1At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Koliyans, where they have a town named Kakkarapatta. Then Dīghajāṇu the Koliyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:

“Sir, we are laypeople who enjoy sensual pleasures and living at home with our children. We use sandalwood imported from Kāsi, we wear garlands, perfumes, and makeup, and we accept gold and money. May the Buddha please teach us the Dhamma in a way that leads to our welfare and happiness in this life and in future lives.”

2“Byagghapajja, these four things lead to the welfare and happiness of a gentleman in this life. What four?

Accomplishment in initiative, protection, good friendship, and balanced finances.

And what is accomplishment in initiative? It’s when a gentleman earns a living by means such as farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or one of the professions. They understand how to go about these things in order to complete and organize the work. This is called accomplishment in initiative.

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3And what is accomplishment in protection? It’s when a gentleman owns legitimate wealth that he has earned by his own efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow. They ensure it is guarded and protected, thinking: ‘How can I prevent my wealth from being taken by rulers or bandits, consumed by fire, swept away by flood, or taken by unloved heirs?’ This is called accomplishment in protection.

4And what is accomplishment in good friendship? It’s when a gentleman resides in a town or village. And in that place there are householders or their children who may be young or old, but are mature in conduct, accomplished in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom. That person associates with them, converses, and engages in discussion. And they emulate the same kind of accomplishment in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom. This is called accomplishment in good friendship.

5And what is accomplishment in balanced finances? It’s when a gentleman, knowing their income and expenditure, balances their finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. They think: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’ It’s like an appraiser or their apprentice who, holding up the scales, knows that it’s low by this much or high by this much. In the same way, a gentleman, knowing their income and expenditure, balances their finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. They think: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’

If a gentleman has little income but an opulent life, people will say: ‘This gentleman eats their wealth like a fig-eater!’ If a gentleman has a large income but a spartan life, people will say: ‘This gentleman is starving themselves to death!’ But a gentleman, knowing their income and expenditure, leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, thinking: ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’ This is called accomplishment in balanced finances.

6There are four drains on wealth that has been gathered in this way. Womanizing, drinking, gambling, and having bad friends, companions, and associates. Suppose there was a large reservoir with four inlets and four drains. And someone was to open up the drains and close off the inlets, and the heavens don’t provide enough rain. You’d expect that large reservoir to dwindle, not expand. In the same way, there are four drains on wealth that has been gathered in this way. Womanizing, drinking, gambling, and having bad friends, companions, and associates.

7There are four inlets for wealth that has been gathered in this way. Not womanizing, drinking, or gambling, and having good friends, companions, and associates. Suppose there was a large reservoir with four inlets and four drains. And someone was to open up the inlets and close off the drains, and the heavens provide plenty of rain. You’d expect that large reservoir to expand, not dwindle. In the same way, there are four inlets for wealth that has been gathered in this way. Not womanizing, drinking, or gambling, and having good friends, companions, and associates.

8These are the four things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a gentleman in this life.

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9These four things lead to the welfare and happiness of a gentleman in future lives. What four? Accomplishment in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom.

10And what is accomplishment in faith? It’s when a gentleman has faith in the Realized One’s awakening: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ This is called accomplishment in faith.

11And what is accomplishment in ethics? It’s when a gentleman doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. This is called accomplishment in ethics.

12And what is accomplishment in generosity? It’s when a gentleman lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share. This is called accomplishment in generosity.

13And what is accomplishment in wisdom? It’s when a gentleman is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This is called accomplishment in wisdom.

14These are the four things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a gentleman in future lives.

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15They’re enterprising in the workplace,
diligent in managing things,
they balance their finances,
and preserve their wealth.

16Faithful, accomplished in ethics,
kind, rid of stinginess,
they always purify the path
to well-being in lives to come.

17And so these eight qualities
of a faithful householder
are declared by the one who is truly named
to lead to happiness in both spheres,

18welfare and benefit in this life,
and happiness in the future lives.
This is how, for a householder,
merit grows by generosity.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā koliyesu viharati kakkarapattaṁ nāma koliyānaṁ nigamo. Atha kho dīghajāṇu koliyaputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dīghajāṇu koliyaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: 

"Mayaṁ, bhante, gihī kāmabhogino puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasāma, kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhoma, mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayāma, jātarūparajataṁ sādayāma. Tesaṁ no, bhante, bhagavā amhākaṁ tathā dhammaṁ desetu ye amhākaṁ assu dhammā diṭṭhadhammahitāya diṭṭhadhammasukhāya, samparāyahitāya samparāyasukhāyā"ti.

2"Cattārome, byagghapajja, dhammā kulaputtassa diṭṭhadhammahitāya saṁvattanti diṭṭhadhammasukhāya. Katame cattāro?

Uṭṭhānasampadā, ārakkhasampadā, kalyāṇamittatā, samajīvitā.

Katamā ca, byagghapajja, uṭṭhānasampadā? Idha, byagghapajja, kulaputto yena kammaṭṭhānena jīvikaṁ kappeti – yadi kasiyā, yadi vaṇijjāya, yadi gorakkhena, yadi issattena, yadi rājaporisena, yadi sippaññatarena – tattha dakkho hoti analaso, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgato, alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajja, uṭṭhānasampadā. (1: 1 )

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3Katamā ca, byagghapajja, ārakkhasampadā? Idha, byagghapajja, kulaputtassa bhogā honti uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatā bāhābalaparicitā, sedāvakkhittā, dhammikā dhammaladdhā. Te ārakkhena guttiyā sampādeti:  ‘Kinti me ime bhoge neva rājāno hareyyuṁ, na corā hareyyuṁ, na aggi ḍaheyya, na udakaṁ vaheyya, na appiyā dāyādā hareyyun’ti. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajja, ārakkhasampadā. (2: 2 )

4Katamā ca, byagghapajja, kalyāṇamittatā? Idha, byagghapajja, kulaputto yasmiṁ gāme vā nigame vā paṭivasati, tattha ye te honti – gahapatī vā gahapatiputtā vā daharā vā vuddhasīlino, vuddhā vā vuddhasīlino, saddhāsampannā, sīlasampannā, cāgasampannā, paññāsampannā – tehi saddhiṁ santiṭṭhati sallapati sākacchaṁ samāpajjati; yathārūpānaṁ saddhāsampannānaṁ saddhāsampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ sīlasampannānaṁ sīlasampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ cāgasampannānaṁ cāgasampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ paññāsampannānaṁ paññāsampadaṁ anusikkhati. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajja, kalyāṇamittatā. (3: 3 )

5Katamā ca, byagghapajja, samajīvitā? Idha, byagghapajja, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā, vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā, samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ:  ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti. Seyyathāpi, byagghapajja, tulādhāro vā tulādhārantevāsī vā tulaṁ paggahetvā jānāti:  ‘ettakena vā onataṁ, ettakena vā unnatan’ti; evamevaṁ kho, byagghapajja, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā, vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā, samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ:  ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti.

Sacāyaṁ, byagghapajja, kulaputto appāyo samāno uḷāraṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro:  ‘udumbarakhādīvāyaṁ kulaputto bhoge khādatī’ti. Sace panāyaṁ, byagghapajja, kulaputto mahāyo samāno kasiraṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro:  ‘ajeṭṭhamaraṇaṁvāyaṁ kulaputto marissatī’ti. Yato ca khoyaṁ, byagghapajja, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā, vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā, samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ:  ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajja, samajīvitā.

6Evaṁ samuppannānaṁ, byagghapajja, bhogānaṁ cattāri apāyamukhāni honti – itthidhutto, surādhutto, akkhadhutto, pāpamitto pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko. Seyyathāpi, byagghapajja, mahato taḷākassa cattāri ceva āyamukhāni, cattāri ca apāyamukhāni. Tassa puriso yāni ceva āyamukhāni tāni pidaheyya, yāni ca apāyamukhāni tāni vivareyya; devo ca na sammā dhāraṁ anuppaveccheyya. Evañhi tassa, byagghapajja, mahato taḷākassa parihāniyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no vuddhi; evamevaṁ, byagghapajja, evaṁ samuppannānaṁ bhogānaṁ cattāri apāyamukhāni honti – itthidhutto, surādhutto, akkhadhutto, pāpamitto pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko.

7Evaṁ samuppannānaṁ, byagghapajja, bhogānaṁ cattāri āyamukhāni honti – na itthidhutto, na surādhutto, na akkhadhutto, kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko. Seyyathāpi, byagghapajja, mahato taḷākassa cattāri ceva āyamukhāni, cattāri ca apāyamukhāni. Tassa puriso yāni ceva āyamukhāni tāni vivareyya, yāni ca apāyamukhāni tāni pidaheyya; devo ca sammā dhāraṁ anuppaveccheyya. Evañhi tassa, byagghapajja, mahato taḷākassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni; evamevaṁ kho, byagghapajja, evaṁ samuppannānaṁ bhogānaṁ cattāri āyamukhāni honti – na itthidhutto, na surādhutto, na akkhadhutto, kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko. (4: 4 )

8Ime kho, byagghapajja, cattāro dhammā kulaputtassa diṭṭhadhammahitāya saṁvattanti diṭṭhadhammasukhāya.

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9Cattārome, byagghapajja, dhammā kulaputtassa samparāyahitāya saṁvattanti samparāyasukhāya. Katame cattāro? Saddhāsampadā, sīlasampadā, cāgasampadā, paññāsampadā.

10Katamā ca, byagghapajja, saddhāsampadā? Idha, byagghapajja, kulaputto saddho hoti, saddahati tathāgatassa bodhiṁ:  ‘itipi so bhagavā … pe … satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajja, saddhāsampadā. (1: 5 )

11Katamā ca, byagghapajja, sīlasampadā? Idha, byagghapajja, kulaputto pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti … pe … surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajja, sīlasampadā. (2: 6 )

12Katamā ca, byagghapajja, cāgasampadā? Idha, byagghapajja, kulaputto vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajja, cāgasampadā. (3: 7 )

13Katamā ca, byagghapajja, paññāsampadā? Idha, byagghapajja, kulaputto paññavā hoti, udayatthagāminiyā paññāya samannāgato ariyāya nibbedhikāya sammā dukkhakkhayagāminiyā. Ayaṁ vuccati, byagghapajja, paññāsampadā. (4: 8 )

14Ime kho, byagghapajja, cattāro dhammā kulaputtassa samparāyahitāya saṁvattanti samparāyasukhāyāti.

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15Uṭṭhātā kammadheyyesu,
appamatto vidhānavā;
Samaṁ kappeti jīvikaṁ,
sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

16Saddho sīlena sampanno,
vadaññū vītamaccharo;
Niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti,
sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ.

17Iccete aṭṭha dhammā ca,
saddhassa gharamesino;
Akkhātā saccanāmena,
ubhayattha sukhāvahā.

18Diṭṭhadhammahitatthāya,
samparāyasukhāya ca;
Evametaṁ gahaṭṭhānaṁ,
cāgo puññaṁ pavaḍḍhatī"ti.

Catutthaṁ.