1Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:

2"Householder, there are these five things that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world. What five? Long life, householder, is wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world. Beauty … Happiness … Fame … The heavens are wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world. These are the five things that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world. [n.1022] Compare with the opening of AN4.61.

3"These five things, householder, that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world, I say, are not obtained by means of prayers or aspirations. If these five things that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world could be obtained by means of prayers or aspirations, who here would be lacking in anything?

4(1) "Householder, the noble disciple who desires long life ought not to pray for long life or delight in it or passively yearn for it. [n.1023] In each paragraph, I read with Ce vā pihetuṁ, as against Be vāpi hetu, Ee vā pi hetuṁ. The verb piheti (infinitive pihetuṁ) means "to yearn for." The idea of passively yearning seems implied by the contrast with practicing the way as a means of fulfilling one's wish. A noble disciple who desires long life should practice the way conducive to long life. [n.1024] Āyusaṁvattanikā paṭipadā. Mp: "The meritorious practice of giving, virtuous behavior, etc." For an analysis of the specific relationship between present actions and their results, see MN 135. For when he practices the way conducive to long life, it leads to obtaining long life, and he gains long life either celestial or human.

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5(2) "Householder, the noble disciple who desires beauty …

6(3) … who desires happiness …

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7(4) … who desires fame ought not to pray for fame or delight in it or passively yearn for it. A noble disciple who desires fame should practice the way conducive to fame. For when he practices the way conducive to fame, it leads to obtaining fame, and he gains fame either celestial or human.

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8(5) "Householder, the noble disciple who desires the heavens ought not to pray for the heavens or delight in them or passively yearn for them. A noble disciple who desires the heavens should practice the way conducive to heaven. For when he practices the way conducive to heaven, it leads to obtaining the heavens, and he gains the heavens." [n.1025] The text switches back and forth between singular and plural forms of sagga.

9For one desiring long life, beauty, fame, [n.1026] These verses are also at SN 3:17, I 87; SN 3:18, I 89.
acclaim, heaven, high families,
and lofty delights
following in succession,
the wise praise heedfulness
in doing deeds of merit.

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10-11 Being heedful, the wise person
secures both kinds of good:
the good in this life,
and the good of the future life.
By attaining the good, [n.1027] Atthābhisamayā. I base this rendering on the gloss in Mp: Atthassa abhisamāgamena, atthappaṭilābhenā ti vuttaṁ hoti. the steadfast one
is called one of wisdom.

1Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

2"Pañcime, gahapati, dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ. Katame pañca? Āyu, gahapati, iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; vaṇṇo iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; sukhaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ dullabhaṁ lokasmiṁ; yaso iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ; saggā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ. Ime kho, gahapati, pañca dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ.

3Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, pañcannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ na āyācanahetu vā patthanāhetu vā paṭilābhaṁ vadāmi. Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, pañcannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ āyācanahetu vā patthanāhetu vā paṭilābho abhavissa, ko idha kena hāyetha?

4Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako āyukāmo āyuṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā āyussa vāpi hetu. Āyukāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena āyusaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Āyusaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā āyupaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti āyussa dibbassa vā mānusassa vā.

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5Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako vaṇṇakāmo vaṇṇaṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā vaṇṇassa vāpi hetu. Vaṇṇakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena vaṇṇasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Vaṇṇasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā vaṇṇapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti vaṇṇassa dibbassa vā mānusassa vā.

6Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako sukhakāmo sukhaṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā sukhassa vāpi hetu. Sukhakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena sukhasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Sukhasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā sukhapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti sukhassa dibbassa vā mānusassa vā.

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7Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako yasakāmo yasaṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā yasassa vāpi hetu. Yasakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena yasasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Yasasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā yasapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti yasassa dibbassa vā mānusassa vā.

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8Na kho, gahapati, arahati ariyasāvako saggakāmo saggaṁ āyācituṁ vā abhinandituṁ vā saggānaṁ vāpi hetu. Saggakāmena, gahapati, ariyasāvakena saggasaṁvattanikā paṭipadā paṭipajjitabbā. Saggasaṁvattanikā hissa paṭipadā paṭipannā saggapaṭilābhāya saṁvattati. So lābhī hoti saggānanti.

9Āyuṁ vaṇṇaṁ yasaṁ kittiṁ,
Saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ;
Ratiyo patthayānena,
Uḷārā aparāparā.

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10Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti,
puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā;
Appamatto ubho atthe,
adhigaṇhāti paṇḍito.

11Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho,
yo cattho samparāyiko;
Atthābhisamayā dhīro,
paṇḍitoti pavuccatī"ti.

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Tatiyaṁ.