44(4)The Giver of the Agreeable
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesalī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood.
Then,in the morning,the Blessed One dressed,took his bowl and robe,and went to the residence of the householder Ugga of Vesali,
where he sat down in the appointed seat.
Then the householder Ugga of Vesali approached the Blessed One,
paid homage to him,satdown to one side,
and said to the Blessed One:
"Bhante,in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learned this:
The giver of what is agreeable gains what is agreeable.
Bhante,my sal flower porridge is agreeable.
Salapupphakam khadaniyam.Mp:“A food similar to sal flour;it is made with hill-rice flour prepared with the four sweets (honey,sugar,butter,and ghee).”
Let the Blessed One accept it from me,out of compassion."
The Blessed One accepted,out of compassion.
"Bhante,in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learned this:
'The giver of what is agreeable gains what is agreeable.'
'Bhante,my pork embellished with jujubes is agreeable.
Reading with Be sampannakolakam sukaramamsam.Mp:“The flesh of a one-year-old pig cooked with spices such as cumin seeds,etc.,together with sweet jujube fruits."
Let the Blessed One accept it from me,out of compassion."
The Blessed One accepted,out of compassion.
"Bhante,in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learned this:
'The giver of what is agreeable gains what is agreeable.'
Bhante,my fried vegetable stalks are agreeable.
Ce nibaddhatelakam naliyasakam(Be nibattatelakam naliyasakam).Mp:“The vegetable stalks are cooked in ghee mixed with cumin and other spices,which have been pulverized together with hill-rice flour;then they are coated with the four sweets and put out until they acquire a particular aroma."
Let the Blessed One accept them from me,out of compassion."
The Blessed One accepted,out of compassion.
"Bhante,in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learned this:
"The giver of what is agreeable gains what is agreeable.'
Bhante,my boiled hill rice cleared of dark grains,accompanied by various sauces and condiments,is agreeable.
Let the Blessed One accept it from me,out of compassion."
The Blessed One accepted,out of compassion.[50]
"Bhante,in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learned this:
'The giver of what is agreeable gains what is agreeable.'
Bhante,my cloths from Kasi are agreeable.
Let the Blessed One accept them from me,out of compassion."
The Blessed One accepted,out of compassion.
"Bhante,in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learned this:
'The giver of what is agreeable gains what is agreeable.'
Bhante,my couch spread with rugs,blankets,and covers,with an excellent covering of antelope hide,with a canopy above and red bolsters at both ends,is agreeable.
Although I know
this is not allowable for the Blessed One,
this sandalwood plank of mine is worth over a thousand.
So Ce.Be and Ee"over a hundred thousand"(adhikasatasahassam).Presumably this refers to kahapanas,the major currency unit.
Let the Blessed One accept it from me,out of compassion."
The Blessed One accepted,out of compassion.
Then the Blessed One expressed his appreciation to the householder Ugga of Vesalī thus:
"The giver of the agreeable gains the agreeable,
when he gives willingly to the upright ones
clothing,bedding,food;and drink,
and various kinds of requisites.
"Having known the arahants to be like a field
for what is relinquished and offered;not held back,
Reading with Ce anaggahitam,as against Be and Ee anuggahitam.
the good person gives what is hard to give:
the giver of agreeable things gains what is agreeable."
Then,after expressing his appreciation to the householder Ugga of Vesali,the Blessed One rose from his seat and left.
Then,some time later,the householder Ugga of Vesalī passed away.
After his death,the householder Ugga of Vesali was reborn among a certain group of mind-made [deities].
Annataram manomayam kāyam upapajjati.I follow Mp in taking. this expression,as used here,to mean that he was reborn among a group (kaya)of deities rather than that he was reborn with a mind-made body.Mp:“[Reborn]into a group of devas in the pure abodes who are produced through the mind of jhana” (suddhavasesu ckam jhanamanena nibbattam devakāyam).Also,at AN Ⅲ348,28-349,1(=V139,5-8)we find tusitam kayam upapanno, where kayam must mean"group.“In relation to the spiritual powers,manomaya kaya signifies a subtle body produced by the meditative mind,as at AN I24,2.See too 5:166.On that occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthī in Jeta's Grove,Anathapindika's Park.
Then,when the night had advanced,the young deva Ugga,of stunning beauty,illuminating the entire[51]Jeta's Grove,approached the Blessed One,
paid homage to
him,and stood to one side.
The Blessed One then said to him:
"I hope,Ugga,that it is as you would have wished."
"Surely,Bhante,it is as I had wished."
Then the Blessed One addressed the young deva Ugga with verses:
"The giver of the agreeable gains the agreeable;
the giver of the foremost again gains the foremost;
the giver of the excellent gains the excellent;
the giver of the best reaches the best state.
"The person who gives the best,the giver of the foremost,the giver of the excellent,
is long-lived and famous wherever he is reborn:"
It is hard to see why this sutta is included in the Fives.Could it be that the original version had only five items of offering and a sixth was added later,after the sutta was included in the Fives?