Vaṇijjasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.79

Numbered Discourses 4.79

8. Apaṇṇakavagga

8. Sure Bet

Vaṇijjasutta

Business

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā chedagāminī hoti?

“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why for different people the same kind of business undertaking might fail,

Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā na yathādhippāyā hoti?

while another doesn’t meet expectations,

Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā yathādhippāyā hoti?

another meets expectations,

Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā parādhippāyā hotī”ti?

and another exceeds expectations?”

“Idha, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti: ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṁ na deti.

“Sāriputta, take a case where someone goes to an ascetic or brahmin and invites them to ask for what they need. But they fail to give what’s requested.

So ce tato cuto itthattaṁ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṁ payojeti, sāssa hoti chedagāminī.

When they’ve passed away from that life, if they’re reborn in this place, whatever business they undertake fails.

Idha pana, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti: ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṁ na yathādhippāyaṁ deti.

Take a case where someone goes to an ascetic or brahmin and invites them to ask for what they need. They give what’s requested, but don’t meet expectations.

So ce tato cuto itthattaṁ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṁ payojeti, sāssa na hoti yathādhippāyā.

When they’ve passed away from that life, if they’re reborn in this place, whatever business they undertake doesn’t meet expectations.

Idha pana, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti: ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṁ yathādhippāyaṁ deti.

Take a case where someone goes to an ascetic or brahmin and invites them to ask for what they need. They give what’s requested, meeting expectations.

So ce tato cuto itthattaṁ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṁ payojeti, sāssa hoti yathādhippāyā.

When they’ve passed away from that life, if they’re reborn in this place, whatever business they undertake meets expectations.

Idha, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti: ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṁ parādhippāyaṁ deti.

Take a case where someone goes to an ascetic or brahmin and invites them to ask for what they need. They give what’s requested, exceeding expectations.

So ce tato cuto itthattaṁ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṁ payojeti, sāssa hoti parādhippāyā.

When they’ve passed away from that life, if they’re reborn in this place, whatever business they undertake exceeds expectations.

Ayaṁ kho, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā chedagāminī hoti.

This is the cause, this is the reason why for different people the same kind of business undertaking might fail,

Ayaṁ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā na yathādhippāyā hoti.

while another doesn’t meet expectations,

Ayaṁ kho pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā yathādhippāyā hoti.

another meets expectations,

Ayaṁ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā parādhippāyā hotī”ti.

and another exceeds expectations.”

Navamaṁ.