Iti 75

Avuṭṭhikasutta

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

A Rainless Cloud

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Avuṭṭhikasamo, padesavassī, sabbatthābhivassī.

“Mendicants, these three individuals are found in the world. What three? One like a rainless cloud, one who rains locally, one who rains all over.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo avuṭṭhikasamo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabbesaññeva na dātā hoti, samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānaṁ annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo avuṭṭhikasamo hoti.

And how is an individual like a rainless cloud? It’s when an individual doesn’t give to anyone at all—whether ascetics and brahmins, paupers, vagrants, supplicants, or beggars—such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting. That’s how an individual is like a rainless cloud.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo padesavassī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ekaccānaṁ dātā hoti, ekaccānaṁ na dātā hoti samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānaṁ annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo padesavassī hoti.

And how does an individual rain locally? It’s when an individual gives to some but not to others—whether ascetics and brahmins, paupers, vagrants, supplicants, or beggars—such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting. That’s how an individual rains locally.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo sabbatthābhivassī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabbesaṁva deti, samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānaṁ annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo sabbatthābhivassī hoti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti. Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

And how does an individual rain all over? It’s when an individual gives to everyone—whether ascetics and brahmins, paupers, vagrants, supplicants, or beggars—such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting. That’s how an individual rains all over. These are the three individuals found in the world.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Na samaṇe na brāhmaṇe, Na kapaṇaddhikavanibbake; Laddhāna saṁvibhājeti, Annaṁ pānañca bhojanaṁ; Taṁ ve avuṭṭhikasamoti, Āhu naṁ purisādhamaṁ.

“They don’t share the food and drink they have acquired with ascetics or brahmins, with paupers, vagrants, or supplicants. They’re like a rainless cloud, they say, the meanest of men.

Ekaccānaṁ na dadāti, ekaccānaṁ pavecchati; Taṁ ve padesavassīti, āhu medhāvino janā.

They don’t give to some, to some they provide. They rain locally, so say the wise.

Subhikkhavāco puriso, sabbabhūtānukampako; Āmodamāno pakireti, detha dethāti bhāsati.

Compassionate for all beings, that person distributes abundant food upon request, saying, ‘Give! Give!’

Yathāpi megho thanayitvā, gajjayitvā pavassati; Thalaṁ ninnañca pūreti, abhisandantova vārinā.

The rain cloud rains forth, having thundered and roared, drenching the earth with water, soaking the uplands and valleys.

Evamevaṁ idhekacco, puggalo hoti tādiso; Dhammena saṁharitvāna, uṭṭhānādhigataṁ dhanaṁ; Tappeti annapānena, sammā patte vanibbake”ti.

Even so, such an individual, having accumulated wealth by legitimate means, through their own hard work, rightly satisfies with food and drink those who have become supplicants.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.