Mātuposakasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.19

Linked Discourses 7.19

2. Upāsakavagga

2. Lay Followers

Mātuposakasutta

The Brahmin Who Provided for His Mother

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho mātuposako brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then a brahmin who provided for his mother went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mātuposako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha,

“ahañhi, bho gotama, dhammena bhikkhaṁ pariyesāmi, dhammena bhikkhaṁ pariyesitvā mātāpitaro posemi.

“Worthy Gotama, I seek alms by legitimate means, which I use to provide for my mother and father.

Kaccāhaṁ, bho gotama, evaṅkārī kiccakārī homī”ti?

In doing so, am I doing my duty?”

“Taggha tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, evaṅkārī kiccakārī hosi.

“Indeed, brahmin, in so doing you are doing your duty.

Yo kho, brāhmaṇa, dhammena bhikkhaṁ pariyesati, dhammena bhikkhaṁ pariyesitvā mātāpitaro poseti, bahuṁ so puññaṁ pasavatīti.

Whoever seeks alms by legitimate means, and uses them to provide for their mother and father brims with much merit.

Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,

A mortal provides for their mother

macco dhammena posati;

and father by legitimate means;

Tāya naṁ pāricariyāya,

because they serve

mātāpitūsu paṇḍitā;

their parents like this,

Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,

they’re praised in this life by the astute,

pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

and they depart to rejoice in heaven.”

Evaṁ vutte, mātuposako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, the brahmin who provided for his mother said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”