8: The Book of the Eights
59. Eight Persons (1)
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, these eight persons are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight? The stream-enterer, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of stream-entry; the once-returner, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of once-returning; the non-returner, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of non-returning; the arahant, the one practicing for realization of the fruit of arahantship. [n.1757] Text here has arahattaphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, whereas AN8.19 has arahattāya paṭipanno. These eight persons, bhikkhus, are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world."
2The four practicing the way
[n.1758] The verses are also at SN 11:16, I 233.
and the four established in the fruit:
this is the upright Saṅgha—
composed in wisdom and virtuous behavior.
[n.1759] Paññāsīlasamāhito. Mp glosses: paññāya ca sīlena ca samannāgato. Though this takes samāhito to mean "possessing" rather than attainment of samādhi, by translating it as "composed" we can see how the word indirectly refers to samādhi.
3For people intent on sacrifice,
for living beings seeking merit,
making merit that ripens in the acquisitions,
[n.1760] Karotaṁ opadhikaṁ puññaṁ. The word opadhikaṁ means that the merit ripens in upadhi, a future acquisition of the five aggregates, and that the deed conduces to well-being in the round of rebirths rather than to liberation.
what is given to the Saṅgha bears great fruit.
1"Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, puggalā āhuneyyā pāhuneyyā dakkhiṇeyyā añjalikaraṇīyā anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa? Katame aṭṭha? Sotāpanno, sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, sakadāgāmī, sakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, anāgāmī, anāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, arahā, arahattāya paṭipanno. Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha puggalā āhuneyyā … pe … anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassāti.
2Cattāro ca paṭipannā,
cattāro ca phale ṭhitā;
Esa saṅgho ujubhūto,
paññāsīlasamāhito.
3Yajamānānaṁ manussānaṁ,
Puññapekkhāna pāṇinaṁ;
Karotaṁ opadhikaṁ puññaṁ,
Saṅghe dinnaṁ mahapphalan"ti.
Navamaṁ.
