Mahāsudassanacariya

Cariyāpiṭaka

The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood

Akittivagga

The Chapter With Akitti

Dānapāramī 4

The Perfection of Giving (4th)

Mahāsudassanacariya

Mahāsudassana’s Conduct

“Kusāvatimhi nagare,

“In the city of Kusāvatī,

yadā āsiṁ mahīpati;

when I was Lord of the Earth,

Mahāsudassano nāma,

my name was Sudassana the Great,

cakkavattī mahabbalo.

a wheel-turning monarch of great power.

Tatthāhaṁ divase tikkhattuṁ,

There, thrice a day,

ghosāpemi tahiṁ tahiṁ;

I declared in one place or another:

‘Ko kiṁ icchati pattheti,

‘Who needs what? Who wants what?

kassa kiṁ dīyatū dhanaṁ.

To whom ought riches be given?

Ko chātako ko tasito,

Who needs an umbrella? Who is thirsty?

ko mālaṁ ko vilepanaṁ;

Who a garland? Who some makeup?

Nānārattāni vatthāni,

What person, being naked,

ko naggo paridahissati.

and will put on colorful clothes?

Ko pathe chattamādeti,

Who will take an umbrella on a highway,

kopāhanā mudū subhā’;

who needs sandals, soft and pretty?’

Iti sāyañca pāto ca,

Thus I had it proclaimed everywhere

ghosāpemi tahiṁ tahiṁ.

morning and night.

Na taṁ dasasu ṭhānesu,

It was not just in ten places,

napi ṭhānasatesu vā;

or even a hundred,

Anekasataṭhānesu,

but in many hundreds of places

paṭiyattaṁ yācake dhanaṁ.

riches were prepared for supplicants.

Divā vā yadi vā rattiṁ,

By day or by night

yadi eti vanibbako;

if a supplicant comes,

Laddhā yadicchakaṁ bhogaṁ,

then having gotten all he wants,

pūrahatthova gacchati.

he leaves with full hands.

Evarūpaṁ mahādānaṁ,

I gave great gifts like this

Adāsiṁ yāvajīvikaṁ;

for my whole life.

Napāhaṁ dessaṁ dhanaṁ dammi,

I did not give because I disliked riches,

Napi natthi nicayo mayi.

or because I had a store set aside.

Yathāpi āturo nāma,

Suppose a person is sick.

rogato parimuttiyā;

In order to be free of sickness

Dhanena vejjaṁ tappetvā,

having compensated the doctor with money,

rogato parimuccati.

they become freed from sickness.

Tathevāhaṁ jānamāno,

Thus I, knowingly,

paripūretumasesato;

in order to fulfill without remainder,

Ūnamanaṁ pūrayituṁ,

to fulfill what is lacking,

demi dānaṁ vanibbake;

gave gifts to supplicants

Nirālayo apaccāso,

without clinging or reward,

sambodhimanupattiyā”ti.

for the attainment of awakening.”

Mahāsudassanacariyaṁ catutthaṁ.