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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

8: The Book of the Eights

IV. Giving — AN 8.37: Gifts of a Good Person

1“Mendicants, there are these eight gifts of a good person. What eight? Their gift is pure, good quality, timely, appropriate, intelligent, and regular. While giving their heart is confident, and afterwards they’re uplifted. These are the eight gifts of a good person.


2He gives pure, good quality, and timely gifts
of appropriate food and drinks
regularly to spiritual practitioners
who are fertile fields of merit.

3They never regret
giving away many material things.
Discerning people praise
giving such gifts.

4An intelligent person sacrifices like this,
faithful, with a mind of letting go.
Such an astute person is reborn
in a happy, pleasing world.”

1"Aṭṭhimāni, bhikkhave, sappurisadānāni. Katamāni aṭṭha? Suciṁ deti, paṇītaṁ deti, kālena deti, kappiyaṁ deti, viceyya deti, abhiṇhaṁ deti, dadaṁ cittaṁ pasādeti, datvā attamano hoti. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha sappurisadānānīti.


2Suciṁ paṇītaṁ kālena,
kappiyaṁ pānabhojanaṁ;
Abhiṇhaṁ dadāti dānaṁ,
sukhettesu brahmacārisu.

3Neva vippaṭisārissa,
cajitvā āmisaṁ bahuṁ;
Evaṁ dinnāni dānāni,
vaṇṇayanti vipassino.

4Evaṁ yajitvā medhāvī,
saddho muttena cetasā;
Abyābajjhaṁ sukhaṁ lokaṁ,
paṇḍito upapajjatī"ti.

Sattamaṁ.