The Buddha teaches on sudatta, presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.58 Sudatta

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“Bhojanaṁ, gahapati, dadamāno ariyasāvako paṭiggāhakānaṁ cattāri ṭhānāni deti. Katamāni cattāri? Āyuṁ deti, vaṇṇaṁ deti, sukhaṁ deti, balaṁ deti. Āyuṁ kho pana datvā āyussa bhāgī hoti dibbassa mānusassa vā. Vaṇṇaṁ datvāsukhaṁ datvābalaṁ datvā balassa bhāgī hoti dibbassa mānusassa vā. Bhojanaṁ, gahapati, dadamāno ariyasāvako paṭiggāhakānaṁ imāni cattāri ṭhānāni detīti.

Yo saññatānaṁ paradattabhojinaṁ,
Kālena sakkacca dadāti bhojanaṁ;
Cattāri ṭhānāni anuppavecchati,
Āyuñca vaṇṇañca sukhaṁ balañca.

So āyudāyī vaṇṇadāyī,
sukhaṁ balaṁ dado naro;
Dīghāyu yasavā hoti,
yattha yatthūpapajjatī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“Bhojanaṁ, gahapati, dadamāno ariyasāvako paṭiggāhakānaṁ cattāri ṭhānāni deti.

“Householder, when a noble disciple gives food, they give the recipients four things.

Katamāni cattāri?

What four?

Āyuṁ deti, vaṇṇaṁ deti, sukhaṁ deti, balaṁ deti.

Long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

Āyuṁ kho pana datvā āyussa bhāgī hoti dibbassa mānusassa vā.

Giving long life, they have long life as a god or human. …

Vaṇṇaṁ datvāsukhaṁ datvābalaṁ datvā balassa bhāgī hoti dibbassa mānusassa vā.

Giving beauty … happiness … strength …

Bhojanaṁ, gahapati, dadamāno ariyasāvako paṭiggāhakānaṁ imāni cattāri ṭhānāni detīti.

When a noble disciple gives food, they give the recipients these four things.

Yo saññatānaṁ paradattabhojinaṁ,

Carefully giving food at the right time,

Kālena sakkacca dadāti bhojanaṁ;

to those who are disciplined, eating only what others give,

Cattāri ṭhānāni anuppavecchati,

you provide them with four things:

Āyuñca vaṇṇañca sukhaṁ balañca.

long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

So āyudāyī vaṇṇadāyī,

A person who gives long life, beauty,

sukhaṁ balaṁ dado naro;

happiness, and strength,

Dīghāyu yasavā hoti,

has long life and fame

yattha yatthūpapajjatī”ti.

wherever they’re reborn.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

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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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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Recollection of the Buddha

Recollection of the Buddha

A mental quality of reflecting on the qualities of the Buddha, which counters doubt and strengthens faith.

Also known as: recollection of Buddha, mindfulness of the Buddha, reflection on the qualities of the Buddha
Pāli: buddhānussati, buddhānusmṛti
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Last updated on July 27, 2026