1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Nādika in the brick hall. Then the householder Dārukammika[n.1384] His name means "dealer in firewood." Mp says that he was so named because he earned his living by selling firewood. approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him: "Does your family give gifts, householder?"

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​   ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe. Atha kho dārukammiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho dārukammikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:  "api nu te, gahapati, kule dānaṁ dīyatī"ti?

"My family gives gifts, Bhante. And those gifts are given to bhikkhus who are arahants or on the path to arahantship, those who are forest dwellers, almsfood collectors, and wearers of rag-robes."[n.1385] The three qualities he mentions are ascetic practices (dhutaṅga). These are contrasted below with non-ascetic monastic practices: living near a village, accepting invitations from laypeople to meals at their homes, and wearing robes prepared by householders.

"Dīyati me, bhante, kule dānaṁ. Tañca kho ye te bhikkhū āraññikā piṇḍapātikā paṁsukūlikā arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā, tathārūpesu me, bhante, bhikkhūsu dānaṁ dīyatī"ti.

2"Since, householder, you are a layman enjoying sensual pleasures, living at home in a house full of children, using sandalwood from Kāsi, wearing garlands, scents, and unguents, and receiving gold and silver, it is difficult for you to know: ‘These are arahants or on the path to arahantship.’

2"Dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, gahapati, tayā gihinā kāmabhoginā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena, kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena, mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena, jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena ime vā arahanto ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannāti.

3(1) "If, householder, a bhikkhu who is a forest-dweller is restless, puffed up, vain, talkative, rambling in his talk, muddle-minded, lacking clear comprehension, unconcentrated, with a wandering mind, with loose sense faculties, then in this respect he is blameworthy. But if a bhikkhu who is a forest-dweller is not restless, puffed up, and vain, is not talkative and rambling in his talk, but has mindfulness established, clearly comprehends, is concentrated, with a one-pointed mind, with restrained sense faculties, then in this respect he is praiseworthy.

3Āraññiko cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti uddhato unnaḷo capalo mukharo vikiṇṇavāco muṭṭhassati asampajāno asamāhito vibbhantacitto pākatindriyo. Evaṁ so tenaṅgena gārayho. Āraññiko cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti anuddhato anunnaḷo acapalo amukharo avikiṇṇavāco upaṭṭhitassati sampajāno samāhito ekaggacitto saṁvutindriyo. Evaṁ so tenaṅgena pāsaṁso. (1)

4(2) "If a bhikkhu who dwells on the outskirts of a village is restless … with loose sense faculties, then in this respect he is blameworthy. But if a bhikkhu who dwells on the outskirts of a village is not restless … with restrained sense faculties, then in this respect he is praiseworthy.

4Gāmantavihārī cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti uddhato … pe … evaṁ so tenaṅgena gārayho. Gāmantavihārī cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti anuddhato … pe … evaṁ so tenaṅgena pāsaṁso. (2)

5(3) "If a bhikkhu who is an almsfood collector is restless … with loose sense faculties, then in this respect he is blameworthy. But if a bhikkhu who is an almsfood collector is not restless … with restrained sense faculties, then in this respect he is praiseworthy.

5Piṇḍapātiko cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti uddhato … pe … evaṁ so tenaṅgena gārayho. Piṇḍapātiko cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti anuddhato … pe … evaṁ so tenaṅgena pāsaṁso. (3)

6(4) "If a bhikkhu who accepts invitations to meals is restless … with loose sense faculties, then in this respect he is blameworthy. But if a bhikkhu who accepts invitations to meals is not restless … with restrained sense faculties, then in this respect he is praiseworthy.

6Nemantaniko cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti uddhato … pe … evaṁ so tenaṅgena gārayho. Nemantaniko cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti anuddhato … pe … evaṁ so tenaṅgena pāsaṁso. (4)

7(5) "If a bhikkhu who wears rag-robes is restless … with loose sense faculties, then in this respect he is blameworthy. But if a bhikkhu who wears rag-robes is not restless … with restrained sense faculties, then in this respect he is praiseworthy.

7Paṁsukūliko cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti uddhato … pe … evaṁ so tenaṅgena gārayho. Paṁsukūliko cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti anuddhato … pe … evaṁ so tenaṅgena pāsaṁso. (5)

8(6) "If a bhikkhu who wears robes given by householders is restless … with loose sense faculties, then in this respect he is blameworthy. But if a bhikkhu who wears robes given by householders is not restless … with restrained sense faculties, then in this respect he is praiseworthy.

8Gahapaticīvaradharo cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti uddhato unnaḷo capalo mukharo vikiṇṇavāco muṭṭhassati asampajāno asamāhito vibbhantacitto pākatindriyo. Evaṁ so tenaṅgena gārayho. Gahapaticīvaradharo cepi, gahapati, bhikkhu hoti anuddhato anunnaḷo acapalo amukharo avikiṇṇavāco upaṭṭhitassati sampajāno samāhito ekaggacitto saṁvutindriyo. Evaṁ so tenaṅgena pāsaṁso. (6)

9"Come now, householder, give gifts to the Saṅgha. When you give gifts to the Saṅgha, your mind will be confident. When your mind is confident, with the breakup of the body, after death, you will be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world."

9Iṅgha tvaṁ, gahapati, saṅghe dānaṁ dehi. Saṅghe te dānaṁ dadato cittaṁ pasīdissati. So tvaṁ pasannacitto kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjissasī"ti.

"Bhante, from today onward I will give gifts to the Saṅgha."[n.1386] Mp says that some time later, five hundred bhikkhus who visited families returned to lay life. When he heard this he said, "What does that have to do with me?" and his faith did not vacillate. It was in anticipation of this that the Buddha said to him: "When you give gifts to the Saṅgha, your mind will be confident." On the special merits of gifts to the Saṅgha, see MN 142.11–12, III 255–56.

"Esāhaṁ, bhante, ajjatagge saṅghe dānaṁ dassāmī"ti.

Pañcamaṁ.