9. Pathama Aputtaka Sutta First Discourse on a Childless Man Dutiya Vagga, Kosala Samyutta, Sagatha Vagga Samyutta, Samyutta Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka SOURCE: "FIVE SAMYUTTAS FROM SAGATHAVAGGA SAMYUTTA" Translated by U Tin U (Myaung), Yangon Edited by the Editorial Committee, Burma (Myanmar) Tipitaka Association, 1998

     130. The Bhagava was staying at Savatthi... During that time right at noon in the day King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Bhagava, paid obeisance, and sat at a suitable place. To the King seated thus the Bhagava asked, "Great King, where do you come from at this time of high noon?"

      "Venerable Sir, in Savatthi a rich householder has died. I have come here after transporting his treasures into the palace as he was childless. Venerable Sir, the property consists of eight million in gold alone, not to speak of the (huge amount) silver and metal coins. Venerable Sir, the meals he took were such as cooked broken rice with sour gruel. The clothes he wore were such as a garment made up of three narrow pieces of hempen cloth stitched together. He used such means of transport as travelling in an old rickety carriage, and carrying an umbrella made of leaves."

      "Quite so, Great King; quite so, Great King. An ignorant person, Great King, though having great wealth does not make himself happy and well-fed. He does not make his mother and father happy and well-fed; He does notmake his wife and children happy and well-fed; he does not make his slaves and workers happy and well-fed; he does notmake his friends and companions happy and well-fed. He does not make offerings to samanas and brahmaas with a view to attaining the higher realms, the abodes of devas and obtainning happy and beneficial results. Such possessions, not put to good use, may be taken away by king or may be taken away by thieves, or may be bunt up by fire, or may be carried away by water, or may be taken by unloved heirs. thus, Great King, his possessions, being not used rightly, may be lost to him and will be of no use to him."

      "For example, Great King, there lies at an uninhabited place, a delightful lake full of clear, cool, fresh and sparkling water with pleasant beaches. (But) there is no one who draws water from it, or drinks from it, or bathes in it, or puts its water to any good use. Thus, Great King, will its water, without being put to good use, go to waste. It is not of any use. In the same way, Great King, an ignorant person, though having great wealth, does not make himself happyand well-fed. He does not make his mother and father happy and well-fed; he does not make his wife and children happy and well-fed; he does not make make his friends and companions happy and well-fed. He does not make offerings to samanas and brahmanas with a view to attaining the higher realms, the abodes of devas and attaining happy 'and beneficial results, Such possessions, not put to good use, may be taken away by king, or may be taken away by thieves, or may be burnt up by fire, or may be carried away by water, or may be taken by unloved heirs. Thus, Great King, his possessions, being not used rightly, may be lost to him and will be of no use to him."

      "A wise person, Great King, however, in having great wealth makes himself happy and well-fed. He makes his mother and father happy and well-fed; he makes his wife and children happy and well-fed; he makes his slaves and workers happy and well-fed; he makes his friends and companions happy and well-fed, he makes offerings to samanas and brahamanas with a view to attaining the higher realms, the abodes of devas and attaining happy beneficial realms. Such possessions, put to good use, may not be taken away by king, or may not be taken away by thieves, or may not be burnt up by fire, of may not be carried away by water, or may not be taken by unloved heirs. Thus, Great King, his possessions, being enjoyed rightly, become of use to him and do not go to waste."

      "For example, Great King, there lies not far from or town a delightful lake filled with clear, cool, fresh and sparkling water, with pleasant beaches. People draw water from it, or drink from it, or bathe in it, or use its water as they like. Thus, Great King, will its water, being put to good use nor go to waste. In the same way, Great King, a rich person. in having great wealth, makes himself happy and well-fed. He makes his mother and father happy and well-fed; he makes his wife and children happy and well-fed; he makes his slaves and workers happy and well-fed; he makes his friends and companions happy and well-fed; he makes offerings to samanas and brahmanas with a view to attaining the higher realms, the abodes of devas and attaining happy beneficial realms. Such possessions, put to good use, may not be taken away by king, or may not be taken away by thieves, or may not be burnt up by fire, or may not be carried away by water, or may not be taken by unloved heirs. Thus, Great King, his possessions, being enjoyed rightly, become of use to him and do not go to waste."

      "Cool water in an uninhabited place is wasted away from non-use: likewise, the property acquired by an ignorant person is not used by himself, nor is it given away.

      "The wise man, the man of firm character, on acquiring wealth, enjoys it, puts it to propcr use, That wise man, having provided well for kith and kin, is free from blame and reaches the celestial world."

End of the Pathama Aputtaka Sutta,

the ninth in this vagga.