The Buddha teaches on a shopkeeper (2nd), presenting a threefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 3.20 A Shopkeeper (2nd)

“Tīhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato pāpaṇiko nacirasseva mahattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti bhogesu. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko cakkhumā ca hoti vidhuro ca nissayasampanno ca.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko cakkhumā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko paṇiyaṁ jānāti: ‘idaṁ paṇiyaṁ evaṁ kītaṁ, evaṁ vikkayamānaṁ, ettakaṁ mūlaṁ bhavissati, ettako udayo’ti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko cakkhumā hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko vidhuro hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko kusalo hoti paṇiyaṁ ketuñca vikketuñca. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko vidhuro hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko nissayasampanno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇikaṁ ye te gahapatī gahapatiputtā aḍḍhā mahaddhanā mahābhogā te evaṁ jānanti: ‘ayaṁ kho bhavaṁ pāpaṇiko cakkhumā vidhuro ca paṭibalo puttadārañca posetuṁ, amhākañca kālena kālaṁ anuppadātun’ti. Te naṁ bhogehi nipatanti: ‘ito, samma pāpaṇika, bhoge karitvā puttadārañca posehi, amhākañca kālena kālaṁ anuppadehī’ti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko nissayasampanno hoti.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi aṅgehi samannāgato pāpaṇiko nacirasseva mahattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti bhogesu.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu nacirasseva mahattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti kusalesu dhammesu. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhumā ca hoti vidhuro ca nissayasampanno ca.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhumā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhumā hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vidhuro hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āraddhavīriyo viharati akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya, kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya, thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vidhuro hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu nissayasampanno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā te kālena kālaṁ upasaṅkamitvā paripucchati paripañhati: ‘idaṁ, bhante, kathaṁ, imassa ko attho’ti? Tassa te āyasmanto avivaṭañceva vivaranti, anuttānīkatañca uttānīkaronti, anekavihitesu ca kaṅkhāṭhāniyesu dhammesu kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinodenti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu nissayasampanno hoti.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu nacirasseva mahattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti kusalesu dhammesū”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Paṭhamabhāṇavāro niṭṭhito.

Rathakāravaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Ñāto sāraṇīyo bhikkhu,
cakkavattī sacetano;
Apaṇṇakattā devo ca,
duve pāpaṇikena cāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tīhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato pāpaṇiko nacirasseva mahattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti bhogesu.

“Mendicants, a shopkeeper who has three factors soon acquires great and abundant wealth.

Katamehi tīhi?

What three?

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko cakkhumā ca hoti vidhuro ca nissayasampanno ca.

It’s when a shopkeeper sees clearly, is indefatigable, and has supporters.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko cakkhumā hoti?

And how does a shopkeeper see clearly?

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko paṇiyaṁ jānāti:

It’s when a shopkeeper knows of a product:

‘idaṁ paṇiyaṁ evaṁ kītaṁ, evaṁ vikkayamānaṁ, ettakaṁ mūlaṁ bhavissati, ettako udayo’ti.

‘This product is bought at this price and is selling at this price. With this much investment, it’ll bring this much profit.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko cakkhumā hoti.

That’s how a shopkeeper sees clearly.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko vidhuro hoti?

And how is a shopkeeper indefatigable?

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko kusalo hoti paṇiyaṁ ketuñca vikketuñca.

It’s when a shopkeeper is skilled in buying and selling products.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko vidhuro hoti.

That’s how a shopkeeper is indefatigable.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko nissayasampanno hoti?

And how does a shopkeeper have supporters?

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇikaṁ ye te gahapatī gahapatiputtā aḍḍhā mahaddhanā mahābhogā te evaṁ jānanti:

It’s when rich, affluent, and wealthy householders or householders’ children know of him:

‘ayaṁ kho bhavaṁ pāpaṇiko cakkhumā vidhuro ca paṭibalo puttadārañca posetuṁ, amhākañca kālena kālaṁ anuppadātun’ti.

‘This good shopkeeper sees clearly and is indefatigable. They are capable of providing for their wives and children, and paying us back from time to time.’

Te naṁ bhogehi nipatanti:

They deposit money with the shopkeeper, saying:

‘ito, samma pāpaṇika, bhoge karitvā puttadārañca posehi, amhākañca kālena kālaṁ anuppadehī’ti.

‘With this, my good shopkeeper, earn money to provide for your wives and children, and pay us back from time to time.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko nissayasampanno hoti.

That’s how a shopkeeper has supporters.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi aṅgehi samannāgato pāpaṇiko nacirasseva mahattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti bhogesu.

A shopkeeper who has these three factors soon acquires great and abundant wealth.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu nacirasseva mahattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti kusalesu dhammesu.

In the same way, a mendicant who has three qualities soon acquires great and abundant skillful qualities.

Katamehi tīhi?

What three?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhumā ca hoti vidhuro ca nissayasampanno ca.

It’s when a mendicant sees clearly, is indefatigable, and has supporters.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhumā hoti?

And how does a mendicant see clearly?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

It’s when a mendicant truly understands: ‘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’.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhumā hoti.

That’s how a mendicant sees clearly.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vidhuro hoti?

And how is a mendicant indefatigable?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āraddhavīriyo viharati akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya, kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya, thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu.

It’s when a mendicant lives with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They are strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vidhuro hoti.

That’s how a mendicant is indefatigable.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu nissayasampanno hoti?

And how does a mendicant have supporters?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā te kālena kālaṁ upasaṅkamitvā paripucchati paripañhati:

It’s when from time to time a mendicant goes up to those mendicants who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—and asks them questions:

‘idaṁ, bhante, kathaṁ, imassa ko attho’ti?

‘Why, sir, does it say this? What does that mean?’

Tassa te āyasmanto avivaṭañceva vivaranti, anuttānīkatañca uttānīkaronti, anekavihitesu ca kaṅkhāṭhāniyesu dhammesu kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinodenti.

Those venerables reveal what is hidden, clarify what is unclear, and dispel doubt regarding the many doubtful matters.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu nissayasampanno hoti.

That’s how a mendicant has supporters.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu nacirasseva mahattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti kusalesu dhammesū”ti.

A mendicant who possesses these three qualities soon acquires great and abundant skillful qualities.”

Dasamaṁ.

Paṭhamabhāṇavāro niṭṭhito.

Rathakāravaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Ñāto sāraṇīyo bhikkhu,

cakkavattī sacetano;

Apaṇṇakattā devo ca,

duve pāpaṇikena cāti.

Topics & Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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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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Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
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Learning

Learning

One who has broad learning and retention of the Dhamma, gained through hearing, reciting, and carefully investigating the teachings. Such learning penetrates their meaning through discernment and serves as a strong support for practice.

Also known as: having knowledge, well studied
Pāli: bahussuta, suta
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026