Bahukārasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.24

Numbered Discourses 3.24

3. Puggalavagga

3. Individuals

Bahukārasutta

Very Helpful

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā puggalassa bahukārā.

“Mendicants, these three individuals are very helpful to another.

Katame tayo?

What three?

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalaṁ āgamma puggalo buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti;

The individual who has enabled you to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.

ayaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo imassa puggalassa bahukāro.

This individual is very helpful to another.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, yaṁ puggalaṁ āgamma puggalo ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti;

Furthermore, the individual who has enabled you to truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.

ayaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo imassa puggalassa bahukāro.

This individual is very helpful to another.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, yaṁ puggalaṁ āgamma puggalo āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati;

Furthermore, the individual who has enabled you to realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and live having realized it with your own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.

ayaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo imassa puggalassa bahukāro.

This individual is very helpful to another.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā puggalassa bahukārā.

These are the three individuals who are very helpful to another individual.

Imehi ca pana, bhikkhave, tīhi puggalehi imassa puggalassa natthañño puggalo bahukāroti vadāmi.

And I say that there is no one more helpful to another than these three individuals.

Imesaṁ pana, bhikkhave, tiṇṇaṁ puggalānaṁ iminā puggalena na suppatikāraṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁ abhivādanapaccuṭṭhānaañjalikammasāmīcikammacīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānuppadānenā”ti.

And I also say that it’s not easy to repay these three individuals by bowing down to them, rising up for them, greeting them with cupped palms, and observing proper etiquette for them; or by providing them with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.”

Catutthaṁ.