kp.8 Khuddakapatha

The Discourse on the Amount of Savings

A man stores his savings
in a deep pit close to water thinking:
“When a duty or need has arisen
it will be there to help me,

to free me from a king if slandered, or from molestation
from a thief, or from a debt, or famine, or accident.”
For this kind of help, savings are stored up in the world.

Although it is well stored
in a deep pit, close to water,
still, it cannot help him in all things on every occasion,

for perhaps those savings are removed from that place,
or he forgets the signs telling where they lie,
or nāgas take them away,
or yakkhas carry them off,

or the heirs he dislikes
extract them unseen,
and when his merit comes to an end
all of it will be destroyed.

But that woman or man who through giving, virtue,
restraint, and self-control has well stored up his savings,
placing them in a shrine, or in the Sangha,
or in an individual, or a guest,

or in his mother or father,
also in an elder brother,
those savings are well stored up,
they follow one, they do not decay.

Riches he gives up when he has to leave this life
but this goes along with him.
It is not shared with others,
no thief carries those savings away,

the wise man should make merit,
for those savings follow one along.
These savings satisfy every desire of gods and men,
whatever they wish for,
through this merit they receive all.

A good appearance, a good voice,
a good shape, a good form,
sovereignty, and a retinue,
through this merit they receive all.

A local kingship, an empire,
and whatever happiness a Wheel-Rolling King has,
also godly kingship in the heavens,
through this merit they receive all.

Human good fortune,
delight in the world of the gods,
even the attainment of Emancipation,
through this merit they receive all.

With the attainment of good friends,
devotion to systematic thought,
there is the power of understanding and freedom,
through this merit they receive all.

The discriminations, and the liberations,
and whatever perfections the disciples have,
Independent Awakening, the Buddhas’ ground,
through this merit they receive all.

So this is of great benefit,
that is to say, the attainment of merit,
therefore the wise and intelligent always praise the making of merit.

The Discourse on the Amount of Savings is Finished

- Translator: Bhikkhu Ānandajoti

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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A Hidden Treasure

A person stores away their savings
in a deep pit by the water’s edge:
“When need arises
it will be there to help
free me from rulers if I am slandered,
or from bandits if harassed,
or to release me from debt,
or in case of famine or losses.”
What the world calls savings
get stored away for such reasons.
But no matter how well stored away they are
in a deep pit by the water’s edge,
all their savings will fail
to aid them all the time.
For perhaps those savings are removed from there,
or they forget what marks the site,
or dragons make off with them,
or spirits carry them away,
or unloved heirs
secretly unearth them.
When their merit is used up,
all of that will vanish.
But by giving and morality,
restraint and self-control,
a women or man
keeps their savings safe.
At a shrine or with the Saṅgha,
with mother or father,
or else an elder sibling,
those savings are kept safe,
they stay with you, undecaying.
We must go on leaving all behind,
only this you take when you go.
You don’t have to divide it with others,
no thief makes off with your savings.
A wise person would make merit,
the savings that stay with you.
Such savings grant every desire
of gods and humans too.
Whatever it is that they wish for
through this they have it all.
Good looks, a sweet voice,
a good shape, and good appearance,
leadership and followers:
through this they have it all.
Sovereignty of a local kingdom,
the happiness of a Wheel-Turning Monarch,
even divine kingship in the heavens:
through this they have it all.
Human success,
heavenly delight,
attaining extinguishment:
through this they have it all.
Relying on having good friends,
proper application of effort,
mastery of knowledge and freedom:
through this they have it all.
Analytical knowledge, the liberations,
the perfections of the disciple,
the plane of a Buddha awakened for themselves:
through this they have it all.
This accomplishment in merit
is so very beneficial.
That’s why the wise and the astute
praise the making of merit.