1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Āḷavī at the Aggāḷava Shrine. Then Hatthaka of Āḷavī, accompanied by five hundred lay followers, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:

"Your retinue is large, Hatthaka. How do you sustain this large retinue?"

"I do so, Bhante, by the four means of sustaining a favorable relationship taught by the Blessed One. [n.1683] Mentioned at AN4.32 and AN4.256. When I know: ‘This one is to be sustained by a gift,’ I sustain him by a gift. When I know: ‘This one is to be sustained by endearing speech,’ I sustain him by endearing speech. When I know: ‘This one is to be sustained by beneficent conduct,’ I sustain him by beneficent conduct. When I know: ‘This one is to be sustained by impartiality,’ I sustain him by impartiality. There is wealth in my family, Bhante. They don’t think they should listen to me as if I were poor." [n.1684] Daḷiddassa kho no tathā sotabbaṁ maññanti. Mp: "They do not listen to me as they would to a poor man, who cannot give anything or do anything; but they think they should listen to me and follow my advice and do not think they should transgress my instructions."

"Good, good, Hatthaka! This is the method by which you can sustain a large retinue. For all those in the past who sustained a large retinue did so by these same four means of sustaining a favorable relationship. All those in the future who will sustain a large retinue will do so by these same four means of sustaining a favorable relationship. And all those at present who sustain a large retinue do so by these same four means of sustaining a favorable relationship."

2Then, after the Blessed One had instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened Hatthaka of Āḷavī with a Dhamma talk, Hatthaka rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping the right side toward him, and departed.

Then, not long after Hatthaka of Āḷavī had left, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, you should remember Hatthaka of Āḷavī as one who possesses eight astounding and amazing qualities. What eight? (1) He is endowed with faith. (2) He is virtuous, and (3) has a sense of moral shame and (4) moral dread. (5) He is learned, (6) generous, and (7) wise. (8) He has few desires. You should remember Hatthaka of Āḷavī as one who possesses these eight astounding and amazing qualities."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye. Atha kho hatthako āḷavako pañcamattehi upāsakasatehi parivuto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho hatthakaṁ āḷavakaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

"Mahatī kho tyāyaṁ, hatthaka, parisā. Kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, hatthaka, imaṁ mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgaṇhāsī"ti?

"Yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā desitāni cattāri saṅgahavatthūni, tehāhaṁ imaṁ mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgaṇhāmi. Ahaṁ, bhante, yaṁ jānāmi: ‘Ayaṁ dānena saṅgahetabbo’ti, taṁ dānena saṅgaṇhāmi; yaṁ jānāmi: ‘Ayaṁ peyyavajjena saṅgahetabbo’ti, taṁ peyyavajjena saṅgaṇhāmi; yaṁ jānāmi: ‘Ayaṁ atthacariyāya saṅgahetabbo’ti, taṁ atthacariyāya saṅgaṇhāmi; yaṁ jānāmi: ‘Ayaṁ samānattatāya saṅgahetabbo’ti, taṁ samānattatāya saṅgaṇhāmi. Saṁvijjanti kho pana me, bhante, kule bhogā. Daliddassa kho no tathā sotabbaṁ maññantī"ti.

"Sādhu sādhu, hatthaka. Yoni kho tyāyaṁ, hatthaka, mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgahetuṁ. Ye hi keci, hatthaka, atītamaddhānaṁ mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgahesuṁ, sabbe te imeheva catūhi saṅgahavatthūhi mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgahesuṁ. Yepi hi keci, hatthaka, anāgatamaddhānaṁ mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgaṇhissanti, sabbe te imeheva catūhi saṅgahavatthūhi mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgaṇhissanti. Yepi hi keci, hatthaka, etarahi mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgaṇhanti, sabbe te imeheva catūhi saṅgahavatthūhi mahatiṁ parisaṁ saṅgaṇhantī"ti.

2Atha kho hatthako āḷavako bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Atha kho bhagavā acirapakkante hatthake āḷavake bhikkhū āmantesi: "aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ hatthakaṁ āḷavakaṁ dhāretha. Katamehi aṭṭhahi? Saddho, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; sīlavā, bhikkhave … pe … hirīmā … ottappī … bahussuto … cāgavā … paññavā, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako; appiccho, bhikkhave, hatthako āḷavako. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ hatthakaṁ āḷavakaṁ dhārethā"ti.

Catutthaṁ.