AN 5.34

Sīhasenāpatisutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Atha kho sīho senāpati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho sīho senāpati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “sakkā nu kho, bhante, bhagavā sandiṭṭhikaṁ dānaphalaṁ paññāpetun”ti?

With General Sīha

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then General Sīha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and asked him, “Sir, can you point out a fruit of giving that’s apparent in the present life?”

“Sakkā, sīhā”ti bhagavā avoca: “dāyako, sīha, dānapati bahuno janassa piyo hoti manāpo. Yampi, sīha, dāyako dānapati bahuno janassa piyo hoti manāpo, idampi sandiṭṭhikaṁ dānaphalaṁ.

“I can, Sīha,” said the Buddha. “A giver, a donor is dear and beloved to many people. This is a fruit of giving that’s apparent in the present life.

Puna caparaṁ, sīha, dāyakaṁ dānapatiṁ santo sappurisā bhajanti. Yampi, sīha, dāyakaṁ dānapatiṁ santo sappurisā bhajanti, idampi sandiṭṭhikaṁ dānaphalaṁ.

Furthermore, good and true persons associate with a giver. This is another fruit of giving that’s apparent in the present life.

Puna caparaṁ, sīha, dāyakassa dānapatino kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati. Yampi, sīha, dāyakassa dānapatino kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati, idampi sandiṭṭhikaṁ dānaphalaṁ.

Furthermore, a giver gains a good reputation. This is another fruit of giving that’s apparent in the present life.

Puna caparaṁ, sīha, dāyako dānapati yaṁ yadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkamati—yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ—visārado upasaṅkamati amaṅkubhūto. Yampi, sīha, dāyako dānapati yaṁ yadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkamati—yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ—visārado upasaṅkamati amaṅkubhūto, idampi sandiṭṭhikaṁ dānaphalaṁ.

Furthermore, a giver enters any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics. This is another fruit of giving that’s apparent in the present life.

Puna caparaṁ, sīha, dāyako dānapati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Yampi, sīha, dāyako dānapati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati, idaṁ samparāyikaṁ dānaphalan”ti.

Furthermore, when a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. This is a fruit of giving to do with lives to come.”

Evaṁ vutte, sīho senāpati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā cattāri sandiṭṭhikāni dānaphalāni akkhātāni, nāhaṁ ettha bhagavato saddhāya gacchāmi; ahaṁ petāni jānāmi. Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati bahuno janassa piyo manāpo. Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati; maṁ santo sappurisā bhajanti. Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati; mayhaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato: ‘sīho senāpati dāyako kārako saṅghupaṭṭhāko’ti. Ahaṁ, bhante, dāyako dānapati yaṁ yadeva parisaṁ upasaṅkamāmi—yadi khattiyaparisaṁ yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ yadi gahapatiparisaṁ yadi samaṇaparisaṁ—visārado upasaṅkamāmi amaṅkubhūto. Yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā cattāri sandiṭṭhikāni dānaphalāni akkhātāni, nāhaṁ ettha bhagavato saddhāya gacchāmi; ahaṁ petāni jānāmi. Yañca kho maṁ, bhante, bhagavā evamāha: ‘dāyako, sīha, dānapati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatī’ti, etāhaṁ na jānāmi; ettha ca panāhaṁ bhagavato saddhāya gacchāmī”ti. “Evametaṁ, sīha, evametaṁ, sīha. Dāyako dānapati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatīti.

When he said this, General Sīha said to the Buddha, “When it comes to those four fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don’t rely on faith in the Buddha, for I know them too. I’m a giver, a donor, and am dear and beloved to many people. I’m a giver, and good and true persons associate with me. I’m a giver, and I have this good reputation: ‘General Sīha gives, serves, and attends on the Saṅgha.’ I’m a giver, and I enter any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics. When it comes to these four fruits of giving that are apparent in the present life, I don’t rely on faith in the Buddha, for I know them too. But when the Buddha says: ‘When a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ I don’t know this, so I have to rely on faith in the Buddha.” “That’s so true, Sīha! That’s so true! When a giver’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Dadaṁ piyo hoti bhajanti naṁ bahū, Kittiñca pappoti yaso ca vaḍḍhati; Amaṅkubhūto parisaṁ vigāhati, Visārado hoti naro amaccharī.

Giving, you’re loved and befriended by many people. You get a good reputation, and your fame grows. A generous man enters an assembly bold and self-assured.

Tasmā hi dānāni dadanti paṇḍitā, Vineyya maccheramalaṁ sukhesino; Te dīgharattaṁ tidive patiṭṭhitā, Devānaṁ sahabyagatā ramanti te.

So an astute person, seeking happiness, would give gifts, having driven out the stain of stinginess. They live long in the Third Heaven, enjoying the company of the gods.

Katāvakāsā katakusalā ito cutā, Sayaṁpabhā anuvicaranti nandanaṁ; Te tattha nandanti ramanti modare, Samappitā kāmaguṇehi pañcahi; Katvāna vākyaṁ asitassa tādino, Ramanti sagge sugatassa sāvakā”ti.

Having taken the opportunity to do good, when they pass from here they wander self-radiant in the Garden of Delight. There they delight, rejoice, and enjoy themselves, provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. Having practiced the word of the unattached, the unaffected, disciples of the Holy One rejoice in heaven.”