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Chapter 4. Sumanā 1. Sumanā Sutta At one time… in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Princess Sumanā, surrounded by five hundred chariots and five hundred princesses, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Princess Sumanā said this to the Blessed One: “Here, venerable sir, are two disciples of the Blessed One, equal in faith, equal in virtue, equal in wisdom – one is a giver, one is a non-giver. After the breaking up of the body, after death, they might be reborn in a good destination, in the heavenly world. But for them, venerable sir, having become devas, would there be a difference, would there be a distinction?” “There would be, Sumanā,” the Blessed One said. “The one who is a giver, Sumanā, having become a deva, surpasses that non-giver in five respects – in divine lifespan, in divine beauty, in divine happiness, in divine fame, in divine sovereignty. The one who is a giver, Sumanā, having become a deva, surpasses that non-giver in these five respects.” “But if, venerable sir, having passed away from there, they come to this state, having become humans, venerable sir, would there be a difference for them, would there be a distinction?” “There would be, Sumanā,” the Blessed One said. “The one who is a giver, Sumanā, having become a human, surpasses that non-giver in five respects – in human lifespan, in human beauty, in human happiness, in human fame, in human sovereignty. The one who is a giver, Sumanā, having become a human, surpasses that non-giver in these five respects.” “But if, venerable sir, both of them go forth from the home life into homelessness, having gone forth, venerable sir, would there be a difference for them, would there be a distinction?” “There would be, Sumanā,” the Blessed One said. “The one who is a giver, Sumanā, having gone forth, surpasses that non-giver in five respects – he frequently uses robes that are requested, He partakes of little almsfood unasked, much when asked. He partakes of little lodging unasked, much when asked. He partakes of little requisites for the sick and medicine unasked, much when asked. And with those fellow monastics with whom he dwells, they mostly treat him with pleasing bodily action, little with unpleasing. Mostly with pleasing verbal action, little with unpleasing. Mostly with pleasing mental action, little with unpleasing. They mostly offer him pleasing gifts, little unpleasing. "That giver, Sumanā, when he has gone forth, surpasses that non-giver in these five respects." "But if, Venerable Sir, both attain arahantship, would there be any distinction, any difference, Venerable Sir, among those who have attained arahantship?" "In this, Sumanā, I declare no difference, that is, freedom by freedom." "Wonderful, Venerable Sir! Amazing, Venerable Sir! Indeed, Venerable Sir, it is enough to give gifts, enough to do meritorious deeds; inasmuch as merits are helpful even for one who has become a deity, merits are helpful even for one who has become a human, merits are helpful even for one who has gone forth!" "So it is, Sumanā! Indeed, Sumanā, it is enough to give gifts, enough to do meritorious deeds! Merits are helpful even for one who has become a deity, merits are helpful even for one who has become a human, merits are helpful even for one who has gone forth!" The Blessed One said this. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, then spoke further: Just as the stainless moon, moving in the sky, outshines all star clusters in the world with its radiance. So too, a person endowed with virtue, a faithful individual, outshines all the stingy in the world with their generosity. Just as a thundering cloud, with a garland of lightning, fills both high ground and low, over The earth raining. "Thus endowed with vision, a disciple of the Perfectly Enlightened One; The wise one overcomes stinginess, in five ways. With long life and fame, and beauty and happiness; He, indeed, endowed with wealth, rejoices in heaven after death." First. 2. The Cundī Sutta 32. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding Place. Then Princess Cundī, surrounded by five hundred chariots and five hundred maidens, approached the Blessed One. Having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Princess Cundī said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, our brother, Prince Cunda by name, says this: 'Whoever, be it a woman or a man, has gone for refuge to the Buddha, gone for refuge to the Dhamma, gone for refuge to the Saṅgha, abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from distilled and fermented intoxicants which are the basis of heedlessness—that one, upon the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in a good destination, not in a bad destination.' Venerable sir, I ask the Blessed One: 'Having confidence in what kind of teacher, Venerable sir, does one, upon the breakup of the body, after death, get reborn in a good destination, not in a bad destination? Having confidence in what kind of Dhamma does one, upon the breakup of the body, after death, get reborn in a good destination, not in a bad destination? Having confidence in what kind of Saṅgha does one, upon the breakup of the body, after death, get reborn in a good destination, not in a bad destination? Fulfilling what kind of precepts does one, upon the breakup of the body, after death, get reborn in a good destination, not in a bad destination?'" "As far as, Cundī, beings are concerned—whether footless or two-footed or four-footed or many-footed, whether with form or formless, whether percipient or non-percipient or neither percipient nor non-percipient—the Tathāgata t Among these, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, is declared supreme. Indeed, Cundi, those who have faith in the Buddha, they have faith in the supreme. And for those who have faith in the supreme, the supreme result comes to be. As far as, Cundi, conditioned phenomena go, the Noble Eightfold Path is declared supreme among them. Those, Cundi, who have faith in the Noble Eightfold Path, they have faith in the supreme. And for those who have faith in the supreme, the supreme result comes to be. As far as, Cundi, conditioned or unconditioned phenomena go, dispassion is declared supreme among them, namely – the subduing of intoxication, the removal of thirst, the uprooting of attachment, the cutting off of the round of existence, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna. Indeed, Cundi, those who have faith in the phenomenon of dispassion, they have faith in the supreme. And for those who have faith in the supreme, the supreme result comes to be. As far as, Cundi, communities or groups go, the Community of the Tathāgata's disciples is declared supreme among them, namely – four pairs of men, eight individual persons. This Community of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Indeed, Cundi, those who have faith in the Community, they have faith in the supreme. And for those who have faith in the supreme, the supreme result comes to be. As far as, Cundi, moral precepts go, the precepts dear to the noble ones are declared supreme among them, namely – unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unspotted, liberating, praised by the wise, untainted, conducive to concentration. Indeed, Cundi, those who fully practice these precepts dear to the noble ones, they are supreme practitioners. And for those who are supreme practitioners, the supreme result comes to be. For those who have faith in the supreme, who understand the supreme Dhamma; For those who have faith in the supreme Buddha, the unsurpassed worthy of offerings. For those who have faith in the supreme Dhamma, in dispassion, in peace, in happiness; For those who have faith in the supreme Saṅgha, the unsurpassed field of merit. To those who give gifts to the supreme, supreme merit increases; Supreme life and beauty, fame, renown, happiness, strength. The wise giver of the best, Established in the best Dhamma, Whether a deva or a human, Attains the best and rejoices. Second. 3. Uggaha Sutta 33. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Bhaddiya, in the Jātiya Grove. Then Uggaha, the grandson of Meṇḍaka, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Uggaha, the grandson of Meṇḍaka, said to the Blessed One: “May the Blessed One, venerable sir, consent to a meal for tomorrow, with me as the fourth.” The Blessed One consented by silence. Then Uggaha, the grandson of Meṇḍaka, knowing the Blessed One’s consent, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. Then, when that night had passed, the Blessed One, in the morning, having put on his lower robe and taken his bowl and outer robe, went to the dwelling of Uggaha, the grandson of Meṇḍaka. Having arrived, he sat down on the appointed seat. Then Uggaha, the grandson of Meṇḍaka, with his own hands, satisfied and served the Blessed One with exquisite hard and soft food. Then Uggaha, the grandson of Meṇḍaka, when the Blessed One had eaten and removed his hand from the bowl, sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Uggaha, the grandson of Meṇḍaka, said to the Blessed One: “These young women of mine, venerable sir, will go to their husbands’ families. May the Blessed One, venerable sir, advise them; may the Blessed One, venerable sir, instruct them, for their long-term welfare and happiness.”