A Rainless Cloud · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
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.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.
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