AN 5.44

Manāpadāyīsutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena uggassa gahapatino vesālikassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Atha kho uggo gahapati vesāliko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uggo gahapati vesāliko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Agreeable

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the householder Ugga of Vesālī, where he sat down on the seat spread out. Then Ugga went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti. Manāpaṁ me, bhante, sālapupphakaṁ khādanīyaṁ; taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

“Sir, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.’ My sal flower porridge is agreeable: may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.” So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti. Manāpaṁ me, bhante, sampannakolakaṁ sūkaramaṁsaṁ; taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

“Sir, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.’ My pork with jujube is agreeable: may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.” So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti. Manāpaṁ me, bhante, nibbattatelakaṁ nāliyasākaṁ; taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

“… My fried vegetable stalks are agreeable: may the Buddha please accept them from me out of sympathy.” So the Buddha accepted them out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti. Manāpo me, bhante, sālīnaṁ odano vicitakāḷako anekasūpo anekabyañjano; taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

“… My boiled fine rice with the dark grains picked out, served with many soups and sauces is agreeable: may the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.” So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti. Manāpāni me, bhante, kāsikāni vatthāni; tāni me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.

“… My cloths imported from Kāsi are agreeable: may the Buddha please accept them from me out of sympathy.” So the Buddha accepted them out of sympathy.

“Sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘manāpadāyī labhate manāpan’ti. Manāpo me, bhante, pallaṅko gonakatthato paṭalikatthato kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇo sauttaracchado ubhatolohitakūpadhāno. Api ca, bhante, mayampetaṁ jānāma: ‘netaṁ bhagavato kappatī’ti. Idaṁ me, bhante, candanaphalakaṁ agghati adhikasatasahassaṁ; taṁ me bhagavā paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya. Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ iminā anumodanīyena anumodi:

“… My couch spread with woolen covers—shag-piled or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red pillows at both ends is agreeable. But, sir, I know that this is not proper for the Buddha. However, this plank of sandalwood is worth over a thousand dollars. May the Buddha please accept it from me out of sympathy.” So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy. And then the Buddha rejoiced with Ugga with these verses of appreciation:

“Manāpadāyī labhate manāpaṁ, Yo ujjubhūtesu dadāti chandasā; Acchādanaṁ sayanamannapānaṁ, Nānāppakārāni ca paccayāni.

“The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable, enthusiastically giving clothing, bedding, food and drink, and various requisites to those of sincere conduct.

Cattañca muttañca anuggahītaṁ, Khettūpame arahante viditvā; So duccajaṁ sappuriso cajitvā, Manāpadāyī labhate manāpan”ti.

Knowing the perfected ones to be like a field for what’s given, offered and not held back, a true person gives what’s hard to give: the giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable.”

Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ iminā anumodanīyena anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

And then the Buddha, having rejoiced with Ugga with these verses of appreciation, rose from his seat and left.

Atha kho uggo gahapati vesāliko aparena samayena kālamakāsi. Kālaṅkato ca uggo gahapati vesāliko aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapajji. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho uggo devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho uggaṁ devaputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “kacci te, ugga, yathādhippāyo”ti? “Taggha me, bhagavā, yathādhippāyo”ti. Atha kho bhagavā uggaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

Then after some time Ugga passed away, and was reborn in a host of mind-made gods. At that time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, late at night, the glorious godling Ugga, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to him, “Ugga, I trust it is all you wished?” “Sir, it is indeed just as I wished.” Then the Buddha addressed Ugga in verse:

“Manāpadāyī labhate manāpaṁ, Aggassa dātā labhate punaggaṁ; Varassa dātā varalābhi hoti, Seṭṭhaṁ dado seṭṭhamupeti ṭhānaṁ.

“The giver of the agreeable gets the agreeable, the giver of the foremost gets the foremost, the giver of the excellent gets the excellent, the giver of the best gets the best.

Yo aggadāyī varadāyī, seṭṭhadāyī ca yo naro; Dīghāyu yasavā hoti, yattha yatthūpapajjatī”ti.

A person who gives the foremost, the excellent, the best: they’re long-lived and famous wherever they’re reborn.”