{"id":"an9.20","title":"About Velāma","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"an9.20","title":"About Velāma","units":[{"id":"an9.20:0","sourceIds":["an9.20:0.1","an9.20:0.2","an9.20:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.20\n2. Sīhanādavagga\nVelāmasutta","en":"Numbered Discourses 9.20\n2. The Lion’s Roar\nAbout Velāma"}},{"id":"an9.20:1","sourceIds":["an9.20:1.1","an9.20:1.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.\nAtha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:","en":"At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.\nThen the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,"}},{"id":"an9.20:2","sourceIds":["an9.20:2.1","an9.20:2.2","an9.20:2.3","an9.20:2.4","an9.20:2.5","an9.20:2.6","an9.20:2.7","an9.20:2.8","an9.20:2.9"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Api nu te, gahapati, kule dānaṁ dīyatī”ti?\n“Dīyati me, bhante, kule dānaṁ;\ntañca kho lūkhaṁ kaṇājakaṁ biḷaṅgadutiyan”ti.\n“Lūkhañcepi, gahapati, dānaṁ deti paṇītaṁ vā;\ntañca asakkaccaṁ deti, acittīkatvā deti, asahatthā deti, apaviddhaṁ deti, anāgamanadiṭṭhiko deti.\nYattha yattha tassa tassa dānassa vipāko nibbattati, na uḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, na uḷāresu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu bhogāya cittaṁ namati.\nYepissa te honti puttāti vā dārāti vā dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi na sussūsanti na sotaṁ odahanti na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhapenti.\nTaṁ kissa hetu?\nEvañhetaṁ, gahapati, hoti asakkaccaṁ katānaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko.","en":"“Householder, I wonder whether your family gives gifts?”\n“It does, sir.\nBut only coarse sour gruel with false black pepper.”\n“Householder, someone might give a gift that’s either coarse or fine.\nBut they give it carelessly, thoughtlessly, not with their own hand. They give the dregs, and they give without consideration for consequences.\nThen wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind doesn’t incline toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation.\nAnd their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers don’t want to listen to them. They don’t actively listen or try to understand.\nWhy is that?\nBecause that is the result of deeds done carelessly."}},{"id":"an9.20:3","sourceIds":["an9.20:3.1","an9.20:3.2","an9.20:3.3","an9.20:3.4","an9.20:3.5","an9.20:3.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Lūkhañcepi, gahapati, dānaṁ deti paṇītaṁ vā;\ntañca sakkaccaṁ deti, cittīkatvā deti, sahatthā deti, anapaviddhaṁ deti, āgamanadiṭṭhiko deti.\nYattha yattha tassa tassa dānassa vipāko nibbattati, uḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, uḷāresu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu bhogāya cittaṁ namati.\nYepissa te honti puttāti vā dārāti vā dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi sussūsanti sotaṁ odahanti aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhapenti.\nTaṁ kissa hetu?\nEvañhetaṁ, gahapati, hoti sakkaccaṁ katānaṁ kammānaṁ vipāko.","en":"Someone might give a gift that’s either coarse or fine.\nAnd they give it carefully, thoughtfully, with their own hand. They don’t give the dregs, and they give with consideration for consequences.\nThen wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind inclines toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation.\nAnd their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers want to listen. They actively listen and try to understand.\nWhy is that?\nBecause that is the result of deeds done carefully."}},{"id":"an9.20:4","sourceIds":["an9.20:4.1","an9.20:4.2","an9.20:4.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Bhūtapubbaṁ, gahapati, velāmo nāma brāhmaṇo ahosi.\nSo evarūpaṁ dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ.\nCaturāsīti suvaṇṇapātisahassāni adāsi rūpiyapūrāni, caturāsīti rūpiyapātisahassāni adāsi suvaṇṇapūrāni, caturāsīti kaṁsapātisahassāni adāsi hiraññapūrāni, caturāsīti hatthisahassāni adāsi sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇadhajāni hemajālappaṭicchannāni, caturāsīti rathasahassāni adāsi sīhacammaparivārāni byagghacammaparivārāni dīpicammaparivārāni paṇḍukambalaparivārāni sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇadhajāni hemajālappaṭicchannāni, caturāsīti dhenusahassāni adāsi dukūlasandhanāni kaṁsūpadhāraṇāni, caturāsīti kaññāsahassāni adāsi āmuttamaṇikuṇḍalāyo, caturāsīti pallaṅkasahassāni adāsi gonakatthatāni paṭikatthatāni paṭalikatthatāni kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇāni sauttaracchadāni ubhatolohitakūpadhānāni, caturāsīti vatthakoṭisahassāni adāsi khomasukhumānaṁ koseyyasukhumānaṁ kambalasukhumānaṁ kappāsikasukhumānaṁ, ko pana vādo annassa pānassa khajjassa bhojjassa leyyassa peyyassa, najjo maññe vissandanti.","en":"Once upon a time, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma.\nHe gave the following gift, a great offering.\n84,000 gold cups filled with silver. 84,000 silver cups filled with gold. 84,000 bronze cups filled with gold coins. 84,000 elephants with gold adornments and banners, covered with snow gold netting. 84,000 chariots upholstered with the hide of lions, tigers, and leopards, and cream rugs, with gold adornments and banners, covered with snow gold netting. 84,000 milk cows with muslin halter and bronze pails. 84,000 maidens bedecked with jeweled earrings. 84,000 couches spread with woolen covers—shag-piled, pure white, or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide, with canopies above and red pillows at both ends. 8,400,000,000 cloths of delicate linen, cotton, silk, and wool. And who can say how much food, drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages? It seemed like an overflowing river."}},{"id":"an9.20:5","sourceIds":["an9.20:5.1","an9.20:5.2","an9.20:5.3","an9.20:5.4","an9.20:5.5","an9.20:5.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Siyā kho pana te, gahapati, evamassa:\n‘añño nūna tena samayena velāmo brāhmaṇo ahosi, so taṁ dānaṁ adāsi mahādānan’ti.\nNa kho panetaṁ, gahapati, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.\nAhaṁ tena samayena velāmo brāhmaṇo ahosiṁ.\nAhaṁ taṁ dānaṁ adāsiṁ mahādānaṁ.\nTasmiṁ kho pana, gahapati, dāne na koci dakkhiṇeyyo ahosi, na taṁ koci dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti.","en":"Householder, you might think:\n‘Surely the brahmin Velāma must have been someone else at that time?’\nBut you should not see it like this.\nI myself was the brahmin Velāma at that time.\nI gave that gift, a great offering.\nBut at that event there was no one worthy of a religious donation, and no one to purify the religious donation."}},{"id":"an9.20:6","sourceIds":["an9.20:6.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Yaṁ, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.","en":"It would be more fruitful to feed one individual accomplished in view than that great offering of Velāma."}},{"id":"an9.20:7","sourceIds":["an9.20:7.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"(…) Yo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.","en":"It would be more fruitful to feed one once-returner than a hundred of those accomplished in view."}},{"id":"an9.20:8","sourceIds":["an9.20:8.1","an9.20:8.2","an9.20:8.3","an9.20:8.4","an9.20:8.5","an9.20:8.6","an9.20:8.7","an9.20:8.8","an9.20:8.9"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"(…) Yo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya …pe…\nyo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya …pe…\nyo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya …pe…\nyo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya …pe…\nyo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya …pe…\nyo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya …pe…\nyo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya …pe…\nyo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya—\npāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ, adinnādānā veramaṇiṁ, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiṁ, musāvādā veramaṇiṁ, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ, yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, (…) idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.","en":"It would be more fruitful to feed one non-returner than a hundred once-returners.\nIt would be more fruitful to feed one perfected one than a hundred non-returners.\nIt would be more fruitful to feed one independent Buddha than a hundred perfected ones.\nIt would be more fruitful to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha than a hundred independent Buddhas.\nIt would be more fruitful to feed the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha than to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha.\nIt would be more fruitful to build a dwelling especially for the Saṅgha of the four quarters than to feed the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha.\nIt would be more fruitful to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha with a confident heart than to build a dwelling for the Saṅgha of the four quarters.\nIt would be more fruitful to undertake the training rules—not to kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor—than to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha with a confident heart.\nIt would be more fruitful to develop a heart of love—even just as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder—than to undertake the training rules."}},{"id":"an9.20:9","sourceIds":["an9.20:9.1","an9.20:9.2","an9.20:9.3","an9.20:9.4","an9.20:9.5","an9.20:9.6","an9.20:9.7","an9.20:9.8","an9.20:9.9","an9.20:9.10","an9.20:9.11"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Yañca, gahapati, velāmo brāhmaṇo dānaṁ adāsi mahādānaṁ, yo cekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ bhojeyya …\nyo ca sataṁ diṭṭhisampannānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ sakadāgāmiṁ bhojeyya …\nyo ca sataṁ sakadāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ anāgāmiṁ bhojeyya …\nyo ca sataṁ anāgāmīnaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ arahantaṁ bhojeyya …\nyo ca sataṁ arahantānaṁ bhojeyya, yo cekaṁ paccekabuddhaṁ bhojeyya …\nyo ca sataṁ paccekabuddhānaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhojeyya …\nyo ca buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhojeyya, yo ca cātuddisaṁ saṅghaṁ uddissa vihāraṁ kārāpeyya …\nyo ca pasannacitto buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gaccheyya, yo ca pasannacitto sikkhāpadāni samādiyeyya—\npāṇātipātā veramaṇiṁ …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇiṁ, yo ca antamaso gandhohanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, yo ca accharāsaṅghātamattampi aniccasaññaṁ bhāveyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataran”ti.\nDasamaṁ.\nSīhanādavaggo dutiyo.","en":"It would be more fruitful to develop the perception of impermanence—even as long as a finger-snap—than to do all of these things, including developing a heart of love for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder.”"}},{"id":"an9.20:10","sourceIds":["an9.20:10.0","an9.20:10.1","an9.20:10.2","an9.20:10.3","an9.20:10.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tassuddānaṁ\nNādo saupādiseso ca,\nkoṭṭhikena samiddhinā;\nGaṇḍasaññā kulaṁ mettā,\ndevatā velāmena cāti."}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/an9.20/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}