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Itivuttaka 76

Sukhapatthanāsutta

Wishing for Happiness · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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this was saidVuttañhetaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā said by the Perfected One, thusvuttamarahatāti by meme heardsutaṁ:

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

these three“Tīṇimāni, O mendicantsbhikkhave, happinessessukhāni wishing forpatthayamāno ethicssīlaṁ should protectrakkheyya an astute personpaṇḍito.
whatKatamāni three?tīṇi?
praisePasaṁsā to meme may it comeāgacchatūti ethicssīlaṁ should protectrakkheyya an astute personpaṇḍito, wealthbhogā to meme may they ariseuppajjantūti ethicssīlaṁ should protectrakkheyya an astute personpaṇḍito, of the bodykāyassa at the breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā a good placesugatiṁ a heavenly realmsaggaṁ worldlokaṁ may I be rebornupapajjissāmīti ethicssīlaṁ should protectrakkheyya an astute personpaṇḍito.
theseImāni indeedkho, O mendicantsbhikkhave, threetīṇi happinessessukhāni wishing forpatthayamāno ethicssīlaṁ should protectrakkheyya an astute personpaṇḍito”ti.
this matterEtamatthaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā spokeavoca.
on thisTatthetaṁ quotation markeriti is saidvuccati:

“Mendicants, an astute person who wishes for three kinds of happiness should take care of their ethics. What three? ‘May I be praised!’ ‘May I become rich!’ ‘When my body breaks up, after death, may I be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm!’ An astute person who wishes for these three kinds of happiness should protect their precepts.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

ethics“Sīlaṁ would take care ofrakkheyya the wisemedhāvī,
wishing forpatthayāno threetayo kinds of happinesssukhe;
praisePasaṁsaṁ prosperity andvittalābhañca,
after passing awaypecca in heavensagge to delightpamodanaṁ.

“Wishing for three kinds of happiness— praise, prosperity, and to delight in heaven after passing away— the wise would take care of their ethics.

though not doingAkarontopi ifce wrongpāpaṁ,
you associate with one who doeskarontamupasevati;
suspectedSaṅkiyo you arehoti of wrongpāpasmiṁ,
disreputeavaṇṇo and yourcassa growsrūhati.

Though you do no wrong, if you associate with one who does, you’re suspected of wrong, and your disrepute grows.

of what kindYādisaṁ you makekurute a friendmittaṁ,
of what kindyādisaṁ you associate withcūpasevati;
heSa indeedve of such kindtādisako becomeshoti,
living togethersahavāso forhi of such kindtādiso.

Whatever kind of friend you make, with whom you associate, that’s how you become, for so it is when you share your life.

associatingSevamāno the one being associated withsevamānaṁ,
the one contactedsamphuṭṭho contactingsamphusaṁ anotherparaṁ;
an arrowSaro smeareddiddho like a quiverkalāpaṁva,
contaminates the unsmearedalittamupalimpati;
fearing contaminationUpalepabhayā the attentive onedhīro,
neverneva of wicked comradespāpasakhā would besiyā.

The one who associates and the one associated with, the one contacted and the one who contacts another, are like an arrow smeared with poison that contaminates the quiver. The attentive, fearing contamination, would never have wicked comrades.

putrid fishPūtimacchaṁ with blades of grasskusaggena,
whoyo a mannaro wrapsupanayhati;
the grasses tooKusāpi putridpūti they smellvāyanti,
soevaṁ association with foolsbālūpasevanā.

A man who wraps putrid fish in blades of grass makes the grass stink— so it is when associating with fools.

and sandalwoodTagarañca with leavespalāsena,
whoyo a mannaro wrapsupanayhati;
even leavesPattāpi fragrantsurabhi they emit scentvāyanti,
thusevaṁ association with the wisedhīrūpasevanā.

But one who wraps sandalwood incense in leaves makes the leaves fragrant— so it is when associating with the attentive.

thereforeTasmā like the leaf-wrapperpattapuṭasseva,
having knownñatvā one's own passing awaysampākamattano;
the wickedAsante one would not associate withnupaseveyya,
the goodsante one would associate withseveyya the astute onepaṇḍito;
the wickedAsanto to hellnirayaṁ they leadnenti,
the goodsanto they cause to reachpāpenti a good placesuggatin”ti.

So, knowing they’ll end up like the wrapping, the astute would shun the wicked, and befriend the good. The wicked lead you to hell, the good help you to a good place.”

this tooAyampi matterattho spokenvutto by the Blessed Onebhagavatā, thusiti by meme heardsutanti.
seventhSattamaṁ.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

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