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

AN 5.240 Stinginess (2nd)

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye. Katamehi pañcahi? Āvāsamaccharī hoti; kulamaccharī hoti; lābhamaccharī hoti; vaṇṇamaccharī hoti; dhammamaccharī hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge. Katamehi pañcahi? Na āvāsamaccharī hoti; na kulamaccharī hoti; na lābhamaccharī hoti; na vaṇṇamaccharī hoti; na dhammamaccharī hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Āvāsikavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Āvāsiko piyo ca sobhano,
Bahūpakāro anukampako ca;
Tayo avaṇṇārahā ceva,
Macchariyā duvepi cāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

“Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Āvāsamaccharī hoti;

They’re stingy regarding monasteries,

kulamaccharī hoti;

families,

lābhamaccharī hoti;

material things,

vaṇṇamaccharī hoti;

praise,

dhammamaccharī hoti.

and the teachings.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

A resident mendicant with these five qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge.

A resident mendicant with five qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Na āvāsamaccharī hoti;

They’re not stingy regarding monasteries,

na kulamaccharī hoti;

families,

na lābhamaccharī hoti;

material things,

na vaṇṇamaccharī hoti;

praise,

na dhammamaccharī hoti.

and the teachings.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato āvāsiko bhikkhu yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

A resident mendicant with these five qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.”

Dasamaṁ.

Āvāsikavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Āvāsiko piyo ca sobhano,

Bahūpakāro anukampako ca;

Tayo avaṇṇārahā ceva,

Macchariyā duvepi cāti.

Qualities:

Stinginess

Stinginess

A contracted, possessive refusal to share what one has—whether material goods, knowledge, or status. It clings tightly to what is “mine,” fearing loss and closing the hand against generosity.

Also known as: miserliness, meanness, tight-fistedness
Pāli: macchariya
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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