Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
V: Muṇḍa-Rāja Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
V. Rajah Muṇḍa
Sutta 42
Sappurisa Suttaṃ
The Good Man
Translated by E. M. Hare
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
'Yes, lord,' they replied; and the Exalted One said:
"Monks,[1] when a good man is born into a family
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of many folk;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of his parents;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of of his wife and children;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of his slaves, work-folk and men;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of his friends and companions;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness
of recluses and brahmans.
■
Monks, just as good rains
bring to perfection
all crops
for the good,
welfare
and happiness of many folk;
even so a [39] good man is born into a family
for the good,
welfare
and happiness of many folk;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of his parents;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of of his wife and children;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of his slaves, work-folk and men;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness of of his friends and companions;
it is for the good,
welfare
and happiness
of recluses and brahmans.
For many let the good man wealth pursue.
Him Dhamma-warded doth a deva ward.
For him well taught, moral and dutiful,
Will honour never wane. On Dhamma standing,
Virtuous, truth-speaking, conscientious,
Of such a man who's fit to appraise the worth?
'Tis even like red gold from Jambu's stream.
Him devas praise, by Brahma praised is he.'[2]
[1] Cf. the prose of this sutta with A. iv, 244.
[2] The third line of the text recurs at A. i, 162; the two last lines at Dhp. 230, A. ii, 8 and 29, and are quoted at Vism. 48. For the simile Cf. S. i, 65; M. iii, 102; A. i, 181; J. iv, 290.
