SN1:41 Ablaze
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then, when the night had advanced, a certain devata of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:
2v.136 "When one's house is ablaze
The vessel taken out
Is the one that is useful,
Not the one left burnt inside.
3v.137 "So when the world is ablaze
With the fires of aging and death,
One should take out one's wealth by giving:
What is given is well salvaged. sn.i.32
4v.139
[n.96] Ee2, again on the testimony of the Lanna mss, precedes this verse with another one on the unpredictability of death, found also at Ja II 58. But if the verse were originally part of the text, Spk would surely have incorporated here the commentary on it found, with the verse itself, at Vism 236–37 (Ppn 8:29–34). Since there are strong reasons against the inclusion of the verse, I have passed over it in this translation.
"What is given yields pleasant fruit,
But not so what is not given.
Thieves take it away, or kings,
It gets burnt by fire or is lost.
5v.140 "Then in the end one leaves the body
Along with one's possessions.
Having understood this, the wise person
Should enjoy himself but also give.
Having given and enjoyed as fits his means,
Blameless he goes to the heavenly state."
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
2"Ādittasmiṁ agārasmiṁ,
yaṁ nīharati bhājanaṁ;
Taṁ tassa hoti atthāya,
no ca yaṁ tattha ḍayhati.
3Evaṁ ādittako loko,
jarāya maraṇena ca;
Nīharetheva dānena,
dinnaṁ hoti sunīhataṁ.
4Dinnaṁ sukhaphalaṁ hoti,
nādinnaṁ hoti taṁ tathā;
Corā haranti rājāno,
aggi ḍahati nassati.
5Atha antena jahati,
Sarīraṁ sapariggahaṁ;
Etadaññāya medhāvī,
Bhuñjetha ca dadetha ca;
Datvā ca bhutvā ca yathānubhāvaṁ,
Anindito saggamupeti ṭhānan"ti.