IV (54). Long knee, the Koliyan.[1]
Once the Exalted One was dwelling among the Koliyans[2], at their market-town called Kakkarapatta. There Longknee, the Koliyan clansman, visited the Exalted One and, after greeting him, sat down at one side. So seated, he spoke thus to the Exalted One:
'Lord, we householders are immersed in the round of pleasure; we are cumbered with bed-mate and sons; we delight in the muslins from Benares and in sandalwood; we deck ourselves with flowers, with garlands and cosmetics; we enjoy the use of both silver and gold. Lord, to such as us, let the Exalted One also teach Dhamma; teach the things which will be to our advantage and for our happiness here on earth, for our advantage and happiness in the world to come!'
'These four conditions, Tigerfoot, lead to a clansman's advantage and happiness here on earth. What four?
Achievement in alertness, achievement in wariness, good company and the even life.
And what, Tigerfoot, is achievement in alertness? Herein, by whatsoever activity a clansman make his living, whether by the plough, by trading or by cattle-herding, by archery or asa rajah's man, or by any of the crafts[3]. He is deft and tireless; gifted with an inquiring turn of mind into ways and means, he is able to arrange and carry out his job[4]." This is called achievement in alertness.
And what, Tigerfoot, in achievement in wariness? Herein, whatsoever wealth a clansman get together by work and zeal, collect by the strength of his arm, earn by the sweat of his brow and justly obtain in a lawful manner[5] – such he husbands by watch and ward, thinking: "Now how can I arrange so that rajahs may not get this wealth out of me, nor thieves filch it, nor fire consume it, nor water carry it off, nor ill-disposed heirs make off with it?" This is called achievement in wariness.
And what, Tigerfoot, is good company? Herein, in whatsoever village or market-town a clansman dwell, he consorts, converses, engages in talk with householders[6] or householders' sons, young men reared in virtue, old men old in virtue[7], full of faith, virtue, charity and wisdom." He emulates the fullness of faith in such as are full of faith; he emulates the fullness of virtue in such as are full of virtue; he emulates the fullness of charity in such as are full of charity; he emulates the fullness of wisdom in such as are full of wisdom. This is called good company.
And what, Tigerfoot, in the even life? Herein a clansman while experiencing both gain and loss in wealth, continues his business serenely, not unduty elated or depressed. Thinks he: "Thus my income, after deducting the loss, will stand (at so much) and my outgoings will not exceed my income." [8]Just one who carries scales, or his apprentice, knows, on holding up the balance, that either by so much it has dipped down or by so much it has tilted up; even so, Tigerfoot, a clansman experiencing both gain and loss continues his business serenely, neither unduly elated nor unduly depressed, but realizes that .after allowing for the loss his income will stand at so much and that his outgoings will not exceed his income. If, Tigerfoot, this clansman have but small earnings and live on a grand scale, it will be rumored of him: This clansman eats his wealth like a fig-tree glutton.[9]And if his earnings are great and he lives meanly, rumor will say of him: This clansman will die like a starveling.[10]Wherefore this clansman ... continues his business serenely, knowing that his outgoings will not exceed his income. This is called the even life.
Tigerfoot, the four channels[11]for the flowing away of amassed wealth are these: looseness with women, debauchery in drinking, knavery in dice-play and friendship; companionship and intimacy with evil doers. Just as in the case of a great reservoir with only four inlets and only four outlets, if a man should close the inlets and open the outlets and there should be no proper fall of rain, a lessening is to be expected in that great reservoir and not an increase; even so, Tigerfoot, there are these four channels for the flowing away of amassed wealth: looseness with women, debauchery in drinking, knavery in dice-play and friendship, companionship and intimacy with evil doers.
Tigerfoot, the four channels for the flowing in of great wealth are these: abstinence from looseness with women, from debauchery in drinking, from knavery in dice-play and having friendship, companionship and intimacy with the good. Just as in the case of the great reservoir, with only four inlets and only four outlets, if a man should open the inlets and close the outlets and if there should be a proper fall of rain, an increase may be expected in that great reservoir and not a lessening; even so, Tigerfoot, there are these four channels for the flowing in of great wealth: abstinence from looseness with women, from debauchery ill drinking, from knavery in dice-play and the friendship, companionship and intimacy with the good.
These, Tigerfoot, are the four conditions, which lead to a clansman's advantage and happiness here on earth.
These four conditions, Tigerfoot, lead to a clansman's advantage and happiness in the world to come. What four?
Achievement[12]in faith, achievement in virtue, achievement in charity and achievement in wisdom.
And what is achievement in faith ? Herein a clansman has faith and believes in the awakening of the Tathāgata, thinking "He of a truth is the Exalted One..." This is called achievement in faith.
And what is achievement in virtue? Herein a clansman abstains from taking life. ... This is called achievement in virtue.
And what is achievement in charity? Herein a clansman dwells at home with heart purged of the stain of avarice. ... This is called achievement in charity.
And what in achievement in wisdom? Herein a clansman is wise and is endowed with wisdom. . . . This in called achievement in wisdom.
These, Tigerfoot, are the tour conditions, which lead to a clansman's advantage and happiness in the world to come.
[13]Up and alert about his tasks and toil,
A careful man, he minds his wealth and lives
The even life; and he is virtuous,
Believing, kind and bountiful; he clears
The onward Way[14]to faring well hereafter.
Thus for the believing home-seeker eight states
Have been declared by him whose name is Truth[15]
As leading unto happiness both here and then,
To bliss hereafter and to welfare now.
This is the standard[16]for a householder,
For merit grows by generosity.'
Dīghajāṇu sutta: Preacher - Buddha
Listener - Dīghajāṇu (Byaggapajja)
Place - Kakkarapatta
1. Diṭṭhadhammahitāya: - For the benefit in present life
Diṭṭhadhammasukhāya - For the happiness in present life
2. Samparāyahitāya - For the benefit in the future existence
Samparāyasukhāya - For the happiness in the future existence.
Four conditions for the benefit and happiness in this very life:
1. Uṭṭhānasampada - Achievement in alertness
2. Ārakkhasampada - Achievement in wariness
3. Kalyānamittarā - Good company
4. Samajīvitā - Even life
Four sources of loss of amassed wealth:
1. Itthidhutto - Looseness with women
2. Surādhutto - Debauchery in drinking/ excessive in drinking
3. Akkhadhutto - Knavery in dice-play/ indulgence in gambling
4. Pāpamitto, pāpasahāyo, pāpasampavaṅko – friendship, companionship, and intimacy with evil doers.
Four conditions four the benefit and happiness in the future existence.
1. Saddhāsampada - Achievement in faith
2. Sīlasampada - Achievement in morality
3. Cāgasampada - Achievement in charity.
4. Paññāsampada - Achievement in wisdom.
[1] Dīghajānu; this no doubt was his nickname (see Dial. i, 193); hisfamily name was Byagghapajja (Tigerfoot); see D.A. i, 262; C.H.I. i, 178; Thomas's Life, p. 7 f., where D.A. is translated.
[2]The Koliyans were members of Vajjian Confederacy; see above V lI, §19, and were of Sakyan origin, having their capital at Rāmagāma, About 40 miles east of Kapilavatthu (Chwang. li, 20). Kakkarapatta means jungle-cook's feather.
[5] Cf. A. II• 67; iii, 45, 76.
[7] The text reads daharā vā vuddhasīlino, vuddhā vā vuddhasīlino, one MS. omitting the last three words; the S.e reads -sīlā for -sīlino in the second place. Cf. Soṇadaṇḍo sīlavā vuddhasīlī vuddhasīlena samannāgatoat D. i, 114; see D.A, i, 282. Comy, Vaḍḍhitasīlā vuddhasamācārā (v.l, suddha ).
These four lead to happiness in the next world; see below.
[8] This simile recurs below twice where the sutta is repeated. There is a scale-simile at Th. i, 107, where the elder Dhammasava is said to weigh (the matter of) going forth. P.E.D. omitsthe compound Tulādhāra; Childersgives also the meaning. jeweler.
[9] Udumbarakhādika. Comy. explains that when one shakes the fig-tree, wishing to eat the fruit thereof, much fruit falls, a large amount of which is wasted.
[10] Ajaddhumārika. Comy. simply anāṭhamaraṇaṃ: S.e. spells ajaddhū.
[12]-sampadā, rendered, p. 102, by 'perfection'; and 'full,' 'fullness,' p. 188; at 179' 'accomplished.'
[13] This gāthā provides a good example of how probably many verses came into being; thus the first line (of the text) recurs at J. vi, 297, with the last word reading vicakkhaṇo for vidhānavā, which recurs a little higher up, p. 287; cf S. i. 214; the second line recurs at A. iv. 266 and 271; the third line at A, iv, 271; and the second half of it at S. i, 34; the fourth line and first half of the fifth also at A. iv, 271: the second half of the latter at Sn. 188; and the seventh line recurs at D. ii, 240; A. iii, 354. See Mrs. Rhys Davids' ramarks at Vism. 765.
[14] Niccaṃ maggaṃ.
[15] Saccanāma. Comy. Buddhattā yeva buddho ti evaṃ avitathanāmena; of comment at Pv.A. 231
[16] Gahaṭṭhāna.
The Gateway to Insight.
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