{"id":"sn2.23","title":"With Serī","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"sn2.23","title":"With Serī","units":[{"id":"sn2.23:0","sourceIds":["sn2.23:0.1","sn2.23:0.2","sn2.23:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.23\n3. Nānātitthiyavagga\nSerīsutta","en":"Linked Discourses 2.23\n3. Various Sectarians\nWith Serī"}},{"id":"sn2.23:1","sourceIds":["sn2.23:1.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho serī devaputto bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:","en":"Standing to one side, the godling Serī addressed the Buddha in verse:"}},{"id":"sn2.23:2","sourceIds":["sn2.23:2.1","sn2.23:2.2","sn2.23:2.3","sn2.23:2.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Annamevābhinandanti,\nubhaye devamānusā;\nAtha ko nāma so yakkho,\nyaṁ annaṁ nābhinandatī”ti.","en":"“Both gods and humans\nenjoy their food.\nSo what’s the name of the spirit\nwho doesn’t like food?”"}},{"id":"sn2.23:3","sourceIds":["sn2.23:3.1","sn2.23:3.2","sn2.23:3.3","sn2.23:3.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,\nvippasannena cetasā;\nTameva annaṁ bhajati,\nasmiṁ loke paramhi ca.","en":"“Those who give with faith\nand a clear and confident heart,\npartake of food\nin this world and the next."}},{"id":"sn2.23:4","sourceIds":["sn2.23:4.1","sn2.23:4.2","sn2.23:4.3","sn2.23:4.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,\ndajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;\nPuññāni paralokasmiṁ,\npatiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.","en":"So you should dispel stinginess,\novercoming that stain, and give a gift.\nThe good deeds of sentient beings\nsupport them in the next world.”"}},{"id":"sn2.23:5","sourceIds":["sn2.23:5.1","sn2.23:5.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.\nYāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:","en":"“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,\nhow well said this was by the Buddha.” He repeated the Buddha’s verses, and said:"}},{"id":"sn2.23:6","sourceIds":["sn2.23:6.1","sn2.23:6.2","sn2.23:6.3","sn2.23:6.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"‘Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,\nvippasannena cetasā;\nTameva annaṁ bhajati,\nasmiṁ loke paramhi ca."}},{"id":"sn2.23:7","sourceIds":["sn2.23:7.1","sn2.23:7.2","sn2.23:7.3","sn2.23:7.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,\ndajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;\nPuññāni paralokasmiṁ,\npatiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan’ti."}},{"id":"sn2.23:8","sourceIds":["sn2.23:8.1","sn2.23:8.2","sn2.23:8.3","sn2.23:8.4","sn2.23:8.5","sn2.23:8.6","sn2.23:8.7","sn2.23:8.8","sn2.23:8.9","sn2.23:8.10"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, sirī nāma rājā ahosiṁ dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.\nTassa mayhaṁ, bhante, catūsu dvāresu dānaṁ dīyittha samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānaṁ.\nAtha kho maṁ, bhante, itthāgāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:\n‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.\nSādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.\nTassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:\n‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.\nDānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?\nSo khvāhaṁ, bhante, paṭhamaṁ dvāraṁ itthāgārassa adāsiṁ.\nTattha itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyittha; mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.","en":"“Once upon a time, sir, I was a king named Serī, a giver, a donor, who praised giving.\nI gave gifts at the four gates to ascetics and brahmins, to paupers, vagrants, supplicants, and beggars.\nThen the ladies of my harem approached me and said,\n‘Your Majesty gives gifts, but we don’t.\nYour Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’\nThen it occurred to me,\n‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.\nWhen they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’\nAnd so I gave the first gate to the ladies of my harem.\nThere they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled."}},{"id":"sn2.23:9","sourceIds":["sn2.23:9.1","sn2.23:9.2","sn2.23:9.3","sn2.23:9.4","sn2.23:9.5","sn2.23:9.6","sn2.23:9.7","sn2.23:9.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho maṁ, bhante, khattiyā anuyantā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:\n‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.\nSādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.\nTassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:\n‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.\nDānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?\nSo khvāhaṁ, bhante, dutiyaṁ dvāraṁ khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ adāsiṁ.\nTattha khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.","en":"Then my aristocrat vassals approached me and said,\n‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, but we don’t.\nYour Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’\nThen it occurred to me,\n‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.\nWhen they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’\nAnd so I gave the second gate to my aristocrat vassals.\nThere they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled."}},{"id":"sn2.23:10","sourceIds":["sn2.23:10.1","sn2.23:10.2","sn2.23:10.3","sn2.23:10.4","sn2.23:10.5","sn2.23:10.6","sn2.23:10.7","sn2.23:10.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho maṁ, bhante, balakāyo upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:\n‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.\nSādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.\nTassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:\n‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.\nDānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?\nSo khvāhaṁ, bhante, tatiyaṁ dvāraṁ balakāyassa adāsiṁ.\nTattha balakāyassa dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.","en":"Then my troops approached me and said,\n‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, your aristocrat vassals give gifts, but we don’t.\nYour Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’\nThen it occurred to me,\n‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.\nWhen they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’\nAnd so I gave the third gate to my troops.\nThere they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled."}},{"id":"sn2.23:11","sourceIds":["sn2.23:11.1","sn2.23:11.2","sn2.23:11.3","sn2.23:11.4","sn2.23:11.5","sn2.23:11.6","sn2.23:11.7","sn2.23:11.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho maṁ, bhante, brāhmaṇagahapatikā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:\n‘devassa kho dānaṁ dīyati; itthāgārassa dānaṁ dīyati; khattiyānaṁ anuyantānaṁ dānaṁ dīyati; balakāyassa dānaṁ dīyati; amhākaṁ dānaṁ na dīyati.\nSādhu mayampi devaṁ nissāya dānāni dadeyyāma, puññāni kareyyāmā’ti.\nTassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:\n‘ahaṁ khosmi dāyako dānapati dānassa vaṇṇavādī.\nDānaṁ dassāmāti vadante kinti vadeyyan’ti?\nSo khvāhaṁ, bhante, catutthaṁ dvāraṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ adāsiṁ.\nTattha brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ dānaṁ dīyittha, mama dānaṁ paṭikkami.","en":"Then my brahmins and householders approached me and said,\n‘Your Majesty gives gifts, the ladies of your harem give gifts, your aristocrat vassals give gifts, your troops give gifts, but we don’t.\nYour Majesty, please support us to give gifts and make merit.’\nThen it occurred to me,\n‘I’m a giver, a donor, who praises giving.\nWhen they say, “We would give gifts”, what am I to say?’\nAnd so I gave the fourth gate to my brahmins and householders.\nThere they gave gifts, while my own giving dwindled."}},{"id":"sn2.23:12","sourceIds":["sn2.23:12.1","sn2.23:12.2","sn2.23:12.3","sn2.23:12.4","sn2.23:12.5","sn2.23:12.6","sn2.23:12.7","sn2.23:12.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho maṁ, bhante, purisā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ:\n‘na kho dāni devassa koci dānaṁ dīyatī’ti.\nEvaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, te purise etadavocaṁ:\n‘tena hi, bhaṇe, yo bāhiresu janapadesu āyo sañjāyati tato upaḍḍhaṁ antepure pavesetha, upaḍḍhaṁ tattheva dānaṁ detha samaṇabrāhmaṇakapaṇaddhikavanibbakayācakānan’ti.\nSo khvāhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ puññānaṁ evaṁ dīgharattaṁ katānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pariyantaṁ nādhigacchāmi—\nettakaṁ puññanti vā ettako puññavipākoti vā ettakaṁ sagge ṭhātabbanti vāti.\nAcchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.\nYāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:","en":"Then my men approached me and said,\n‘Now Your Majesty is not giving gifts anywhere!’\nWhen they said this, I said to those men,\n‘Well then, lads, deposit half the revenue generated in the outer districts in the royal compound. Give the other half as charity to ascetics and brahmins, to paupers, vagrants, supplicants, and beggars in those districts.’\nSir, for a long time I made so much merit and did so many skillful deeds. I never reached any limit so as to say\n‘there’s this much merit’ or ‘there’s this much result of merit’ or ‘for so long I’ll remain in heaven’.\nIt’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,\nhow well said this was by the Buddha."}},{"id":"sn2.23:13","sourceIds":["sn2.23:13.1","sn2.23:13.2","sn2.23:13.3","sn2.23:13.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"‘Ye naṁ dadanti saddhāya,\nvippasannena cetasā;\nTameva annaṁ bhajati,\nasmiṁ loke paramhi ca.","en":"‘Those who give with faith\nand a clear and confident heart,\npartake of food\nin this world and the next."}},{"id":"sn2.23:14","sourceIds":["sn2.23:14.1","sn2.23:14.2","sn2.23:14.3","sn2.23:14.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tasmā vineyya maccheraṁ,\ndajjā dānaṁ malābhibhū;\nPuññāni paralokasmiṁ,\npatiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan’”ti.","en":"So you should dispel stinginess,\novercoming that stain, and give a gift.\nThe good deeds of sentient beings\nsupport them in the next world.’”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/sn2.23/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."}