The Buddha contrasts pursuing welcome, success, growth, and treasures in material things of the flesh with the same qualities fulfilled through the teaching.

AN 2.151-162 The Chapter on Welcome

151

“Dveme, bhikkhave, santhārā. Katame dve? Āmisasanthāro ca dhammasanthāro ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve santhārā. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ santhārānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammasanthāro”ti.

152

“Dveme, bhikkhave, paṭisanthārā. Katame dve? Āmisapaṭisanthāro ca dhammapaṭisanthāro ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve paṭisanthārā. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ paṭisanthārānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammapaṭisanthāro”ti.

153

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, esanā. Katamā dve? Āmisesanā ca dhammesanā ca. Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve esanā. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ esanānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammesanā”ti.

154

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, pariyesanā. Katamā dve? Āmisapariyesanā ca dhammapariyesanā ca. Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve pariyesanā. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ pariyesanānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammapariyesanā”ti.

155

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, pariyeṭṭhiyo. Katamā dve? Āmisapariyeṭṭhi ca dhammapariyeṭṭhi ca. Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve pariyeṭṭhiyo. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ pariyeṭṭhīnaṁ yadidaṁ dhammapariyeṭṭhī”ti.

156

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, pūjā. Katamā dve? Āmisapūjā ca dhammapūjā ca. Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve pūjā. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ pūjānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammapūjā”ti.

157

“Dvemāni, bhikkhave, ātitheyyāni. Katamāni dve? Āmisātitheyyañca dhammātitheyyañca. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dve ātitheyyāni. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ ātitheyyānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammātitheyyan”ti.

158

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, iddhiyo. Katamā dve? Āmisiddhi ca dhammiddhi ca. Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve iddhiyo. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ iddhīnaṁ yadidaṁ dhammiddhī”ti.

159

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, vuddhiyo. Katamā dve? Āmisavuddhi ca dhammavuddhi ca. Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve vuddhiyo. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ vuddhīnaṁ yadidaṁ dhammavuddhī”ti.

160

“Dvemāni, bhikkhave, ratanāni. Katamāni dve? Āmisaratanañca dhammaratanañca. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dve ratanāni. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ ratanānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammaratanan”ti.

161

“Dveme, bhikkhave, sannicayā. Katame dve? Āmisasannicayo ca dhammasannicayo ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve sannicayā. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ sannicayānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammasannicayo”ti.

162

“Dvemāni, bhikkhave, vepullāni. Katamāni dve? Āmisavepullañca dhammavepullañca. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dve vepullāni. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ vepullānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammavepullan”ti.

Santhāravaggo catuttho.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

2.151

“Dveme, bhikkhave, santhārā.

“There are these two kinds of welcome.

Katame dve?

What two?

Āmisasanthāro ca dhammasanthāro ca.

Welcome in things of the flesh and welcome in the teaching.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve santhārā.

These are the two kinds of welcome.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ santhārānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammasanthāro”ti.

The better of these two kinds of welcome is the welcome in the teaching.”

2.152

“Dveme, bhikkhave, paṭisanthārā.

“There are these two kinds of hospitality.

Katame dve?

What two?

Āmisapaṭisanthāro ca dhammapaṭisanthāro ca.

Hospitality in things of the flesh and hospitality in the teaching.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve paṭisanthārā.

These are the two kinds of hospitality.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ paṭisanthārānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammapaṭisanthāro”ti.

The better of these two kinds of hospitality is hospitality in the teaching.”

2.153

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, esanā.

“There are these two quests.

Katamā dve?

What two?

Āmisesanā ca dhammesanā ca.

The quest for things of the flesh and the quest for the teaching.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve esanā.

These are the two quests.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ esanānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammesanā”ti.

The better of these two quests is the quest for the teaching.”

2.154

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, pariyesanā.

“There are these two searches.

Katamā dve?

What two?

Āmisapariyesanā ca dhammapariyesanā ca.

The search for things of the flesh and the search for the teaching.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve pariyesanā.

These are the two searches.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ pariyesanānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammapariyesanā”ti.

The better of these two searches is the search for the teaching.”

2.155

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, pariyeṭṭhiyo.

“There are these two kinds of seeking.

Katamā dve?

What two?

Āmisapariyeṭṭhi ca dhammapariyeṭṭhi ca.

Seeking for things of the flesh and seeking for the teaching.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve pariyeṭṭhiyo.

These are the two kinds of seeking.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ pariyeṭṭhīnaṁ yadidaṁ dhammapariyeṭṭhī”ti.

The better of these two kinds of seeking is seeking for the teaching.”

2.156

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, pūjā.

“There are these two kinds of worship.

Katamā dve?

What two?

Āmisapūjā ca dhammapūjā ca.

Worship of things of the flesh and worship of the teaching.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve pūjā.

These are the two kinds of worship.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ pūjānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammapūjā”ti.

The better of these two kinds of worship is worship of the teaching.”

2.157

“Dvemāni, bhikkhave, ātitheyyāni.

“There are these two ways of serving guests.

Katamāni dve?

What two?

Āmisātitheyyañca dhammātitheyyañca.

Serving guests with things of the flesh and serving guests with the teaching.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dve ātitheyyāni.

These are the two ways of serving guests.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ ātitheyyānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammātitheyyan”ti.

The better of these two ways of serving guests is to serve them with the teaching.”

2.158

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, iddhiyo.

“There are, mendicants, these two successes.

Katamā dve?

What two?

Āmisiddhi ca dhammiddhi ca.

Success in things of the flesh and success in the teaching.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve iddhiyo.

These are the two successes.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ iddhīnaṁ yadidaṁ dhammiddhī”ti.

The better of these two successes is success in the teaching.”

2.159

“Dvemā, bhikkhave, vuddhiyo.

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of growth.

Katamā dve?

What two?

Āmisavuddhi ca dhammavuddhi ca.

Growth in things of the flesh and growth in the teaching.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, dve vuddhiyo.

These are the two kinds of growth.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ dvinnaṁ vuddhīnaṁ yadidaṁ dhammavuddhī”ti.

The better of these two kinds of growth is growth in the teaching.”

2.160

“Dvemāni, bhikkhave, ratanāni.

“There are these two treasures.

Katamāni dve?

What two?

Āmisaratanañca dhammaratanañca.

The treasure of things of the flesh and the treasure of the teaching.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dve ratanāni.

These are the two treasures.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ ratanānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammaratanan”ti.

The better of these two treasures is the treasure of the teaching.”

2.161

“Dveme, bhikkhave, sannicayā.

“There are these two kinds of accumulation.

Katame dve?

What two?

Āmisasannicayo ca dhammasannicayo ca.

Accumulation of things of the flesh and accumulation of the teaching.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve sannicayā.

These are the two kinds of accumulation.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ sannicayānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammasannicayo”ti.

The better of these two kinds of accumulation is the accumulation of the teaching.”

2.162

“Dvemāni, bhikkhave, vepullāni.

“There are, mendicants, these two kinds of increase.

Katamāni dve?

What two?

Āmisavepullañca dhammavepullañca.

Increase in things of the flesh and increase in the teaching.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dve vepullāni.

These are the two kinds of increase.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ vepullānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammavepullan”ti.

The better of these two kinds of increase is increase in the teaching.”

Santhāravaggo catuttho.

Topics & Qualities:

Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026