Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.76

Numbered Discourses 8.76

8. Yamakavagga

8. Pairs

Dutiyasampadāsutta

Accomplishments (2nd)

“Aṭṭhimā, bhikkhave, sampadā. Katamā aṭṭha? Uṭṭhānasampadā, ārakkhasampadā, kalyāṇamittatā, samajīvitā, saddhāsampadā, sīlasampadā, cāgasampadā, paññāsampadā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these eight accomplishments. What eight? Accomplishment in initiative, protection, good friendship, and balanced finances. And accomplishment in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, uṭṭhānasampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto yena kammaṭṭhānena jīvitaṁ kappeti—yadi kasiyā yadi vaṇijjāya yadi gorakkhena yadi issattena yadi rājaporisena yadi sippaññatarena—tattha dakkho hoti analaso, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgato, alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātunti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, uṭṭhānasampadā.

And what is accomplishment in initiative? It’s when a gentleman earns a living by means such as farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or one of the professions. He understands how to go about these things in order to complete and organize the work. This is called accomplishment in initiative.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ārakkhasampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputtassa bhogā honti uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatā bāhābalaparicitā sedāvakkhittā dhammikā dhammaladdhā te ārakkhena guttiyā sampādeti: ‘kinti me bhoge neva rājāno hareyyuṁ, na corā hareyyuṁ, na aggi ḍaheyya, na udakaṁ vaheyya, na appiyā dāyādā hareyyun’ti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ārakkhasampadā.

And what is accomplishment in protection? It’s when a gentleman owns legitimate wealth that he has earned by his own efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow. He ensures it is guarded and protected, thinking: ‘How can I prevent my wealth from being taken by rulers or bandits, consumed by fire, swept away by flood, or taken by unloved heirs?’ This is called accomplishment in protection.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā? Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto yasmiṁ gāme vā nigame vā paṭivasati, tattha ye te honti gahapatī vā gahapatiputtā vā daharā vā vuddhasīlino vuddhā vā vuddhasīlino saddhāsampannā sīlasampannā cāgasampannā paññāsampannā, tehi saddhiṁ santiṭṭhati sallapati sākacchaṁ samāpajjati; yathārūpānaṁ saddhāsampannānaṁ saddhāsampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ sīlasampannānaṁ sīlasampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ cāgasampannānaṁ cāgasampadaṁ anusikkhati, yathārūpānaṁ paññāsampannānaṁ paññāsampadaṁ anusikkhati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā.

And what is accomplishment in good friendship? It’s when a gentleman resides in a town or village. And in that place there are householders or their children who may be young or old, but are mature in conduct, accomplished in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom. He associates with them, converses and engages in discussion. And he emulates the same kind of accomplishment in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom. This is called accomplishment in good friendship.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, samajīvitā? Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tulādhāro vā tulādhārantevāsī vā tulaṁ paggahetvā jānāti: ‘ettakena vā onataṁ, ettakena vā unnatan’ti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti. Sacāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto appāyo samāno uḷāraṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro ‘udumbarakhādī vāyaṁ kulaputto bhoge khādatī’ti. Sace panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto mahāyo samāno kasiraṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti, tassa bhavanti vattāro: ‘ajeṭṭhamaraṇaṁ vāyaṁ kulaputto marissatī’ti. Yato ca khoyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto āyañca bhogānaṁ viditvā vayañca bhogānaṁ viditvā samaṁ jīvikaṁ kappeti nāccogāḷhaṁ nātihīnaṁ: ‘evaṁ me āyo vayaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, na ca me vayo āyaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, samajīvitā.

And what is accomplishment in balanced finances? It’s when a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, balances his finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. He thinks, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’ It’s like an appraiser or their apprentice who, holding up the scales, knows that it’s low by this much or high by this much. In the same way, a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, balances his finances, being neither too extravagant nor too frugal. He thinks, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’ If a gentleman has little income but an opulent life, people will say: ‘This gentleman eats their wealth like a fig-eater!’ If a gentleman has a large income but a spartan life, people will say: ‘This gentleman is starving themselves to death!’ But a gentleman, knowing his income and expenditure, leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, thinking, ‘In this way my income will exceed my expenditure, not the reverse.’ This is called accomplishment in balanced finances.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto saddho hoti, saddahati tathāgatassa bodhiṁ: ‘itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadā.

And what is accomplishment in faith? It’s when a gentleman has faith in the Realized One’s awakening: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha … teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ This is called accomplishment in faith.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sīlasampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sīlasampadā.

And what is accomplishment in ethics? It’s when a gentleman doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. This is called accomplishment in ethics.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, cāgasampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati …pe… yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, cāgasampadā.

And what is accomplishment in generosity? It’s when a gentleman lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share. This is called accomplishment in generosity.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, paññāsampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, kulaputto paññavā hoti …pe… sammā dukkhakkhayagāminiyā. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, paññāsampadā.

And what is accomplishment in wisdom? It’s when a gentleman is wise. He has the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This is called accomplishment in wisdom.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha sampadāti.

These are the eight accomplishments.

Uṭṭhātā kammadheyyesu, appamatto vidhānavā; Samaṁ kappeti jīvikaṁ, sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

They’re enterprising in the workplace, diligent in managing things, they balance their finances, and preserve their wealth.

Saddho sīlena sampanno, vadaññū vītamaccharo; Niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti, sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ.

Faithful, accomplished in ethics, bountiful, rid of stinginess, they always purify the path to well-being in lives to come.

Iccete aṭṭha dhammā ca, saddhassa gharamesino; Akkhātā saccanāmena, ubhayattha sukhāvahā.

And so these eight qualities of a faithful householder are declared by the one who is truly named to lead to happiness in both spheres,

Diṭṭhadhammahitatthāya, samparāyasukhāya ca; Evametaṁ gahaṭṭhānaṁ, cāgo puññaṁ pavaḍḍhatī”ti.

welfare and benefit in this life, and happiness in the next. This is how, for a householder, merit grows by generosity.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.