38(8)The Good Person
This is an expanded parallel of 5:42,but with different verses.
"Bhikkhus,when a good person is born in a family,it is for the good,welfare,and happiness of many people.It is for the good,welfare,and happiness of(1)his mother and father,(2)his wife and children,(3)his slaves,workers,and servants,(4)his friends and companions,(5)his departed ancestors,(6)the
king,(7)the deities,and (8)ascetics and brahmins.
Just as a great rain cloud,nurturing all the crops,appears for the good,welfare,and happiness of many people,
so too,when a good person is born in a family,it is for the good,welfare,and happiness of many people.It is for the good,welfare,and happiness of his mother and father...[245]...ascetics and brahmins:"
The wise person,dwelling at home,truly lives for the good of many.
Day and night diligent toward his mother,father,and ancestors,
Mp glosses pubbe with pathamameva,but I suspect it is an abridgment of pubbapeta,mentioned in the prose.I translate on the basis of this supposition.he venerates them in accordance with the Dhamma,recollecting what they did [for him]in the past.
I read these verses as consisting of two six-pada stanzas and one four-pada stanza.Ce and Be both divide them into four four- pada stanzas.Ee does not divide them into stanzas.Firm in faith,the pious man,
having known their good qualities,
I read with Be and Ee natva dhamme ca pesalo,as against Ce niatva dhamme'dha pesale.venerates the homeless renouncers,the mendicants who lead the spiritual life.
Apace brahmacarayo.Mp glosses as if apace represents apacayati,"to honor":brahmacarino apacayati,nicavuttitam nesam apajjati.However,DOP takes apaca to mean"not cooking"and thus signifying homeless.I follow this with my rendering"mendicants."Beneficial to the king and the devas,beneficial to his relatives and friends,
indeed,beneficial to all,
well established in the good Dhamma,
he has removed the stain of miserliness and fares on to an auspicious world.