AN 5.58

Licchavikumārakasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Vesāliyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto mahāvanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.

The Licchavi Youths

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, entered Vesālī for alms. Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he plunged deep into the Great Wood and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā licchavikumārakā sajjāni dhanūni ādāya kukkurasaṅghaparivutā mahāvane anucaṅkamamānā anuvicaramānā addasu bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisinnaṁ; disvāna sajjāni dhanūni nikkhipitvā kukkurasaṅghaṁ ekamantaṁ uyyojetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṁ payirupāsanti.

Now at that time several Licchavi youths took strung bows and, escorted by a pack of hounds, were going for a walk in the Great Wood when they saw the Buddha seated at the root of a tree. When they saw him, they put down their strung bows, dispatched their hounds to one side, and went up to him. They bowed and silently paid homage to the Buddha with cupped palms.

Tena kho pana samayena mahānāmo licchavi mahāvane jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno addasa te licchavikumārake tuṇhībhūte tuṇhībhūte pañjalike bhagavantaṁ payirupāsante; disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo licchavi udānaṁ udānesi: “bhavissanti vajjī, bhavissanti vajjī”ti.

Now at that time Mahānāma the Licchavi was going for a walk in the Great Wood when he saw those Licchavi youths silently paying homage to the Buddha with cupped palms. Seeing this, he went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and expressed this heartfelt sentiment, “They will become Vajjis! They will become Vajjis!”

“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, mahānāma, evaṁ vadesi: ‘bhavissanti vajjī, bhavissanti vajjī’”ti? “Ime, bhante, licchavikumārakā caṇḍā pharusā apānubhā. Yānipi tāni kulesu paheṇakāni pahīyanti, ucchūti vā badarāti vā pūvāti vā modakāti vā saṅkulikāti vā, tāni vilumpitvā vilumpitvā khādanti; kulitthīnampi kulakumārīnampi pacchāliyaṁ khipanti. Te dānime tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṁ payirupāsantī”ti.

“But Mahānāma, why do you say that they will become Vajjis?” “Sir, these Licchavi youths are violent, harsh, and brash. Whenever sweets are left out for families—sugarcane, jujube fruits, pancakes, pies, or fritters—they filch them and eat them up. And they hit women and girls of good families on their backs. But now they’re silently paying homage to the Buddha with cupped palms.”

“Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, kulaputtassa pañca dhammā saṁvijjanti— yadi vā rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa, yadi vā raṭṭhikassa pettanikassa, yadi vā senāya senāpatikassa, yadi vā gāmagāmaṇikassa, yadi vā pūgagāmaṇikassa, ye vā pana kulesu paccekādhipaccaṁ kārenti, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

“Mahānāma, you can expect only growth, not decline, when you find five qualities in any gentleman—whether he’s an anointed aristocratic king, an appointed or hereditary official, an army general, a village chief, a guild chief, or a ruler of his own clan.

Katame pañca? Idha, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi mātāpitaro sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti. Tamenaṁ mātāpitaro sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti: ‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti. Mātāpitānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

What five? Firstly, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth—earned by his efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow—to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate his mother and father. Honored in this way, his mother and father love him with a good heart, wishing: ‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’ When a gentleman is loved by his mother and father, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi puttadāradāsakammakaraporise sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti. Tamenaṁ puttadāradāsakammakaraporisā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti: ‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti. Puttadāradāsakammakaraporisānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff. Honored in this way, his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff love him with a good heart, wishing: ‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’ When a gentleman is loved by his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi khettakammantasāmantasabyohāre sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti. Tamenaṁ khettakammantasāmantasabyohārā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti: ‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti. Khettakammantasāmantasabyohārānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with. Honored in this way, those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with love him with a good heart, wishing: ‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’ When a gentleman is loved by those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi yāvatā balipaṭiggāhikā devatā sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti. Tamenaṁ balipaṭiggāhikā devatā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti: ‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti. devatānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the deities who receive spirit-offerings. Honored in this way, the deities who receive spirit-offerings love him with a good heart, wishing: ‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’ When a gentleman is loved by the deities, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi samaṇabrāhmaṇe sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti. Tamenaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti: ‘ciraṁ jīva, dīghamāyuṁ pālehī’ti. Samaṇabrāhmaṇānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate ascetics and brahmins. Honored in this way, ascetics and brahmins love him with a good heart, wishing: ‘Live long! Stay alive for a long time!’ When a gentleman is loved by ascetics and brahmins, you can expect only growth, not decline.

Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, kulaputtassa ime pañca dhammā saṁvijjanti— yadi vā rañño khattiyassa muddhābhisittassa, yadi vā raṭṭhikassa pettanikassa, yadi vā senāya senāpatikassa, yadi vā gāmagāmaṇikassa, yadi vā pūgagāmaṇikassa, ye vā pana kulesu paccekādhipaccaṁ kārenti, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihānīti.

You can expect only growth, not decline, when you find these five qualities in any gentleman— whether he’s an anointed aristocratic king, an appointed or hereditary official, an army general, a village chief, a guild chief, or a ruler of his own clan.

Mātāpitukiccakaro, puttadārahito sadā; Antojanassa atthāya, ye cassa anujīvino.

He’s always dutiful to his mother and father, and for the good of his wives and children. He looks after those in his household, and those dependent on him for their livelihood.

Ubhinnañceva atthāya, Vadaññū hoti sīlavā; Ñātīnaṁ pubbapetānaṁ, Diṭṭhe dhamme ca jīvataṁ.

A bountiful and ethical person looks after the welfare of relatives— both those who have passed away, and those alive at present.

Samaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ, devatānañca paṇḍito; Vittisañjanano hoti, dhammena gharamāvasaṁ.

While living at home, an astute person uses legitimate means to give rise to joy for ascetics, brahmins, and also the gods.

So karitvāna kalyāṇaṁ, pujjo hoti pasaṁsiyo; Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti, pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

Having done good, he’s venerable and praiseworthy. They praise him in this life, and he departs to rejoice in heaven.”