇṇena, dibbena sukhena, dibbena yasena, dibbena ādhipateyyena.

heavenly lifespan, beauty, happiness, glory, and sovereignty.

Yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ devabhūto samāno imehi pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti”.

As a god, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in these five respects.”

“Sace pana te, bhante, tato cutā itthattaṁ āgacchanti, manussabhūtānaṁ pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso, siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?

“But sir, if they pass away from there and come back to this place as human beings, would there still be any distinction or difference between them?”

“Siyā, sumane”ti bhagavā avoca:

“There would be, Sumanā,” said the Buddha.

“yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ manussabhūto samāno pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—

“As a human being, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in five respects:

mānusakena āyunā, mānusakena vaṇṇena, mānusakena sukhena, mānusakena yasena, mānusakena ādhipateyyena.

human lifespan, beauty, happiness, glory, and sovereignty.

Yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ manussabhūto samāno imehi pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti”.

As a human being, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in these five respects.”

“Sace pana te, bhante, ubho agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, pabbajitānaṁ pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso, siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?

“But sir, if they both go forth from the lay life to homelessness, would there still be any distinction or difference between them?”

“Siyā, sumane”ti bhagavā avoca:

“There would be, Sumanā,” said the Buddha.

“yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ pabbajito samāno pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhāti—

“As a renunciate, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in five respects.

yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjati appaṁ ayācito, yācitova bahulaṁ piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjati appaṁ ayācito, yācitova bahulaṁ senāsanaṁ paribhuñjati appaṁ ayācito, yācitova bahulaṁ gilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjati appaṁ ayācito.

They usually use only what they’ve been invited to accept—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—rarely using them without invitation.

Yehi kho pana sabrahmacārīhi saddhiṁ viharati tyassa manāpeneva bahulaṁ kāyakammena samudācaranti appaṁ amanāpena, manāpeneva bahulaṁ vacīkammena samudācaranti appaṁ amanāpena, manāpeneva bahulaṁ manokammena samudācaranti appaṁ amanāpena, manāpaṁyeva bahulaṁ upahāraṁ upaharanti appaṁ amanāpaṁ.

When living with other spiritual practitioners, they usually find themselves treated agreeably by them by way of body, speech, and mind, and rarely disagreeably. And they are usually presented with agreeable things by them, rarely with disagreeable ones.

Yo so, sumane, dāyako so amuṁ adāyakaṁ pabbajito samāno imehi pañcahi ṭhānehi adhigaṇhātī”ti.

As a renunciate, the one who was a giver surpasses the other in these five respects.”

“Sace pana te, bhante, ubho arahattaṁ pāpuṇanti, arahattappattānaṁ pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso, siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?

“But sir, if they both attain perfection, as perfected ones would there still be any distinction or difference between them?”

“Ettha kho panesāhaṁ, sumane, na kiñci nānākaraṇaṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁ vimuttiyā vimuttin”ti.

“In that case, I say there is no difference between the freedom of one and the freedom of the other.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

Yāvañcidaṁ, bhante, alameva dānāni dātuṁ alaṁ puññāni kātuṁ;

This is quite enough to justify giving gifts and making merit.

yatra hi nāma devabhūtassāpi upakārāni puññāni, manussabhūtassāpi upakārāni puññāni, pabbajitassāpi upakārāni puññānī”ti.

For merit is helpful for those who have become gods, human beings, and renunciates.”

“Evametaṁ, sumane.

“That’s so true, Sumanā.

Alañhi, sumane, dānāni dātuṁ alaṁ puññāni kātuṁ.

It’s quite enough to justify giving gifts and making merit.

Devabhūtassāpi upakārāni puññāni, manussabhūtassāpi upakārāni puññāni, pabbajitassāpi upakārāni puññānī”ti.

For merit is helpful for those who have become gods, human beings, and renunciates.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Yathāpi cando vimalo,

“The moon so immaculate,

gacchaṁ ākāsadhātuyā;

journeying across the dimension of space;

Sabbe tārāgaṇe loke,

outshines with its radiance

ābhāya atirocati.

all the world’s stars.

Tatheva sīlasampanno,

So too, a faithful individual,

saddho purisapuggalo;

perfect in ethics,

Sabbe maccharino loke,

outshines with their generosity

cāgena atirocati.

all the world’s stingy people.

Yathāpi megho thanayaṁ,

The thundering rain cloud,

vijjumālī satakkaku;

its hundred peaks wreathed in lightning,

Thalaṁ ninnañca pūreti,

pours down over the rich earth,

abhivassaṁ vasundharaṁ.

soaking the uplands and valleys.

Evaṁ dassanasampanno,

Even so, an astute person accomplished in vision,

sammāsambuddhasāvako;

a disciple of the fully awakened Buddha,

Macchariṁ adhigaṇhāti,

surpasses a stingy person

pañcaṭhānehi paṇḍito.

in five respects:

Āyunā yasasā ceva,

long life and fame,

vaṇṇena ca sukhena ca;

beauty and happiness.

Sa ve bhogaparibyūḷho,

Lavished with riches,

pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

they depart to rejoice in heaven.”

Paṭhamaṁ.