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an.4.58 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Sudatta

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One…. The Blessed One then said to him:

“Householder, a noble disciple who gives food gives the recipients four things. What four? He gives life, beauty, happiness, and strength. (1) Having given life, he partakes of life, whether celestial or human. (2) Having given beauty, he partakes of beauty, whether celestial or human. (3) Having given happiness, he partakes of happiness, whether celestial or human. (4) Having given strength, he partakes of strength, whether celestial or human. Householder, a noble disciple who gives food gives the recipients these four things.”

One who respectfully gives timely food
to those self-controlled ones who eat what others give,
provides them with four things:
life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

The man who gives life and beauty,
who gives happiness and strength,
will obtain long life and fame
wherever he is reborn.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh


Sudatta

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
“Householder, when a noble disciple gives food, they give the recipients four things.
What four?
Long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.
Giving long life, they have long life as a god or human. …
Giving beauty … happiness … strength …
When a noble disciple gives food, they give the recipients these four things.
Carefully giving food at the right time,
to those who are disciplined, eating only what others give,
you provide them with four things:
long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.
A person who gives long life, beauty,
happiness, and strength,
has long life and fame
wherever they’re reborn.”