Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the Blessed One thus:
“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā chedagāminī hoti? Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā na yathādhippāyā hoti? Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā yathādhippāyā hoti? Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā parādhippāyā hotī”ti?
“1) Venerable sir, what is the cause, what is the condition, whereby for some person here a |trade::commerce, business [vaṇijjā]| of this sort, once undertaken, leads to loss? 2) And what, venerable sir, is the cause and condition, whereby for some person here a trade of this sort, once undertaken, fails to meet its intended aim? 3) And what, venerable sir, is the cause and condition, whereby for some person here a trade of this sort, once undertaken, succeeds as intended? 4) And what, venerable sir, is the cause and condition, whereby for some person here a trade of this sort, once undertaken, surpasses even its intended aim?”
“Idha, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti: ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṁ na deti. So ce tato cuto itthattaṁ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṁ payojeti, sāssa hoti chedagāminī.
“1) Here, Sāriputta, a certain person approaches an ascetic or a brahmin and invites them: ‘Venerable sir, please ask [to provide guidance] regarding requisites.’ Yet he does not give what was requested. If, after passing away from that state, he is reborn into this world, whatever trade he then undertakes will lead to loss.
Idha pana, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti: ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṁ na yathādhippāyaṁ deti. So ce tato cuto itthattaṁ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṁ payojeti, sāssa na hoti yathādhippāyā.
2) But here, Sāriputta, a certain person approaches an ascetic or a brahmin and invites them: ‘Venerable sir, please ask [to provide guidance] regarding requisites.’ He gives it to him but not in line with expectations. If, after passing away from that state, he is reborn into this world, whatever trade he then undertakes will fail to meet its intended aim.
Idha pana, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti: ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṁ yathādhippāyaṁ deti. So ce tato cuto itthattaṁ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṁ payojeti, sāssa hoti yathādhippāyā.
3) But here, Sāriputta, a certain person approaches an ascetic or a brahmin and invites them: ‘Venerable sir, please ask [to provide guidance] regarding requisites.’ He gives it to him in full accordance with his intention. If, after passing away from that state, he is reborn into this world, whatever trade he then undertakes will succeed as intended.
Idha, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti: ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṁ parādhippāyaṁ deti. So ce tato cuto itthattaṁ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṁ payojeti, sāssa hoti parādhippāyā.
4) Here, Sāriputta, a certain person approaches an ascetic or a brahmin and invites them: ‘Venerable sir, please ask [to provide guidance] regarding requisites.’ He gives it to him in a manner exceeding expectations. If, after passing away from that state, he is reborn into this world, whatever trade he then undertakes will surpass even its intended aim.
Ayaṁ kho, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā chedagāminī hoti. Ayaṁ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā na yathādhippāyā hoti. Ayaṁ kho pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā yathādhippāyā hoti. Ayaṁ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā parādhippāyā hotī”ti.
1) This, Sāriputta, is the cause, this is the condition, whereby for a certain person here, a trade of this sort, once undertaken, leads to loss. 2) And this, Sāriputta, is the cause and condition, whereby for a certain person here, a trade of this sort, once undertaken, fails to meet its intended aim. 3) But this, Sāriputta, is the cause and condition, whereby for a certain person here, a trade of this sort, once undertaken, succeeds as intended. 4) And this, Sāriputta, is the cause and condition, whereby for a certain person here, a trade of this sort, once undertaken, surpasses even its intended aim.”