Other Translations: Deutsch
From: , ,
Sutta NipÄta 3.5 Sutta NipÄta 3.5Anthology of Discourses 3.5
MÄghasutta MÄghaWith MÄgha
Evaį¹ me sutaį¹āI have heard thatSo I have heard.
ekaį¹ samayaį¹ bhagavÄ rÄjagahe viharati gijjhakÅ«į¹e pabbate. on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near RÄjagaha on Vulture Peak Mountain.At one time the Buddha was staying near RÄjagaha, on the Vultureās Peak Mountain.
Atha kho mÄgho mÄį¹avo yena bhagavÄ tenupasaį¹
kami; upasaį¹
kamitvÄ bhagavatÄ saddhiį¹ sammodi. Then the young brahman MÄgha went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him.Then the student MÄgha approached the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. MÄgha (ābounteous oneā) is from the Vedic word magha, āgift, bountyā. It is a name of Sakka (SN 2.3), as is the synonymous MaghavÄ (SN 11.12:1.3, SN 11.13:6.1). The good king of MN 83 is named Maghadeva, āgod of bountyā.
SammodanÄ«yaį¹ kathaį¹ sÄraį¹Ä«yaį¹ vÄ«tisÄretvÄ ekamantaį¹ nisÄ«di. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side.When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side,
Ekamantaį¹ nisinno kho mÄgho mÄį¹avo bhagavantaį¹ etadavoca: As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One,and said to the Buddha:
āAhaƱhi, bho gotama, dÄyako dÄnapati vadaĆ±Ć±Å« yÄcayogo; āMaster Gotama, I am generous, a master of giving, magnanimous, responsive to requests.āIām a giver, worthy Gotama, a donor; I am bountiful and committed to charity.
dhammena bhoge pariyesÄmi; I search for wealth righteously.I seek wealth in a principled manner,
dhammena bhoge pariyesitvÄ dhammaladdhehi bhogehi dhammÄdhigatehi ekassapi dadÄmi dvinnampi tiį¹į¹ampi catunnampi paƱcannampi channampi sattannampi aį¹į¹hannampi navannampi dasannampi dadÄmi, vÄ«sÄyapi tiį¹sÄyapi cattÄlÄ«sÄyapi paƱƱÄsÄyapi dadÄmi, satassapi dadÄmi, bhiyyopi dadÄmi. Having searched for wealth righteously, thenāwith wealth righteously gained, righteously acquiredāI give to one, I give to two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, and to more.and with that legitimate wealth I give to one person, to two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred people or even more.
KaccÄhaį¹, bho gotama, evaį¹ dadanto evaį¹ yajanto bahuį¹ puƱƱaį¹ pasavÄmÄ«āti? Thus giving, thus sacrificing, do I produce much merit?āGiving and sacrificing like this, worthy Gotama, do I brim with much merit?ā
āTaggha tvaį¹, mÄį¹ava, evaį¹ dadanto evaį¹ yajanto bahuį¹ puƱƱaį¹ pasavasi. āCertainly, young man, thus giving, thus sacrificing, you produce much merit.āIndeed you do, student.
Yo kho, mÄį¹ava, dÄyako dÄnapati vadaĆ±Ć±Å« yÄcayogo; Anyone who is generous, a master of giving, magnanimous, responsive to requests,A giver or donor who is bountiful and committed to charity,
dhammena bhoge pariyesati; who searches for wealth righteouslywho seeks wealth in a principled manner,
dhammena bhoge pariyesitvÄ dhammaladdhehi bhogehi dhammÄdhigatehi ekassapi dadÄti ā¦peā¦ satassapi dadÄti, bhiyyopi dadÄti, bahuį¹ so puƱƱaį¹ pasavatÄ«āti. and, having searched for wealth righteously, thenāwith wealth righteously gained, righteously acquiredāgives to one, to two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, and to more, produces much merit.āand with that legitimate wealth gives to one person, or up to a hundred people or even more, brims with much merit.ā
Atha kho mÄgho mÄį¹avo bhagavantaį¹ gÄthÄya ajjhabhÄsiāThen the young brahman MÄgha addressed the Blessed One in verse:Then MÄgha addressed the Buddha in verse:
āPucchÄmahaį¹ gotamaį¹ vadaƱƱuį¹, āI ask the magnanimous Gotama,āI ask the bountiful Gotama,ā
(iti mÄgho mÄį¹avo) (said the young brahman MÄgha)said MÄgha,
KÄsÄyavÄsiį¹ agahaį¹ carantaį¹; wearing ochre robes, wandering without home:āwearing an ochre robe, wandering homeless.
Yo yÄcayogo dÄnapati gahaį¹į¹ho, When a householder responsive to requests, a master of giving,Suppose a lay donor who is committed to charity
PuƱƱatthiko yajati puƱƱapekkho; makes a sacrifice in hopes of merit, looking for merit,makes a sacrifice seeking merit, looking for merit,
Dadaį¹ paresaį¹ idha annapÄnaį¹, giving food & drink to others here,giving food and drink to others here:
Kathaį¹ hutaį¹ yajamÄnassa sujjheā. how is the offering purified for the one making the sacrifice?āhow is their offering purified?ā
āYo yÄcayogo dÄnapati gahaį¹į¹ho, āWhen a householder responsive to requests, a master of giving,āSuppose a lay donor who is committed to charity,ā
(mÄghÄti bhagavÄ) (said the Blessed One to MÄgha)replied the Buddha,
PuƱƱatthiko yajati puƱƱapekkho; makes a sacrifice in hopes of merit, looking for merit,āmakes a sacrifice seeking merit, looking for merit,
Dadaį¹ paresaį¹ idha annapÄnaį¹, giving food & drink to others here:giving food and drink to others here:
ÄrÄdhaye dakkhiį¹eyyebhi tÄdiā. Such a person achieves his aim in terms of the recipient.āsuch a one would succeed due to those who are worthy of donations.ā Bodhi translates ÄrÄdhaye as simple present tense here (āsucceedsā) and in the identical line below as imperative (āshould accomplishā). Norman has the optative mood in both cases, which is surely correct.
āYo yÄcayogo dÄnapati gahaį¹į¹ho, āWhen a householder responsive to requests, a master of giving,āSuppose a lay donor who is committed to charity,ā
(iti mÄgho mÄį¹avo) (said the young brahman MÄgha)said MÄgha,
PuƱƱatthiko yajati puƱƱapekkho; makes a sacrifice in hopes of merit, looking for merit,āmakes a sacrifice seeking merit, looking for merit,
Dadaį¹ paresaį¹ idha annapÄnaį¹, giving food & drink to others here:giving food and drink to others here:
AkkhÄhi me bhagavÄ dakkhiį¹eyyeā. Point out to me the recipient.āexplain to me who is worthy of donations.ā
āYe ve asattÄ vicaranti loke, āThose who, unadhering,1 wander in the world,Following the Thai editionās reading, alaggÄ (āunadheringā); the Burmese and PTS editions read asattÄ, āwithout attachment.āāThose who wander the world unattached,
AkiƱcanÄ kevalino yatattÄ; having nothing, fully accomplished, their minds restrained:consummate, self-controlled, owning nothing:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Ye sabbasaį¹yojanabandhanacchidÄ, Those who have cut all fetters & bonds,Those who have cut off all fetters and bonds,
DantÄ vimuttÄ anÄ«ghÄ nirÄsÄ; tamed, released, with no afflictions, no desires:tamed, liberated, untroubled, with no need for hope:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Ye sabbasaį¹yojanavippamuttÄ, Those released from all fetters & bonds,Those who are released from all fetters,
DantÄ vimuttÄ anÄ«ghÄ nirÄsÄ; tamed, released, with no afflictions, no desires:tamed, liberated, untroubled, with no need for hope:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
RÄgaƱca dosaƱca pahÄya mohaį¹, Having abandoned passion, aversion, & delusion,Having given up greed, hate, and delusion,
KhÄ«į¹ÄsavÄ vÅ«sitabrahmacariyÄ; their holy life fulfilled, their effluents ended:with defilements ended, the spiritual journey completed:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Yesu na mÄyÄ vasati na mÄno, Those in whom no deceptiveness dwells, no conceit,Those in whom dwells no deceit or conceit,
KhÄ«į¹ÄsavÄ vÅ«sitabrahmacariyÄ; their holy life fulfilled, their effluents ended:with defilements ended, the spiritual journey completed:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Ye vÄ«talobhÄ amamÄ nirÄsÄ, Those devoid of greed, unpossessive, undesiring,Those rid of greed, unselfish, with no need for hope,
KhÄ«į¹ÄsavÄ vÅ«sitabrahmacariyÄ; their holy life fulfilled, their effluents ended:with defilements ended, the spiritual journey completed:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Ye ve na taį¹hÄsu upÄtipannÄ, Those who arenāt prey to cravings,Those not fallen prey to cravings,
Vitareyya oghaį¹ amamÄ caranti; who wander without possessiveness, having crossed over the flood:who, having crossed the flood, live unselfishly:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Yesaį¹ taį¹hÄ natthi kuhiƱci loke, Those with no craving at all in the world
BhavÄbhavÄya idha vÄ huraį¹ vÄ; for any state of existence in this life or the next:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Ye kÄme hitvÄ agahÄ caranti, Those who, having abandoned sensuality, wander without home,Those who have left sensuality behind, wandering homeless,
SusaƱƱatattÄ tasaraį¹va ujjuį¹; their minds well-restrained, straight as a shuttle:self-controlled, straight as a shuttle:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Ye vÄ«tarÄgÄ susamÄhitindriyÄ, Those devoid of passion, their faculties well-centered,Those freed of greed, with senses stilled,
Candova rÄhuggahaį¹Ä pamuttÄ; released like the moon from the grasp of an eclipse:like the moon released from the eclipse:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
SamitÄvino vÄ«tarÄgÄ akopÄ, Having calmed themselves, those devoid of passion, unprovoked,Those assuaged ones free of greed and anger,
Yesaį¹ gatÄ« natthidha vippahÄya; who have no (future) destinations, having abandoned them here:for whom there are no destinies, being rid of them in this life:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
JahitvÄ jÄtimaraį¹aį¹ asesaį¹, Having abandoned birth & death without trace,Theyāve given up rebirth and death completely,
Kathaį¹
kathiį¹ sabbamupÄtivattÄ; they have escaped all perplexity:and have gone beyond all indecision:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Ye attadÄ«pÄ vicaranti loke, They who, with themselves as refuge, wander in the world,Those who live as their own island,
AkiƱcanÄ sabbadhi vippamuttÄ; having nothing, everywhere released:everywhere free, owning nothing:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Ye hettha jÄnanti yathÄ tathÄ idaį¹, They who know here, as it really isāThose here who know this to be true:
AyamantimÄ natthi punabbhavoti; āThis is the last birth, there is no further becomingā:āThis is my last life, there are no future livesā:
KÄlena tesu habyaį¹ pavecche, To them, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajetha. to them a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.should bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.
Yo vedagÅ« jhÄnarato satÄ«mÄ, An attainer-of-knowledge,2 delighting in jhÄna, mindful,In this verse, the Buddha is referring to himself.A knowledge master, loving absorption, mindful,
Sambodhipatto saraį¹aį¹ bahÅ«naį¹; attained to self-awakening, the refuge of many:who has reached awakening and is a refuge for many:
KÄlena tamhi habyaį¹ pavecche, To him, at the right time, you should bestow an offering,that is where a brahmin seeking merit
Yo brÄhmaį¹o puƱƱapekkho yajethaā. to him a brahman aiming at merit should sacrifice.āshould bestow a timely oblation as sacrifice.ā
āAddhÄ amoghÄ mama pucchanÄ ahu, āYes, my question was not in vain.āClearly my questions were not in vain!ā
(iti mÄgho mÄį¹avo) (said the young brahman MÄgha)said MÄgha,
AkkhÄsi me bhagavÄ dakkhiį¹eyye; You, Blessed One, have pointed out the recipient.āThe Buddha has explained to me who is worthy of donations.
TvaƱhettha jÄnÄsi yathÄ tathÄ idaį¹, You know this here, as it really is,You are the one here who knows this to be true,
TathÄ hi te vidito esa dhammo. because this Dhamma has been experienced by you.for truly you understand this matter.
Yo yÄcayogo dÄnapati gahaį¹į¹ho, When a householder responsive to requests, a master of giving,Suppose a lay donor who is committed to charity
PuƱƱatthiko yajati puƱƱapekkho; makes a sacrifice in hopes of merit, looking for merit,makes a sacrifice seeking merit, looking for merit,
Dadaį¹ paresaį¹ idha annapÄnaį¹, giving food & drink to others here:giving food and drink to others here:
AkkhÄhi me bhagavÄ yaƱƱasampadaį¹ā. Point out to me, Blessed One, the consummation of the sacrifice.āexplain to me how to accomplish the sacrifice.ā
āYajassu yajamÄno, āSacrifice, and while sacrificing, MÄgha,āSacrifice, and while doing so,ā The āspeakerās markā is in MS treated as part of the line, which is unusual. According to Normanās note here however, we should consider this line a seven-syllable sloka (perhaps restoring the variant ca to make it eight). I have adjusted the Pali punctuation accordingly.
(mÄghÄti bhagavÄ) said the Blessed One,replied the Buddha,
Sabbattha ca vippasÄdehi cittaį¹; make your mind clear everywhere.ābe clear and confident in every way.
Ärammaį¹aį¹ yajamÄnassa yaƱƱo, For one sacrificing, the sacrifice is the object, the support.3āSupportā and āobjectā both translate Ärammaį¹aį¹.Sacrifice is the ground standing upon which
Ettha patiį¹į¹hÄya jahÄti dosaį¹. Taking a stand there, he abandons faults.4A play on words: dosa means āfaultā here, but āaversionā in the next line.the sacrificer sheds their flaws.
So vÄ«tarÄgo pavineyya dosaį¹, Heādevoid of passion, subduing aversionāOne free of greed, rid of anger,
Mettaį¹ cittaį¹ bhÄvayamappamÄį¹aį¹; developing a mind of goodwill, immeasurable;developing a heart of limitless love,
Rattindivaį¹ satatamappamatto, day & night, continually heedfulāspreads that limitlessness in every direction,
SabbÄ disÄ pharati appamaƱƱaį¹ā. should pervade all the directions immeasurably.āever diligent day and night.ā
āKo sujjhati muccati bajjhatÄ« ca, āWho is purified? Released? Bound?āWho is purified, freed, awake? Bajjhati (āboundā) seems odd to me in this line. I think itās more likely these are three semi-synonyms. As it stands, the Buddha does not actually answer the question, since he only discusses the positive side. PTS notes a reading bujjhati in the commentary, which I follow. However the commentary reads bajjhati in the VRI edition, and the comment itself supports this, since it treats it as a bad thing. If it is a mistake, then, it is an old one.
KenattanÄ gacchati brahmalokaį¹; By means of what mind does one go to the BrahmÄ world?How can one go to the realm of divinity oneself?
AjÄnato me muni brÅ«hi puį¹į¹ho, Say this, sage, when asked by me who doesnāt know.I do not know, so please tell me when asked,
BhagavÄ hi me sakkhi brahmajjadiį¹į¹ho; As the Blessed One is my witness, I have seen BrahmÄ today,for the Buddha is the divinity I see in person today!
TuvaƱhi no brahmasamosi saccaį¹, for you are equal to BrahmÄ for usāitās true!To us you are truly the equal of divinity.
Kathaį¹ upapajjati brahmalokaį¹ jutimaā. How, shining one, does one reappear in the BrahmÄ world?āBrilliant One, how is one reborn in the realm of divinity?ā
āYo yajati tividhaį¹ yaƱƱasampadaį¹, āWhoever sacrifices with the threefold sacrifice consummation,5According to SnA, the threefold consummation of the sacrifice refers to the three qualities of the donor mentioned in AN 6:37āglad before giving, clear & bright-minded while giving, gratified after giving. But since this sutta doesnāt mention those qualities, that explanation is doubtful; more likely the reference is to the three points made just above: that the donor should clarify the mind, abandon the faults of passion & aversion, and develop immeasurable goodwill. See MN 97, AN 4:125ā126, AN 10:196, and AN 11:16 on developing immeasurable goodwill.āOne who accomplishes the sacrifice with three modes,ā This is defined at DN 5:15.1.
(mÄghÄti bhagavÄ) (the Blessed One said to MÄgha)replied the Buddha,
ÄrÄdhaye dakkhiį¹eyyebhi tÄdi; such a one would achieve his aim in terms of the recipient.āsuch a one would succeed due to those who are worthy of donations.
Evaį¹ yajitvÄ sammÄ yÄcayogo, Having thus sacrificed rightly, one responsive to requestsSacrificing like this, one rightly committed to charity
Upapajjati brahmalokanti brÅ«mÄ«āti. reappears, I say, in the BrahmÄ world.ā5According to SnA, the threefold consummation of the sacrifice refers to the three qualities of the donor mentioned in AN 6:37āglad before giving, clear & bright-minded while giving, gratified after giving. But since this sutta doesnāt mention those qualities, that explanation is doubtful; more likely the reference is to the three points made just above: that the donor should clarify the mind, abandon the faults of passion & aversion, and develop immeasurable goodwill. See MN 97, AN 4:125ā126, AN 10:196, and AN 11:16 on developing immeasurable goodwill.is reborn in the realm of divinity, I say.ā
Evaį¹ vutte, mÄgho mÄį¹avo bhagavantaį¹ etadavoca: When this was said, the young brahman MÄgha said to the Blessed One:When he had spoken, the student MÄgha said to the Buddha,
āabhikkantaį¹, bho gotama ā¦peā¦ āMagnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotamaāthrough many lines of reasoningāmade the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saį¹
gha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refugeāExcellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! ā¦
ajjatagge pÄį¹upetaį¹ saraį¹aį¹ gatanāti. from this day forward, for life.āFrom this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.ā
MÄghasuttaį¹ paƱcamaį¹. The MÄgha Sutta, the fifth.vv. 487ā509. See also: SN 3:24; SN 20:4; AN 5:53; AN 6:37; AN 8:54; AN 9:20; Iti 22; Iti 27; Iti 100.