Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
15. Tikaṇḍaki Vaggo
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter XV: Three-thorn Grove
Sutta 148
Sappurisa-Dāna Suttaṃ
A Good Man's Gifts
Translated by E. M. Hare
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][than][olds] Thus have I heard:
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, these five are a good man's gifts.
What five?
He gives a gift in faith,
with deference,
in time,
with unconstrained[1] heart,
he gives a gift without hurt to self or others.
§
And in giving a gift in faith,
wheresoever the full[2] result of that gift ripens,
there comes wealth, riches and great property,
and he is fair to look upon,
handsome,
with the wondrous beauty of the lotus.[3]
■
And in giving a gift with deference,
wheresoever the full result of that gift ripens,
there comes wealth, riches and great property,
and his[4] children and wife,
his slaves, messengers and work-folk
hearken diligently unto him,
lend ear
and serve him with understanding heart.[5]
■
And in giving a gift in time,
wheresoever the full result of that gift ripens,
there comes wealth, riches and great property,
and the goods that come to him in time[6]
are abundant.
■
And in giving a gift with unconstrained heart,
wheresoever the full result of that gift ripens,
there comes wealth, riches and great property,
and he bends the mind
to enjoy the fullness[7]
of the fivefold joy of the senses.
■
And in giving a gift without hurt to self or others,
wheresoever the full result of that gift ripens,
there comes wealth, riches and great property,
and never from anywhere
comes hurt to his property
either from fire
or water,
rajahs
or thieves,
or impious heirs.[8]
Verily, monks, these are the five gifts of a good man.'
[1] Our text reads anuggahitacitto; so S.e., but Comy. with v.l. anaggahīta-, observing: agahitacitto, muttacāgo hutvā. See DhS. trsl. 301 n. and above, § 44 n.
[2] Vipāka.
[3] Cf. above, § 75.
[4] D. i, 230; A. iv, 303; Vin. i, 10; above, § 79.
[5] Aññācittaṃ.
[6] Kālāgatā c'assa atthā pacurā The Comy. is not very clear, but I think it means atthā come, not in old age (vayo-vuddka-kāle), but in the fit and proper time, in youth (paṭhama-vayasmiṃ).
[7] Uḷāra.
[8] Cf. below V, § 227.
