Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 142

Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasutta

The Analysis of Religious Donations · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

Glosses: Fluent · Literal · Off
Translation: Hide · Show

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

ordinary person·of bad conductPuthujjanadussīle a giftdānaṁ givesdeti—
thisayaṁ thirteenthterasamī individual·personpāṭipuggalikā religious donationdakkhiṇā.
animal·goneTiracchānagate a giftdānaṁ givesdeti—
thisayaṁ fourteenthcuddasamī individual·personpāṭipuggalikā religious donationdakkhiṇāti.

One gives a gift to an ordinary person who has bad ethical conduct. This is the thirteenth religious donation to an individual. One gives a gift to an animal. This is the fourteenth religious donation to an individual.

there, Ānanda,Tatrānanda, animal·gonetiracchānagate a giftdānaṁ having givendatvā hundred·timessataguṇā returndakkhiṇā to be expectedpāṭikaṅkhitabbā, ordinary person·unethicalputhujjanadussīle a giftdānaṁ having givendatvā thousand·timessahassaguṇā returndakkhiṇā to be expectedpāṭikaṅkhitabbā, ordinary person·ethicalputhujjanasīlavante a giftdānaṁ having givendatvā hundred·thousand·timessatasahassaguṇā returndakkhiṇā to be expectedpāṭikaṅkhitabbā, to an outsiderbāhirake in sensual pleasureskāmesu free·desirevītarāge a giftdānaṁ having givendatvā ten million·hundred·thousand·timeskoṭisatasahassaguṇā returndakkhiṇā to be expectedpāṭikaṅkhitabbā, stream-entry·fruit·realizationsotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya practicingpaṭipanne a giftdānaṁ having givendatvā not·calculableasaṅkheyyā immeasurableappameyyā returndakkhiṇā to be expectedpāṭikaṅkhitabbā, howko thenpana what to sayvādo of a stream-enterersotāpanne, howko thenpana what to sayvādo once-return·fruit·realizationsakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya practicingpaṭipanne, howko thenpana what to sayvādo of a once-returnersakadāgāmissa, howko thenpana what to sayvādo non-return·fruit·realizationanāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya practicingpaṭipanne, howko thenpana what to sayvādo of a non-returneranāgāmissa, howko thenpana what to sayvādo perfection·fruit·realizationarahattaphalasacchikiriyāya practicingpaṭipanne, howko thenpana what to sayvādo of a perfected onearahante, howko thenpana what to sayvādo of an independent Buddhapaccekasambuddhe, howko thenpana what to sayvādo of a Realized Onetathāgate a perfected onearahante fully·awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhe.

Now, Ānanda, gifts to the following persons may be expected to yield the following returns. To an animal, a hundred times. To an unethical ordinary person, a thousand. To an ethical ordinary person, a hundred thousand. To an outsider free of desire for sensual pleasures, 10,000,000,000. But a gift to someone practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry may be expected to yield incalculable, immeasurable returns. How much more so a gift to a stream-enterer, someone practicing to realize the fruit of once-return, a once-returner, someone practicing to realize the fruit of non-return, a non-returner, someone practicing to realize the fruit of perfection, a perfected one, or an independent Buddha? How much more so a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha?

But there are, Ānanda, seven religious donations bestowed on a Saṅgha. What seven? One gives a gift to the communities of both monks and nuns headed by the Buddha. This is the first religious donation bestowed on a Saṅgha. One gives a gift to the communities of both monks and nuns after the Buddha has finally become quenched. This is the second religious donation bestowed on a Saṅgha. One gives a gift to the Saṅgha of monks. This is the third religious donation bestowed on a Saṅgha. One gives a gift to the Saṅgha of nuns. This is the fourth religious donation bestowed on a Saṅgha. One gives a gift, thinking: ‘Appoint this many monks and nuns for me from the Saṅgha.’ This is the fifth religious donation bestowed on a Saṅgha. One gives a gift, thinking: ‘Appoint this many monks for me from the Saṅgha.’ This is the sixth religious donation bestowed on a Saṅgha. One gives a gift, thinking: ‘Appoint this many nuns for me from the Saṅgha.’ This is the seventh religious donation bestowed on a Saṅgha.

there will beBhavissanti indeedkho again + Ānandapanānanda, future + timeanāgatamaddhānaṁ clan·having becomegotrabhuno ocher-cloth·wearing around the neckkāsāvakaṇṭhā bad·conductdussīlā evil·naturepāpadhammā.
to thoseTesu bad·conductdussīlesu to the Saṅghasaṅghaṁ in the name ofuddissa a giftdānaṁ they will givedassanti.
then·too + ITadāpāhaṁ, Ānanda,ānanda, Saṅgha·gone tosaṅghagataṁ a religious donationdakkhiṇaṁ not·calculableasaṅkheyyaṁ immeasurableappameyyaṁ I sayvadāmi.
notNa but·indeed + Itvevāhaṁ, Ānanda,ānanda, which·somekenaci waypariyāyena Saṅgha·gone tosaṅghagatāya than a religious donationdakkhiṇāya individual·personalpāṭipuggalikaṁ a giftdānaṁ more fruitfulmahapphalataraṁ I sayvadāmi.

In times to come there will be lambs of the flock wearing a scrap of ocher cloth, unethical and of bad character. People will give gifts to those unethical people in the name of the Saṅgha. Then too, I say, a religious donation bestowed on the Saṅgha is incalculable and immeasurable. But in any case, there is no way a personal offering can be more fruitful than one bestowed on a Saṅgha, I say.

fourCatasso indeedkho theseimā, Ānandaānanda, religious donationdakkhiṇā purificationsvisuddhiyo.
whatKatamā fourcatasso?
be + ĀnandaAtthānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā by the giverdāyakato is purifiedvisujjhati notno by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato.
be + ĀnandaAtthānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato is purifiedvisujjhati notno by the giverdāyakato.
be + ĀnandaAtthānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā not·indeedneva by the giverdāyakato is purifiedvisujjhati notno by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato.
be + ĀnandaAtthānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā by the giverdāyakato and·indeedceva is purifiedvisujjhati by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato andca.

Ānanda, there are these four ways of purifying a religious donation. What four? There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the giver, not the recipient. There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the recipient, not the giver. There’s a religious donation that’s purified by neither the giver nor the recipient. There’s a religious donation that’s purified by both the giver and the recipient.

how + and·ĀnandaKathañcānanda, religious donationdakkhiṇā by the giverdāyakato apart·purifyvisujjhati notno by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato?
here + ĀnandaIdhānanda, giverdāyako ishoti ethicalsīlavā good·characterkalyāṇadhammo, recipientspaṭiggāhakā arehonti bad·virtuedussīlā bad·characterpāpadhammā—
thusevaṁ indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, religious donationdakkhiṇā by the giverdāyakato apart·purifyvisujjhati notno by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato.

And how is a religious donation purified by the giver, not the recipient? It’s when the giver is ethical, of good character, but the recipient is unethical, of bad character.

and how, ĀnandaKathañcānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato apart·purifyvisujjhati notno by the giverdāyakato?
here, ĀnandaIdhānanda, a giverdāyako ishoti bad·conductdussīlo of bad characterpāpadhammo, recipientspaṭiggāhakā arehonti ethicalsīlavanto good·characterkalyāṇadhammā—
thusevaṁ indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato apart·purifyvisujjhati notno by the giverdāyakato.

And how is a religious donation purified by the recipient, not the giver? It’s when the giver is unethical, of bad character, but the recipient is ethical, of good character.

and how, Ānanda,Kathañcānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā neitherneva by the giverdāyakato is purifiedvisujjhati norno by the recipient?paṭiggāhakato?
here, Ānanda,Idhānanda, the giverdāyako andca ishoti unethicaldussīlo of bad character,pāpadhammo, the recipientspaṭiggāhakā andca arehonti unethicaldussīlā of bad character—pāpadhammā—
thusevaṁ indeed,kho, Ānanda,ānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā neitherneva by the giverdāyakato is purifiedvisujjhati norno by the recipient.paṭiggāhakato.

And how is a religious donation purified by neither the giver nor the recipient? It’s when both the giver and the recipient are unethical, of bad character.

and how, ĀnandaKathañcānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā by the giverdāyakato andceva apart·purifyvisujjhati by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato and?ca?
here, ĀnandaIdhānanda, a giverdāyako andca ishoti ethicalsīlavā of good characterkalyāṇadhammo, recipientspaṭiggāhakā andca arehonti ethicalsīlavanto of good character—kalyāṇadhammā—
thusevaṁ indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, a religious donationdakkhiṇā by the giverdāyakato andceva apart·purifyvisujjhati by the recipientpaṭiggāhakato and.ca.
theseImā indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, fourcatasso religious donationsdakkhiṇā ways of purifyingvisuddhiyo”ti.

And how is a religious donation purified by both the giver and the recipient? It’s when both the giver and the recipient are ethical, of good character. These are the four ways of purifying a religious donation.”

this + saidIdamavoca the Blessed Onebhagavā.
thisIdaṁ having saidvatvāna the Holy Onesugato then·furtherathāparaṁ this + saidetadavoca the Teachersatthā:
whoever“Yo ethicalsīlavā bad·virtuedussīlesu givesdadāti a giftdānaṁ,
by the teachingDhammena obtainedladdhaṁ well·trusting·heartsupasannacitto;
fully·trustingAbhisaddahaṁ deed·fruitkammaphalaṁ ampleuḷāraṁ,
thatSā offeringdakkhiṇā by the giverdāyakato thoroughly·purifyvisujjhati.
whoeverYo bad·virtuedussīlo to ethical personssīlavantesu givesdadāti a giftdānaṁ,
not·DhammaAdhammena obtainedladdhaṁ not·trusting·heartappasannacitto;
not·trustingAnabhisaddahaṁ deed·fruitkammaphalaṁ ampleuḷāraṁ,
thatSā offeringdakkhiṇā by the receiverspaṭiggāhakato thoroughly·purifyvisujjhati.
whoeverYo bad·virtuedussīlo bad·virtuedussīlesu givesdadāti a giftdānaṁ,
not·DhammaAdhammena obtainedladdhaṁ not·trusting·heartappasannacitto;
not·trustingAnabhisaddahaṁ deed·fruitkammaphalaṁ ampleuḷāraṁ,
notNa thattaṁ giftdānaṁ ample·fruitvipulapphalanti I declarebrūmi.
whoeverYo ethicalsīlavā to ethical personssīlavantesu givesdadāti a giftdānaṁ,
by the teachingDhammena obtainedladdhaṁ well·trusting·heartsupasannacitto;
fully·trustingAbhisaddahaṁ deed·fruitkammaphalaṁ ampleuḷāraṁ,
thatTaṁ indeedve giftdānaṁ ample·fruitvipulapphalanti I declarebrūmi.
whoeverYo free from·passionvītarāgo free from·passionvītarāgesu givesdadāti a giftdānaṁ,
by the teachingDhammena obtainedladdhaṁ well·trusting·heartsupasannacitto;
fully·trustingAbhisaddahaṁ deed·fruitkammaphalaṁ ampleuḷāraṁ,
thatTaṁ indeedve giftdānaṁ of material gifts the bestāmisadānānamaggan”ti.
Donation·Analysis·discourseDakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasuttaṁ finishedniṭṭhitaṁ the twelfthdvādasamaṁ.
Analysis·chapterVibhaṅgavaggo finishedniṭṭhito the fourthcatuttho.

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say: “When an ethical person with trusting heart gives a proper gift to unethical persons, trusting in the ample fruit of deeds, that offering is purified by the giver. When an unethical and untrusting person, gives an improper gift to ethical persons, not trusting in the ample fruit of deeds, that offering is purified by the receivers. When an unethical and untrusting person, gives an improper gift to unethical persons, not trusting in the ample fruit of deeds, I declare that gift is not very fruitful. When an ethical person with trusting heart gives a proper gift to ethical persons, trusting in the ample fruit of deeds, I declare that gift is abundantly fruitful. But when a passionless one gives to the passionless a proper gift with trusting heart, trusting in the ample fruit of deeds, that’s truly the best of material gifts.”

its·summaryTassuddānaṁ
Bhaddeka, Ananda, KaccanaBhaddekānandakaccāna,
Lomasakangiya, SubhaLomasakaṅgiyāsubho;
the Great Kamma, the Sixfold Base, the AnalysisMahākammasaḷāyatanavibhaṅgā,
the Exposition, the Non-conflictUddesaaraṇā elementdhātu truthsaccaṁ.
the Discourse on the Analysis of Religious DonationsDakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasuttanti.

Its summary: Bhaddeka, Ananda, Kaccana, Lomasakangiya, Subha; the Great Kamma, the Sixfold Base, the Analysis; the Exposition, the Non-conflict, the element, the truth. The Discourse on the Analysis of Religious Donations.

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version