Bhojana Sutta: A Meal

AN 5.37

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"In giving a meal, the donor gives five things to the recipient. Which five? He/she gives life, beauty, happiness, strength, & quick-wittedness. Having given life, he/she has a share in long life, either human or divine. Having given beauty, he/she has a share in beauty, either human or divine. Having given happiness, he/she has a share in happiness, either human or divine. Having given strength, he/she has a share in strength, either human or divine. Having given quick-wittedness, he/she has a share in quick-wittedness, either human or divine. In giving a meal, the donor gives these five things to the recipient."

The prudent person giving life, strength, beauty, quick-wittedness — the wise person, a giver of happiness — attains happiness himself. Having given life, strength, beauty, happiness, & quick-wittedness, he has long life & status wherever he arises.

The text of this page ("Bhojana Sutta: A Meal", by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License . To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ . Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions. Transcribed from a file provided by the translator. Last revised for Access to Insight on 3 July 2010.

How to cite this document (a suggested style): "Bhojana Sutta: A Meal" (AN 5.37), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition) , 3 July 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.037.than.html .